Performance Analysis of the Heat Pipe-Based Thermoelectric Generator (HP-TEG) Energy System Using In-Situ Resource for Heat Storage Applied to the Early-Period Lunar Base

The Moon is an outpost of human exploration of deep space. The promotion of projects such as polar exploration, rovers, and surface infrastructure is the first step for mankind to enter the Moon. For the early period of the lunar base mission, it is essential to build an energy system that can fully utilize local resources, reduce the weight of transporting materials from the Earth and eventually solve the problem of energy shortage during the lunar daytime and nighttime. A heat pipe-based thermoelectric generator (HP-TEG) system using in-situ resource for heat storage is proposed in this paper, and the operation performance of the proposed system during the lunar daytime and nighttime is evaluated. The results indicate that the 4-stage thermoelectric generator system performs a relative highest energy conversion efficiency throughout the lunar daytime and nighttime by comparing the performance of different stages of thermoelectric generators. In addition, it is found that the maximum energy conversion efficiency (7.6 %) is achieved when the length of the thermoelectric leg is 2.7 mm. Especially for the lunar night power generation system, the heat pipe-based thermoelectric generator system can produce 1.75 MJ total power output capacity, which is 19.43 % higher than that of the copper rod-thermoelectric generator. Hence, the heat pipe-based thermoelectric generator system is more suitable for the lunar night condition. In conclusion, the proposed system has several advantages in simple structure, high efficiency, and continuous electricity supply for the application of the early-period lunar base.