Energy supply system based on Mars in-situ resources

Abstract

The invention provides an energy supply system based on Mars in-situ resources, which is suitable for supplying energy to a Mars base and comprises an energy conversion unit and a Mars atmosphere trapping unit. The energy conversion unit comprises a carrier gas device suitable for containing the Mars atmosphere and being heated by an external heat source; and the heat energy conversion device is connected with the gas carrying device and is suitable for converting at least part of heat energy of the Mars atmosphere into mechanical energy and / or electric energy and outputting the Mars atmosphere at the first temperature. And the Mars atmosphere trapping unit is communicated with the energy conversion unit and is suitable for trapping the Mars atmosphere on the Mars in situ and supplementing the Mars atmosphere to the energy conversion unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure belongs to the field of advanced thermoelectric conversion for deep space exploration, and particularly relates to an energy supply system based on in-situ resources on Mars for in-situ resource utilization on Mars. Background Art

[0002] Current energy supply technologies on Mars mainly include solar cells and radioisotope thermoelectric generators. Solar cells rely on the solar radiation intensity near the Martian surface. Their power generation capacity is affected by periodic dust storms and the lack of sunlight at night, making it difficult to meet the continuous power supply demand. Radioisotope thermoelectric generators have problems with thermoelectric conversion efficiency and are only suitable for short-term unmanned exploration missions, unable to support the power demand required for the long-term operation of a manned Martian base.

[0003] In recent years, space dynamic thermoelectric conversion systems have achieved high energy conversion efficiency through optimizing the thermodynamic cycle and working fluid selection, and have broad application prospects. Currently, space dynamic thermoelectric conversion systems usually use special rare gases as the working fluid, and achieve the conversion of thermal energy - mechanical energy - electrical energy through high-speed moving components. However, high-speed moving components are prone to material fatigue leading to seal failure. Once the rare gas working fluid leaks, the system fails, and due to the high cost of Mars transportation, it is difficult to replenish the working fluid after leakage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present disclosure provides an energy supply system based on in-situ resources on Mars.

[0005] The energy conversion unit provided by the present disclosure is suitable for supplying energy to a Martian base, and includes: an energy conversion unit and a Martian atmosphere capture unit. The energy conversion unit includes: a carrier gas device, suitable for containing Martian atmosphere and being heated by an external heat source; a thermal energy conversion device, connected to the carrier gas device, suitable for converting at least part of the thermal energy of the Martian atmosphere into mechanical energy and / or electrical energy, and outputting Martian atmosphere at a first temperature. The Martian atmosphere capture unit is connected to the energy conversion unit and is suitable for in-situ capturing Martian atmosphere on Mars and supplementing Martian atmosphere to the energy conversion unit.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the Martian atmosphere capture unit includes: a trap, suitable for capturing Martian atmosphere and compressing the Martian atmosphere to a target pressure; a storage tank, connected to the trap and the energy conversion unit respectively, suitable for storing Martian atmosphere, and supplementing Martian atmosphere to the energy conversion unit when the Martian atmosphere in the energy conversion unit is insufficient.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the trap includes: a multi-stage pressurization mechanism, suitable for compressing Martian atmosphere multiple times; a cooling mechanism, connected to the outlet of each stage of the pressurization mechanism and connected to the inlet of the next stage of the pressurization mechanism, to cool the compressed gas generated by each stage of the pressurization mechanism.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the energy conversion unit further includes: a heat exchange device, which is connected to the heat energy conversion device and is adapted to cool the Martian atmosphere at a first temperature to a second temperature.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heat exchange device includes: a heat exchanger having a hot side and a cold side, the hot side being adapted to accommodate the flowing Martian atmosphere, and the cold side being adapted to accommodate the flowing cooling medium, and enabling heat exchange between the Martian atmosphere and the cooling medium; a radiator, a circulation channel is provided between the cold side of the heat exchanger to guide the cooling medium to the radiator for heat dissipation.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it further includes: a heat supply unit, which is connected to the heat exchange device and is adapted to supply heat to an external Martian base by using the Martian atmosphere at the second temperature.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the energy conversion unit further includes: a gas compressor, which is arranged downstream of the heat exchange device along the gas flow direction and is adapted to receive the Martian atmosphere from the heat supply unit and / or the heat exchange device, and after compression, it flows back to the carrier gas device; wherein, the driving mechanism of the gas compressor is connected to the heat energy conversion device to drive the gas compressor by using the mechanical energy generated by the heat energy conversion device.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heat energy conversion device further includes: a regenerative device having a first channel and a second channel, the two ends of the first channel are respectively connected to the heat energy conversion device and the heat exchange device, and the two ends of the second channel are respectively connected to the gas compressor and the carrier gas device. The regenerative device is adapted to preheat the Martian atmosphere from the gas compressor by using the Martian atmosphere at the first temperature, and cool the Martian atmosphere at the first temperature to a third temperature.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heat energy conversion device includes: a turbine, which is connected to the carrier gas device to utilize the heated Martian atmosphere to do work and drive the turbine; a generator, which is connected to the turbine and generates electricity under the drive of the turbine.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it further includes: an oxygen supply unit, the oxygen supply unit includes a solid oxide electrolytic cell, and the oxygen supply unit is connected to the outlet of the carrier gas device to electrolyze the high-temperature Martian atmosphere by using the solid oxide electrolytic cell to generate oxygen.

