WELCO

ME
SOLAR THERMAL
PROPULSION
Presented By

Mohammed Ahsan Sharief

(07N31A2115)
 INTRODUCTION

 STP conceived in 1956 by Kraft

Echrike.
 Space craft propulsion.
 Does not require development of
the power source.
 STP system uses soar energy
directly as heat.
INTRODUCTION (Contd…)

 STP effectively bridges the

performance gap between chemical
and electric propulsion.
 Requires only one propellant.
 Moderate thrust, propellant
efficiency.
 Hydrogen used as the propellant
ELEMENTS OF STP SPACE CRAFT
 Mainly 3 components.
 Concentrator: Sunlight
concentrated by a lens or mirror.
 Thruster: Heats and
expands propellant to produce thrust.

 Propellant system: Stores

cryogenic propellant. (diagram)
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS

 Two concentrator designs

 Rigid concentrators
 Inflatable concentrators
 Applications of
concentrators
INFLATED
CONCENTRATORS
 It consists of two reflectors
 Reflectors are symmetrical and
bounded at their edges
 Reflector components

 Reflective membrane
 Transparent membrane (diagram)
 Inflatable concentrator
ABSORBER AND THRUSTER
 Absorber function as a heat exchanger
 Transport of high intensity solar flux to
the solar receiver via optical fiber cable.
 Solar receiver core is made of graphite
cylinder.
 Graphite core is surrounded by the
molybdenum tube.
 Optical fiber cable – quartz rod.
WORKING OF STP SPACE CRAFT

 STP system consists of two off axis

solar concentrators.
 Optical waveguide transmission line.
 Propellant gas injected tangentially
into the graphite cylinder.
 Expansion through a nozzle.
(diagram)
PROPELLANT HEATING

 Two ways to heat the propellant.

• Indirect Method.

• Direct Method.
 INDIRECT METHOD

 When sunlight is passed,

propellant flow through pipes.
 Passages in the wall of a
windowless heating cavity.
 Propellant gas expands through a
nozzle. (diagram)
INDIRECT METHOD
 DIRECT METHOD

 Propellant flow through windowed

heating chamber.
 Cylindrical rotating chamber rotates
so that centrifugal force keeps the
sand or seeds.
 Choice of seeds. (diagram)
DIRECT METHOD
 SOLAR THERMAL
PROPULSIONCONCEPTS

 Two system level

approaches
 Direct gain approach
 Thermal storage concept
 DIRECT GAIN CONCEPT

 Solar energy is collected by inflated

concentrators.

 Use sunlight directly.

 No need of thermal storage medium .
 Specific impulse is less.
 THERMAL STORAGE
CONCEPT
 It simplifies sun orientation and
sun trickling
 Higher thrust with smaller
concentrators
 Thermal storage medium
 Specific impulse depends on
storage temperature
 SPECIFICATION
 Propellant – hydrogen.
 Maximum temp - 2300°K to 2400°K.
 Chamber pressure – 20 to 25 psia.
 Nozzle area ratio – 100:1.
 Thrust – 100 N.
 Specific impulse – 750 to 800 sec.
 COMPARISON OF
DIFFERENT THRUSTERS

 Liquid thruster
 Solid thruster
 Solar thermal thruster
 TECHNOLOGIES UNDER
DEVELOPING FOR STP

 High temperature heat exchangers

 Low cost manufacturing of high
performance components
 Long term cryogenic hydrogen
storage
 Light weight, less rigid structures
BENEFITS OF SOLAR THERMAL
PROPULSION

 Higher payload fraction

 Higher specific impulse
 Higher thrust to weight ratio
 Space solar power
 Low cost for interplanetary travel
and unmanned exploration
 LIMITATIONS OF SOLAR
THERMAL PROPULSION

 Relatively lower thrust

 Less efficient places where
sunlight intensity low
 Ground level testing
 CONCLUSION
 Less expensive, much simpler, more
efficient.
 Missions to the moon and mars as well
as boosting payloads to higher orbit.
 Solar absorber, thruster and inflated
concentrated technology development
have continued to be advanced under
AFRL over the last 20 years.
THANK YOU