Intermittent Twin Satellite Power Generation System Based on Temperature Difference Start-up and Its Control Method

Abstract

This invention discloses an intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference initiation and its control method. The system includes a first and second phase change chamber with identical structures, a turbine generator set, a shading switching component, a heat dissipation and radiation component, a power regulation and energy storage unit, and a control unit. The two phase change chambers are connected to the turbine generator set through a gas power-generating circuit with a switching valve and a condensation return circuit with a check valve. The shading switching component can selectively expose one chamber to sunlight while shading the other. The heat dissipation and radiation component dissipates heat from the shaded chamber. The control method uses pressure difference to drive the working fluid vapor to generate electricity, with the exhaust gas condensing in the low-pressure cold chamber. When the pressure difference is exhausted, the shading plate switches the roles of the two chambers, entering a reverse power-generating cycle. The intermittent power generation pulses are smoothed by the energy storage unit and then continuously output. Utilizing the inherent temperature difference in space as its driving force, it does not rely on solar irradiance intensity, providing a novel high-power-density, long-life energy solution for deep space exploration and highly maneuverable satellites.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of spacecraft energy technology, and in particular to an intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference initiation and its control method. Specifically, it relates to a system and its control method that utilizes the natural temperature difference of the space thermal environment to generate electricity through working fluid phase change and intermittent thermodynamic cycle, which is particularly suitable for satellite platforms with flexible attitude orientation, long lifespan, and high reliability. This invention is especially applicable to satellite platforms with flexible attitude orientation, long lifespan, and high reliability, and is also suitable for energy systems in extreme environments such as deep space probes, lunar and planetary surface base stations that cannot rely on traditional large-area photovoltaic arrays. In particular, the intermittent Rankine cycle based on phase change pressurization and turbine expansion work constructed in this invention is an integrated closed-loop power generation architecture driven solely by the self-generated pressure difference formed by the asymmetric application of temperature boundaries without mechanical pumping, representing a structural innovation in the field of space thermodynamic power generation technology. Background Technology

[0002] As human space activities extend into deep space, the complexity of space missions and the power consumption of payloads are increasing exponentially. The energy system, as the "heart" of a spacecraft, directly determines the boundaries of the mission. Currently, while satellite energy architectures centered on "photovoltaics + energy storage" are technologically mature and widely used, their inherent physical limitations and engineering bottlenecks are gradually becoming key bottlenecks restricting the future development of spacecraft.

[0003] First, photovoltaic power generation systems rely on large-area deployed solar panels. On the one hand, the massive solar panel structure not only increases the satellite's rotational inertia, severely limiting its rapid attitude maneuverability, but also significantly increases the probability of collisions with space debris or micrometeoroids. If a section of the structure is breached, the entire power supply circuit may fail, resulting in poor system robustness. Furthermore, the complex mechanical components, such as the solar panel deployment and locking mechanisms and the sun-oriented drive system, not only increase weight and cost but also introduce potential long-term operational failure points.

[0004] Secondly, solar irradiance follows an inverse square law, decreasing sharply with increasing distance from the Sun. For deep-space exploration missions beyond Jupiter's orbit, or probes operating long-term in planetary shadow regions (such as permanently shadowed craters in the lunar polar regions), traditional solar cells suffer from severely insufficient received light flux, leading to a sharp drop in power generation efficiency or even complete failure. While radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) can be used in such scenarios, they pose nuclear safety risks, incur high fuel costs, and involve complex regulatory approval processes. Furthermore, their conversion efficiency is relatively low, making them unsuitable for widespread deployment in commercial or routine scientific missions.

[0005] More importantly, current spacecraft energy systems generally overlook a rich, sustainable, and free form of energy in space: the temperature difference in the space environment. In the vacuum of space, there is a natural temperature difference of hundreds of degrees Celsius between the sunlit and shaded sides of a satellite (e.g., approximately -150°C to +150°C in near-Earth orbit, with a more stable temperature difference in deep space). This is a natural and enormous source of usable energy. However, current technology has not yet proposed a systematic solution to efficiently and controllably convert this distributed temperature difference potential energy into usable electrical energy for the satellite. It is particularly noteworthy that in the deep space environment, although the total solar irradiance power density decreases with the square of the Sun-Star distance (only about 3.7% of that in Earth's orbit at Jupiter's orbit), the absolute decrease in the temperature difference between the sunlit and shaded sides is much smaller than the decrease in irradiance power. This is because the radiation equilibrium temperature of the shaded side decreases synchronously, partially compensating for the decrease in temperature of the sunlit side. Therefore, the availability of space thermal potential energy in deep space environments is significantly better than that of direct photovoltaic power generation, making it one of the most promising energy pathways for realizing distant planetary exploration and even interstellar travel missions.