[0015] According to the energy supply system based on in-situ resources on Mars provided by the present disclosure, the in-situ capture of the Martian atmosphere is carried out by the Martian atmosphere capture unit, and the Martian atmosphere is input into the carrier gas device as a medium. After being heated by an external heat source, the thermal energy of the Martian atmosphere is then converted into mechanical energy and / or electrical energy by the thermal energy conversion device, and the energy supply to the external Martian base can be realized. And since the Martian atmosphere is used as a medium, when the medium leaks, it is convenient to supplement the medium in a timely manner, effectively solving the problem of difficult transportation and supplementation when rare gases are used as the medium. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] Through the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings, the above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become clearer. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 Schematically shows the schematic diagram of the energy supply system based on in-situ resources on Mars according to the embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 2 Schematically shows the schematic diagram of the principle of multi-stage pressurization of the trap according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] In the said drawings, the meanings of the reference numerals are specifically as follows:

[0020] 1 - Energy conversion unit;

[0021] 11 - Carrier gas device;

[0022] 12 - Thermal energy conversion device;

[0023] 121 - Turbine;

[0024] 122 - Generator;

[0025] 13 - Heat exchange device;

[0026] 131 - Heat exchanger;

[0027] 132 - Radiator;

[0028] 14 - Regeneration device;

[0029] 15 - Gas compressor;

[0030] 2 - Martian atmosphere capture unit;

[0031] 21 - Trap;

[0032] 211 - Multi-stage pressurization mechanism;

[0033] 212 - Cooling mechanism;

[0034] 22 - Storage tank;

[0035] 3 - Heating unit;

[0036] 4 - Oxygen supply unit. Detailed implementation manners

[0037] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure clearer and more understandable, the following further elaborates on the present disclosure in detail with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

[0038] The terms used herein are merely for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Terms such as "including" and "comprising" used herein indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, or components.

[0039] All terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. It should be noted that the terms used herein should be interpreted to have meanings consistent with the context of this specification and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly rigid manner.

[0040] In cases where expressions similar to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." are used, generally, it should be interpreted according to the meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art. For example, a "system having at least one of A, B, and C" should include, but is not limited to, a system having only A, only B, only C, having A and B, having A and C, having B and C, and / or having A, B, and C. In cases where expressions similar to "at least one of A, B, or C, etc." are used, generally, it should be interpreted according to the meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art. For example, a "system having at least one of A, B, or C" should include, but is not limited to, a system having only A, only B, only C, having A and B, having A and C, having B and C, and / or having A, B, and C.

[0041] It should also be noted that the directional terms mentioned in the embodiments, such as "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", etc., are only references to the directions in the drawings and are not used to limit the protection scope of the present disclosure. Throughout the drawings, the same elements are represented by the same or similar reference numerals. Conventional structures or configurations will be omitted when they may cause confusion in the understanding of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 1 Schematically shows the schematic diagram of an energy supply system based on in-situ resources on Mars according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] According to the energy supply system based on in-situ resources on Mars provided by the present disclosure, as Figure 1As shown in the figure, the energy supply system based on in-situ resources on Mars includes an energy conversion unit 1 and a Martian atmosphere capture unit 2. The energy conversion unit 1 includes a carrier gas device 11 and a thermal energy conversion device 12. The carrier gas device 11 is suitable for containing the Martian atmosphere and being heated by an external heat source. The thermal energy conversion device 12 is connected to the carrier gas device 11, and the thermal energy conversion device 12 is suitable for converting at least part of the thermal energy of the Martian atmosphere into mechanical energy and / or electrical energy, and outputting the Martian atmosphere at a first temperature. The Martian atmosphere capture unit 2 is connected to the energy conversion unit 1, and the Martian atmosphere capture unit 2 is suitable for in-situ capturing the Martian atmosphere on Mars and supplementing the Martian atmosphere to the energy conversion unit 1.

