Mass Advantages in a Jet-Pumped Active Thermal Management System 2002-01-3200

This paper provides a comparison between recuperated and non-recuperated versions of a novel solar integrated thermal management and power system, which is comprised of a thermally-actuated heat pump with power and refrigeration subsystems and a jet pump serving as the compression device. The analysis allows calculation of an overall system mass ratio that compares the overall active system mass to its idealized passive counterpart. The comparison between the recuperated and non-recuperated systems is based on this mass ratio parameter, called the System Mass Ratio SMB. In this study liquid nitrogen, which is common on many space missions, is the working fluid. This achieves a significant mass advantage, as the use of conventional cryocoolers is eliminated. By applying the techniques demonstrated in this paper, designers can identify and optimize conceptual configurations during the initial prototype development stages to reduce payload weight and increase financial savings. Results of the analysis presented here indicate that the recuperated system has a mass advantage over its non-recuperated counterpart under certain conditions.