The present thesis presents the conceptual design of a Water Electrolysis Propulsion System (WEPS) intended for a 3U CubeSat performing its mission in a low Earth orbit (LEO), with the aim of extending its lifetime. The proposed system takes advantage of the power provided by solar panels to electrolyze water into hydrogen and oxygen, which are subsequently catalytically ignited and combusted to generate thrust. Moreover, during eclipse, the electrochemical cell will provide the CubeSat with electrical power, recombining part of the hydrogen and oxygen previously produced during the daylight. Such system effectively competes with both chemical and electrical propulsion systems, offering high thrust to power ratios, high efficiency and, if needed, high thrust. The integration into the electric and power subsystem thereby yields further efficiency. The results show the feasibility of the system extending by at least 5 years the lifetime of the spacecraft filled with 1 kg of water as propellant.
La presente tesi magistrale presenterà il dimensionamento concettuale di un sistema di propulsione ad elettrolisi di acqua (WEPS), appositamente studiato per un CubeSat 3U in una orbita terrestre bassa (LEO), con lo scopo di estendere la durata della sua missione. Il sistema proposto sfrutta l’energia elettrica fornita dai pannelli solari per elettrolizzare l’acqua in idrogeno e ossigeno, che verranno poi bruciati cataliticamente per generare spinta. In più, durante il periodo di eclissi, la cella elettrochimica alimenterà elettricamente il CubeSat, ricombinando parte dell’idrogeno e dell’ossigeno precedentementi prodotti durante il giorno. Questo tipo di sistema compete sia con tipi di propulsione chimica sia elettrica, offrendo alti rapporti di spinta/potenza, alte efficienze, e, se necessario, alti valori di spinta. L’integrazione della cella a combustibile nel sistema elettrico permette di raggiungere efficienze ancora più elevate. I risultati della tesi dimostrano la fattibilità del sistema, che permette di estendere la vita del satellite di almeno 5 anni utilizzando 1 kg di acqua come propellente.
Conceptual design of a water electrolysis propulsion system for a 3U CubeSat
Paletta, Daniele
2021/2022
Abstract
The present thesis presents the conceptual design of a Water Electrolysis Propulsion System (WEPS) intended for a 3U CubeSat performing its mission in a low Earth orbit (LEO), with the aim of extending its lifetime. The proposed system takes advantage of the power provided by solar panels to electrolyze water into hydrogen and oxygen, which are subsequently catalytically ignited and combusted to generate thrust. Moreover, during eclipse, the electrochemical cell will provide the CubeSat with electrical power, recombining part of the hydrogen and oxygen previously produced during the daylight. Such system effectively competes with both chemical and electrical propulsion systems, offering high thrust to power ratios, high efficiency and, if needed, high thrust. The integration into the electric and power subsystem thereby yields further efficiency. The results show the feasibility of the system extending by at least 5 years the lifetime of the spacecraft filled with 1 kg of water as propellant.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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ExecutiveSummary_Paletta.pdf
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Descrizione: Executive Summary
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Thesis_Paletta.pdf
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Descrizione: Thesis
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/211283