[0044] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the main components of the Martian atmosphere are CO2, N2, Ar, etc., among which the CO2 content is as high as more than 95%. It has stable chemical properties and characteristics such as a large molecular weight, high thermal stability, and a low adiabatic index, which helps to ensure safety and improve the power generation power density. And the trace active components in the Martian atmosphere (such as: 0.10% O2, 0.08% CO) have little corrosion to metals, and the equipment production and manufacturing feasibility is high. At the same time, the viscosity of the Martian gas is lower than that of mainstream noble gases, and the fluidity is better. Therefore, the Martian atmosphere can be used as a high-quality medium for the energy supply system based on in-situ resources on Mars.

[0045] In some embodiments, the external heat source of the carrier gas device 11 includes but is not limited to the waste heat generated by a liquid metal nuclear reactor for space development, the thermal energy collected by a solar concentrator, or the thermal energy generated by the combustion of metal fuels carried from the earth in the Martian CO2 atmosphere, etc.

[0046] In some embodiments, the carrier gas device 11 can adopt a container or heat exchanger that can withstand high temperature and high pressure. The pressure of the gas after heating the carrier gas device 11 can be controlled at 2~3 MPa, and the temperature can be controlled at 923K~1123K.

[0047] In some embodiments, the thermal energy conversion device 12 can be a device that converts thermal energy into mechanical energy, such as a steam turbine; the thermal energy conversion device 12 can also be a device that converts thermal energy into electrical energy, such as a thermoelectric generator. The thermal energy conversion device 12 can also be a device that converts thermal energy into mechanical energy and electrical energy, such as a turbo generator, etc.

[0048] In some embodiments, after the Martian atmosphere does work through the thermal energy conversion device 12, the temperature and pressure of the output Martian atmosphere will both decrease. For example, when the Martian atmosphere in the carrier gas device 11 is heated to 923K~1123K and then does work through the energy conversion unit 1, the output Martian atmosphere at the first temperature is approximately 800K~900K, and the pressure is reduced to about 1~1.5 MPa.

[0049] In some embodiments, the Mars atmosphere collector 21 can continuously or intermittently supply or replenish the Mars atmosphere to the energy conversion unit 1 to ensure that the energy conversion unit 1 has sufficient Mars atmosphere to maintain its normal operation.

[0050] In such an embodiment, according to the energy supply system based on in-situ resources on Mars provided by the present disclosure, by using the Mars atmosphere capture unit 2 to in-situ capture the Mars atmosphere and inputting the Mars atmosphere as a medium into the carrier gas device 11, heating it with an external heat source, and then converting the thermal energy of the Mars atmosphere into mechanical energy and / or electrical energy through the thermal energy conversion device 12, the supply of energy to an external Mars base can be achieved. And since the Mars atmosphere is used as the medium, when the medium leaks, it can be conveniently and timely replenished, effectively solving the problem of difficult transportation and replenishment when rare gases are used as the medium.

[0051] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the thermal energy conversion device 12 includes a turbine 121 and a generator 122. The turbine 121 is connected to the carrier gas device 11 to utilize the heated Mars atmosphere to do work and drive the turbine 121. The generator 122 is connected to the turbine 121 and generates electricity under the drive of the turbine 121.

[0052] Specifically, after the Mars atmosphere in the carrier gas device 11 is heated, it is transported into the turbine 121. The high-temperature and high-pressure Mars atmosphere expands in the turbine 121 to push the impeller of the turbine 121 to rotate, thereby converting the thermal energy of the Mars atmosphere into the mechanical energy of the turbine 121. After doing work, the temperature of the Mars atmosphere drops to the first temperature, and the Mars atmosphere at the first temperature is output from the air outlet of the turbine 121. The generator 122 and the turbine 121 can be connected by a mechanical transmission method, such as connected by a shaft, gears, etc. When the turbine 121 rotates, the mechanical energy will be transmitted to the generator 122 to drive the rotor of the generator 122 to rotate, and then generate electricity. The electricity generated by the generator 122 can directly supply power to various electrical facilities on the Mars base.