[0006] Furthermore, traditional space thermal power generation technologies, including closed-loop Brayton cycles and organic Rankine cycles (ORCs), while theoretically achieving high conversion efficiencies, all share a common obstacle particularly prominent in the microgravity environment of space: the need for mechanical pumps or compressors to drive the working fluid circulation. Pumps / compressors, as high-speed rotating components, face a series of long-term reliability challenges in space applications, including lubrication difficulties, seal aging, bearing wear, vibration, and noise. Moreover, the auxiliary power consumed by the pumps themselves accounts for a significant proportion of the total system output power (typically 5%-15%), directly reducing the system's net efficiency. Therefore, how to achieve continuous, directional, and controllable flow of the working fluid in the thermodynamic cycle without completely eliminating moving working fluid transport devices has become a long-standing key technological bottleneck in the field of space thermal power generation. This invention addresses this bottleneck by proposing a pump-free intermittent Rankine cycle scheme that relies entirely on the natural temperature difference in space as the sole driving force, fundamentally overcoming the aforementioned limitations.

[0007] In view of this, in order to break the barriers of the traditional energy architecture and meet the urgent needs of future space missions for high power density, long life, high mobility and deep space airworthiness of energy systems, it is imperative to develop a new and disruptive technology that can generate electricity independently of direct solar radiation intensity and only by utilizing the natural temperature difference in space. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the core concept of this invention is to construct an intermittent closed-loop Rankine cycle based on phase change pressurization—turbine expansion—condensation reflux. Using the inherent temperature difference in space as the sole driving force, a pair of identical twin phase change chambers are employed with a sliding shading plate that periodically switches between each other. At any given time, one chamber is exposed to sunlight and pressurized (acting as a vaporization chamber or "boiler"), while the other chamber is shaded and depressurized (acting as a liquefaction chamber or "condenser"). Thus, without the intervention of any mechanical pumps or compressors, the naturally formed saturated vapor pressure difference between the two chambers drives the working fluid to flow directionally through the turbine to generate electricity. The exhaust gas, after performing work, utilizes its remaining pressure difference relative to the cold chamber to automatically flow into the cold chamber via a one-way check valve for condensation and liquefaction. When the pressure difference is gradually depleted due to working fluid mass migration, the control unit switches the shading plate based on real-time collected pressure difference and speed signals, causing the thermodynamic roles of the two chambers to reverse, and the system enters a reverse work cycle. This cycle repeats continuously, forming a continuous intermittent power generation pulse. The pulse sequence is smoothed and filtered by power regulation and energy storage units, and finally outputs stable and continuous power on the DC bus that is fully compatible with conventional satellite power supplies.

[0009] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide an intermittent twin satellite power generation system and its control method based on temperature difference initiation. Its core is to utilize the inherent temperature difference in space to drive the working fluid phase change. Through a symmetrical and functionally interchangeable twin phase change chamber design, combined with the intermittent switching of the light-shielding plate, a continuous pressure difference is formed to drive the turbine to generate electricity. Through an energy storage buffer, a stable and reliable power output is provided to the satellite.

[0010] The above-mentioned objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0011] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference startup is provided. The system includes: a pair of identically constructed first and second phase change chambers arranged in a twin-symmetric layout; a turbine generator set; a shading switching component; a heat dissipation and radiation component; a power regulation and energy storage unit; and a control unit.

[0012] Both the first and second phase change chambers are sealed containers containing a working fluid capable of undergoing a gas-liquid phase change. The two phase change chambers are interconnected via a gas work circuit and a condensation reflux circuit.

[0013] The gas power circuit includes: a first switching valve connected between the gas outlet of the first phase change chamber and the inlet of the turbine generator set; and a second switching valve connected between the gas outlet of the second phase change chamber and the inlet of the turbine generator set. The outlet of the turbine generator set is connected back to the two phase change chambers through the condensate return circuit.

[0014] The condensate reflux circuit includes: a first check valve connected between the turbine generator set outlet and the liquid inlet of the first phase change chamber; and a second check valve connected between the turbine generator set outlet and the liquid inlet of the second phase change chamber. The flow direction of the check valves is configured to allow fluid to flow only from the turbine generator set to the corresponding phase change chamber, preventing reverse flow.

