Development And Test Of Wick Components Used In AMTEC For Planet Nuclear Reactor

With the development of human society, it have reached the unprecedented level for the outer space of the detection and outer planet exploration, the Chinese outer space exploration is also gradually close to the world advanced level. Alkali Metal Thermal-Electric Converter is a kind of high efficient thermoelectric direct energy conversion device. The application scope of Alkali Metal Thermal-Electric Converter can be used in wide area, it can be integrated with small fast reactor to form the distributed power generation device for remote areas to provide electricity, or it can provide power for ship, deep and outer space exploration. Alkali Metal Thermal-Electric Converter research direction including thin film electrodes porous, Wick Components and metal-ceramic seal technology.Wick Components performance study is an important aspect of Alkali Metal Thermal-Electric Converter research, its performance directly related to Alkali Metal Thermal-Electric Converter efficiency and lifetime. Wick Components include evaporator and wick. This study produced different pore diameter and porosity of Wick Components through the metal powder pressing sintering molding method.Welding evaporator and wick into four groups Wick Components sample, the study test the four groups Wick Components sample with self-design and produced test equipment. In the test which using the purity of99.7%ethanol as working medium, it is found that the minimum working temperature of Wick Components is boiling temperature of working medium, its stable working temperature is about10%more than working medium boiling temperature.The study found that the stable working temperature of Wick Components is very close to the dryness temperature. In the test of Wick Components, the dryness temperature is only2-4K higher than stable working temperature. So it is necessary to strictly control the working temperature in Wick Components regular work, to guarantee Wick Components efficient work and to prevent the occurrence of the phenomenon of dryness.The maximum pressure provided by Wick Components is mainly determined by the pore diameter of wick, the pore diameter of evaporator influence is lesser, maximum pressure and the pore diameter of wick is inversely proportional, basic Laplace-Young formula with the results.The study found that there exist relationship between Wick Components work flow and temperature, when Wick Components achieve stable working temperature, the work flow achieve maximum.