[0053] In some embodiments, the Mars atmosphere output from the turbine 121 at the first temperature still has a relatively high temperature, such as 800K - 900K. Therefore, the Mars atmosphere at the first temperature still has a relatively high thermal utilization value. For example, the waste heat of the Mars atmosphere can be used to heat the Mars base, etc. However, since the Mars atmosphere at 800K - 900K still has a relatively high temperature, it can be cooled to a temperature suitable for heating the Mars base first, and then used to heat the Mars base.

[0054] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the energy conversion unit 1 further includes a heat exchange device 13. The heat exchange device 13 is in communication with the thermal energy conversion device 12 and is adapted to cool the Mars atmosphere at the first temperature to the second temperature.

[0055] Specifically, the heat exchange device 13 can be connected to the turbine 121. After the martian atmosphere at the outlet of the turbine 121 is transported to the heat exchange device 13, the heat exchange device 13 can be used to reduce the temperature of the martian atmosphere to the second temperature, for example, around 380 - 420K.

[0056] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heat exchange device 13 includes a heat exchanger 131 and a radiator 132. The heat exchanger 131 has a hot side and a cold side. The hot side is used to accommodate the flowing martian atmosphere, and the cold side is used to accommodate the flowing cooling medium, and heat exchange occurs between the martian atmosphere and the cooling medium. A circulation channel is provided between the radiator 132 and the cold side of the heat exchanger 131 to guide the cooling medium to the radiator 132 for heat dissipation.

[0057] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 131 includes, but is not limited to, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, a spiral plate heat exchanger, etc. The hot side and the cold side of the heat exchanger 131 respectively form channels for accommodating the flow of the martian atmosphere and the cooling medium, so that heat exchange occurs between the martian atmosphere and the cooling medium.

[0058] In some embodiments, the radiator 132 includes, but is not limited to, a radiation radiator, a heat pipe radiator. For example, the radiator 132 can adopt a C-C type heat pipe-fin radiator, and a high-emissivity and low-absorptivity coating can be applied on the surface of the radiator 132. Since the natural convection cooling effect is limited due to the thin atmosphere on Mars, heat dissipation can be mainly carried out through radiation heat transfer. The radiator 132 can also include a high-performance forced convection radiator and a forced convection-thermal radiation hybrid radiator developed for Mars.

[0059] In some embodiments, the circulation channel can be a channel for pump-driven liquid metals such as sodium-potassium and sodium as cooling media. Pump-driven liquid metals such as sodium-potassium and sodium have significant lightweight advantages in high-power heat dissipation scenarios. The present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the circulation channel can also include a heat pipe loop, a traditional pump-driven single-phase / multiphase flow cooling loop, etc.

[0060] In some embodiments, the heat in the cooling medium can be directly radiated into the martian space through the radiator 132. The present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the heat absorbed by the cooling medium can also be further recycled, etc.

[0061] In such an implementation manner, by setting the heat exchange device 13 to reduce the martian atmosphere at the first temperature to the second temperature, the temperature of the martian atmosphere can be reduced to a temperature suitable for heating the martian base, so as to further utilize the waste heat of the martian atmosphere.

[0062] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the energy supply system based on in-situ resources on Mars further includes a heating unit 3, and the heating unit 3 is connected to the heat exchange device 13 and is adapted to heat the external Mars base by using the Martian atmosphere at the second temperature.

[0063] Specifically, the heating unit 3 may be connected to the Martian atmosphere outlet of the heat exchanger 131. The heating unit 3 may include a heating device and a fresh air circuit. The heating device uses the Martian atmosphere at the second temperature as a heat source and heats the fresh air circuit by means of heat radiation or convection heat transfer, so that the fresh air circuit is maintained at about 323K, and then the air temperature in the Mars base is stabilized near the comfortable temperature of about 300K through the fresh air circuit.

[0064] In such an embodiment, the waste heat of the Martian atmosphere can be used to supply heat energy to the Mars base, realizing the effective utilization of the waste heat of the Martian atmosphere.

