Design and Stress Analysis of Extraterrestrial ... - The Black Vault

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CHAPTER III
CON VERTERS
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3.1. MECHANICAL CONVERTERS
Of the familiar methods of converting, thermal 'energy into
electrical, the turbogenerator method occupies *a peculiar position.
This method of obtaining elec~trical energy is historically
established and there has been considerab~le des~ign and operational
experience in this area of technology.
Thermal energy obtained, for example, from the c Iombustilon of
a chemical fuel or from the decay of a nudlea-r fuel1 in a reactor,
goes Wo~heat the working medilum and obtain the vapor ewhich 'brings
the turbine into operation.
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A turbine is the lightest and most compact ofiall known
machines for transforming thermal energy into mechanical. The
mechanical energy of a* turbine, in tu,-nj is converted, býr a generator
connected to the turbine, into de or ac current of various frequencies.
Such coi,verters make 'it pos~ikle, with limi~ted size factors 2 , to
obtain high-power electrical current (100 kW and h~.gher). In
addition, with the mechanical conversion of- energy we ob~tain the
highest conversion efficiency (40-50%').
In extraterrestrial power plants with mechanical energy,
converters, the use of turbines operati.ng on the Rankine steam
cycle is proposed (the elficilency of the Rankine cycle approaches
the efficiency of the ideal Carimot cycle).
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