[0065] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the energy conversion unit 1 further includes a gas compressor 15. The gas compressor 15 is arranged downstream of the heat exchange device 13 along the gas flow direction and is adapted to receive the Martian atmosphere from the heating unit 3 and / or the heat exchange device 13, compress it, and then return it to the carrier gas device 11. The driving mechanism of the gas compressor 15 is connected to the heat energy conversion device 12 to drive the gas compressor 15 by using the mechanical energy generated by the heat energy conversion device 12.

[0066] Specifically, the inlet of the gas compressor 15 is connected to the outlet of the heat exchanger 131. At the same time, a branch pipeline is also arranged between the gas compressor 15 and the heat exchanger 131 for transporting at least part of the Martian atmosphere to the heating unit 3 and flowing the Martian atmosphere flowing out of the heating unit 3 into the gas compressor 15 for compression. The compressed Martian atmosphere returns to the carrier gas device 11 to realize the recycling of the Martian atmosphere.

[0067] In some embodiments, the gas compressor 15 can be used to compress the Martian atmosphere back to 2 - 3 MPa to maintain the power cycle of the energy conversion unit 1.

[0068] In some embodiments, the gas compressor 15 can be driven by the mechanical energy generated by the turbine 121 to compress the air. Specifically, the gas compressor 15, the generator 122, and the turbine 121 can be coaxially arranged. The turbine 121 is used to drive the generator 122 to generate electricity, and at the same time, the turbine 121 is used to drive the gas compressor 15 to compress the Martian atmosphere. The coaxial arrangement can effectively reduce the connecting parts between the devices, make the overall structure more compact, and save space.

[0069] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the thermal energy conversion device 12 further includes a regenerative device 14. The regenerative device 14 has a first channel and a second channel. Two ends of the first channel are respectively connected to the thermal energy conversion device 12 and the heat exchange device 13, and two ends of the second channel are respectively connected to the gas compressor 15 and the carrier gas device 11. The regenerative device 14 is adapted to preheat the martian atmosphere from the gas compressor 15 by using the martian atmosphere at a first temperature and cool the martian atmosphere at the first temperature to a third temperature.

[0070] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the regenerative device 14 includes, but is not limited to, a plate heat exchanger or a tube heat exchanger. When the martian atmosphere at the first temperature passes through the first channel, its heat is transferred to the martian atmosphere at a lower temperature in the second channel through the wall surface of the heat exchanger, so that the temperature of the martian atmosphere in the first channel decreases, while the temperature of the martian atmosphere in the second channel increases.

[0071] In some embodiments, when the martian atmosphere in the carrier gas device 11 is heated to 923K - 1123K and then does work through the energy conversion unit 1, the output martian atmosphere at the first temperature is approximately 800K - 900K. After the martian atmosphere at the first temperature exchanges heat through the regenerative device 14, the output martian atmosphere at the third temperature is approximately 550K - 650K. The martian atmosphere at the third temperature is transported to the heat exchange device 13 for heat exchange, and the output martian atmosphere at the second temperature is approximately 380 - 420K. After using the martian atmosphere at the second temperature to supply heat to the heat supply unit 3, it is further cooled and then flows into the gas compressor 15, where it is compressed and pressurized to 2 - 3MPa and then sent to the regenerative device 14. After being preheated by the martian atmosphere at the first temperature, it is transported to the carrier gas device 11 and heated to 923K - 1123K by an external heat source. Thus, one cycle is completed.

[0072] In such an embodiment, by providing the regenerative device 14 to exchange heat between the martian atmosphere at the first temperature and the martian atmosphere output by the gas compressor 15, part of the thermal energy that would otherwise be lost can be effectively recovered, improving the energy efficiency of the entire system. And the energy conversion device, the regenerative device 14 and the heat exchange device 13 are used in combination, which can realize the cascaded cooling and utilization of the heat of the martian atmosphere and improve the energy utilization efficiency.

[0073] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the energy supply system based on in-situ martian resources further includes an oxygen supply unit 4. The oxygen supply unit 4 includes a solid oxide electrolyzer. The oxygen supply unit 4 is connected to the outlet of the carrier gas device 11 to electrolyze the high-temperature martian atmosphere by using the solid oxide electrolyzer to generate oxygen.

[0074] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a solid oxide electrolyzer can use solid oxide as an electrolyte under the conditions of high temperature and an applied voltage to electrolyze water, carbon dioxide, and other compounds, thereby realizing the conversion of electrical energy and thermal energy into chemical energy. The solid oxide electrolyzer includes a power source, electrodes (a cathode and an anode), and an electrolyte.

[0075] After the martian atmosphere of the carrier gas device 11 is heated, a small amount of the high-temperature martian atmosphere can be diverted into the oxygen supply unit 4. At this time, the high-temperature martian atmosphere can undergo an electrochemical reaction of 2CO2→2CO+O2 under the action of a solid oxide fuel electrolyzer. Specifically, at the cathode, carbon dioxide molecules combine with electrons to undergo a reduction reaction, generating carbon monoxide and oxygen ions. The generated oxygen ions migrate in the electrolyte, moving from the cathode to the anode. At the anode, the oxygen ions lose electrons, generating oxygen and releasing it. The generated carbon monoxide can be collected and processed or discharged into the external environment, and the oxygen is transported to the martian base through a pipeline.

[0076] In some embodiments, since the oxygen supply is relatively small, the electrical energy consumed by the solid oxide fuel electrolyzer is negligible and can be supplied by the power grid within the martian base.

[0077] In such an implementation manner, by using a solid oxide electrolyzer to electrolyze the high-temperature martian atmosphere to generate oxygen, it can be used to meet the oxygen supply requirements of the martian base, realizing the diversified utilization of the martian atmosphere.

[0078] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the martian atmosphere capture unit 2 includes a trap 21 and a storage tank 22. The trap 21 is suitable for capturing the martian atmosphere and compressing the martian atmosphere to a target pressure. The storage tank 22 is respectively connected to the trap 21 and the energy conversion unit 1, and is suitable for storing the martian atmosphere and supplementing the martian atmosphere to the energy conversion unit 1 when the martian atmosphere in the energy conversion unit 1 is insufficient.

[0079] Since the in-situ atmosphere near the martian surface is relatively thin, and the average atmospheric pressure on the martian surface is about 700 to 800 pascals, it is necessary to compress the collected martian atmosphere to a target pressure (such as about 1 MPa) before it can be supplied to the energy conversion unit 1 for use.

[0080] The trap 21 can adopt a mechanical compression type trap 21, which can realize the compression treatment of the martian atmosphere while capturing the martian atmosphere. Specifically, the mechanical compression type trap 21 can first perform dust removal treatment on the martian atmosphere to remove the dust particles therein. Then, a multi-stage mechanical compressor is used to gradually compress the dust-removed atmosphere to the target pressure.

[0081] In such an embodiment, after the martian atmosphere is captured and compressed by the trap 21, it is then transported to the storage tank 22 for storage. The storage tank 22 can supplement the martian atmosphere to the energy conversion unit 1 irregularly, ensuring the long-term continuous operation of the energy supply system based on in-situ resources on Mars.

[0082] Figure 2 Schematically shows a schematic diagram of the principle of multi-stage pressurization by the trap 21 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0083] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 2 shown, the trap 21 includes a multi-stage pressurization mechanism 211 and a cooling mechanism 212. The multi-stage pressurization mechanism 211 is suitable for compressing the martian atmosphere multiple times. The cooling mechanism 212 is connected to the outlet of each stage of the pressurization mechanism and connected to the inlet of the next stage of the pressurization mechanism to cool the compressed gas generated by each stage of the pressurization mechanism.

[0084] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 2 shown, the multi-stage pressurization mechanism 211 employs a multi-stage scroll compressor, and the pressure of the martian atmosphere at each stage can be controlled by setting the compression ratio of each stage. For example, when setting a 5-stage scroll compressor, the compression ratios of the first four stages can be 5, and the compression ratio of the last stage can be 3.

[0085] The present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the multi-stage pressurization mechanism 211 can also employ a multi-stage compound compressor, a multi-stage centrifugal compressor, etc.

[0086] In some embodiments, the cooling mechanism 212 can employ a radiation radiator. The martian atmosphere after each stage of compression is cooled by the radiation radiator, so that the martian atmosphere heated due to compression is cooled down, thereby realizing multi-stage compression and inter-stage cooling of the martian atmosphere, improving the compression efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and being able to avoid local overheating and reduce damage to the instrument.

[0087] In some embodiments, the trap 21 can also employ a physical adsorption type trap 21 or a cryogenic condensation type trap 21. Specifically, the physical adsorption type trap 21 can remove dust in the atmosphere through a dust removal device and then selectively adsorb CO2 using an adsorbent. When the adsorbent is saturated, the adsorbed gas is desorbed by changing the temperature or pressure conditions, thereby obtaining high-pressure CO2 gas. The cryogenic condensation type trap 21 can first perform dust removal treatment, then cool the atmosphere to near the liquefaction point of CO2 to separate it from other gases, and then pressurize and store the liquid CO2 to obtain high-pressure pure CO2 gas.

[0088] According to the provided energy conversion system of the present disclosure, by setting up the energy conversion unit 1, the heating unit 3, and the oxygen supply unit 4, the multiple requirements of the Mars base for power supply, heating, and oxygen supply can be met. And by setting up the Mars atmosphere capture unit 2, the Mars atmosphere can be continuously supplied to the energy conversion unit 1, solving the potential medium leakage problem of the energy conversion unit 1, and being able to meet the power, oxygen, and heating requirements in the long-term manned exploration mission on the Mars surface.

[0089] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above. However, these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Although the embodiments have been described separately above, this does not mean that the measures in each embodiment cannot be used in combination advantageously. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art can make various substitutions and modifications, and these substitutions and modifications should all fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An energy supply system based on Mars in-situ resources, suitable for supplying energy to a Mars base, characterized in that: include: Energy conversion unit, comprising: A gas carrier adapted to contain the Martian atmosphere and heated by an external heat source; a heat energy conversion device connected to the gas carrier device, adapted to convert at least part of the heat energy of the Martian atmosphere into mechanical energy and / or electrical energy, and output the Martian atmosphere at a first temperature; The Martian atmosphere capture unit is connected to the energy conversion unit and is suitable for in-situ capturing the Martian atmosphere on Mars and replenishing the Martian atmosphere to the energy conversion unit.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that The Martian atmosphere capture unit comprises: a collector adapted to capture Martian atmosphere and compress said Martian atmosphere to a target pressure; A storage tank is connected to the collector and the energy conversion unit respectively, and is suitable for storing the Martian atmosphere and replenishing the Martian atmosphere to the energy conversion unit when the Martian atmosphere in the energy conversion unit is insufficient.

3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that The collector comprises: A multi-stage pressurization mechanism, adapted to perform multiple compressions on the Martian atmosphere; The cooling mechanism is connected to the air outlet of each stage of the boosting mechanism and to the air inlet of the next stage of the boosting mechanism so as to cool the compressed gas generated by each stage of the boosting mechanism.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that The energy conversion unit also includes: A heat exchange device is connected to the heat energy conversion device and is suitable for cooling the Martian atmosphere at a first temperature to a second temperature.

5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that The heat exchange device comprises: A heat exchanger having a hot side and a cold side, wherein the hot side is used to accommodate a flowing Martian atmosphere, and the cold side is used to accommodate a flowing cooling medium, and enables heat exchange between the Martian atmosphere and the cooling medium; A circulation channel is arranged between the radiator and the cold side of the heat exchanger to guide the cooling medium to the radiator for heat dissipation.

6. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that Also includes: The heating unit is connected to the heat exchange device and is suitable for using the Martian atmosphere at the second temperature to provide heat to the external Martian base.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that The energy conversion unit also includes: A gas compressor is arranged downstream of the heat exchange device along the flow direction of the gas flow, and is adapted to receive the Martian atmosphere from the heating unit and / or the heat exchange device, and compress it before returning it to the gas carrier device; Wherein, the driving mechanism of the gas compressor is connected to the thermal energy conversion device so as to utilize the mechanical energy generated by the thermal energy conversion device to drive the gas compressor.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that The thermal energy conversion device also includes: The heat recovery device comprises a first channel and a second channel, wherein two ends of the first channel are respectively connected to the heat energy conversion device and the heat exchange device, and two ends of the second channel are respectively connected to the gas compressor and the gas carrier device. The heat recovery device is suitable for preheating the Martian atmosphere from the gas compressor using the Martian atmosphere at a first temperature, and cooling the Martian atmosphere at the first temperature to a third temperature.

9. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The thermal energy conversion device comprises: A turbine connected to the gas carrier device to utilize the heated Martian atmosphere to do work and drive the turbine; The generator is connected to the turbine and generates electricity when driven by the turbine.

10. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: Also includes: An oxygen supply unit, wherein the oxygen supply unit comprises a solid oxide electrolysis cell, and the oxygen supply unit is connected to the gas outlet of the gas carrier device so as to utilize the solid oxide electrolysis cell to electrolyze the high-temperature Martian atmosphere to produce oxygen.

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