[0015] It is important to note that the gas power loop and the condensation return loop together form a closed, unidirectional working fluid circulation path. The first and second switching valves are controlled valves, their opening and closing states actively controlled by the control unit based on the current circulation stage of the system (actively opening to release high-pressure gas for power generation, and actively closing to terminate power generation and initiate a switching process). The first and second check valves, on the other hand, are passive valves, their opening and closing entirely dependent on the pressure difference before and after the valve (i.e., between the turbine outlet and the corresponding phase change chamber), requiring no external control signals. This combination of "active switching valves + passive check valves" is one of the key design features of this invention for achieving pump-free working fluid circulation: the switching valves control the start and end times of the pulsed power generation, ensuring the working fluid always impacts the turbine under optimal pressure differential conditions; the check valves automatically open using the residual pressure difference between the exhaust gas and the target cold chamber, guiding the exhaust gas into the condensation region, and automatically close when the pressure difference reverses (e.g., during switching), preventing backflow of the working fluid from disrupting the system's thermodynamic state. The "valve group cooperative self-driving" mechanism essentially replaces the working fluid pump function in the traditional closed Rankine cycle, eliminating all mechanical, electrical and reliability risks of the working fluid pump in the microgravity environment of space. It is one of the core original features that distinguishes this invention from existing space thermal power generation systems.

[0016] In a key improvement of this invention, a buffer chamber is provided at the inlet of the turbine generator set. This buffer chamber is located at the gas path junction between the first and second switching valves and the turbine nozzle ring. The design volume of the buffer chamber is at least 3 to 10 times the turbine's single-pulse flow rate. Its function is to convert the pulsed gas release from the high-pressure phase change chamber into a stable and continuous airflow at the moment the switching valves open, thus smoothing the pressure pulsations caused by boiling instability within the phase change chamber and providing the turbine with near-constant pressure inlet conditions. There is a clear division of labor between the buffer chamber and the switching valves: the switching valves perform precise control of the "pulse release moment" (determining when to start work), while the buffer chamber is responsible for the smooth adjustment of the "pulse release mass flow rate" (determining how to convert the pulse into a steady-state jet). This design significantly improves the turbine's operating efficiency and service life in microgravity environments, ensuring that the turbine operates near its aerodynamic design conditions throughout the entire power generation pulse, avoiding turbine stall, surge, or severe speed fluctuations caused by sudden pressure drops.

[0017] The shading switching component is disposed between the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber, and is used to selectively expose one phase change chamber to solar irradiation to form an irradiated area, while shading the other phase change chamber to be in the shadow area, and can switch states according to instructions.

[0018] More importantly, the light-shielding switching component maintains a strict timing coordination with the first and second switching valves: at any time, the light-shielding plate must not move or switch while the valves are open—because if airflow occurs during the switching process, the high-pressure gas may exert an asymmetrical reaction force on the moving light-shielding plate and its drive mechanism, causing the light-shielding plate to wobble, jam, or even damage the slide rail system. Therefore, before issuing the light-shielding switching command, the control unit must first confirm that both the first and second switching valves are reliably closed, and that the pressure in the buffer chamber has been released below a safe threshold (e.g., released to near the cold chamber saturation pressure). This strict timing coordination logic is a necessary condition for ensuring the structural integrity of the system and the long-term operation of the moving mechanism.

[0019] The heat dissipation and radiation components are thermally connected to the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber, respectively, and are used to radiate the heat in the phase change chamber located in the shadow area to the cold space background to complete the condensation and liquefaction of the working fluid.

[0020] The heat dissipation capacity of heat dissipation and radiation components is one of the key parameters determining the system's cycle time and net output power. From a thermodynamic perspective, the heat dissipation rate on the condenser side directly affects the condensation temperature T_cond, which in turn determines the saturation pressure P_cond of the cold chamber. According to the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, the saturation pressure of the working fluid has an exponential dependence on the saturation temperature: d(ln P) / dT = ΔH_vap / (R·T) 2 ), where ΔH_vap is the latent heat of vaporization of the working fluid, and R is the gas constant. Therefore, a small decrease in the cold chamber temperature can lead to a significant decrease in the cold chamber pressure, thereby significantly increasing the working pressure difference between the hot and cold chambers. For example, using R245fa as the working fluid, when the cold chamber temperature drops from 35°C to 25°C, the corresponding saturation pressure drops from approximately 0.32 MPa to approximately 0.22 MPa, and the pressure difference increase can reach more than 30%. This means that improving the heat dissipation capacity of the heat dissipation and radiation components (e.g., by increasing the radiation area, improving the emissivity of the radiation surface, and optimizing the heat transfer performance of the loop heat pipes) can be directly converted into higher power generation density and better system efficiency. This invention ensures that the phase change chamber currently in the shadow zone can obtain an efficient heat dissipation path by setting two sets of independent loop heat pipes that are thermally connected to each phase change chamber, thereby maintaining the required condensation rate and cold chamber pressure level, regardless of the switching state.

[0021] The turbine generator set is located in the gas power circuit. Its rotor rotates under the drive of high-pressure airflow, cutting magnetic lines of force and converting the internal energy of the gas into electrical energy. A buffer chamber is also provided at the airflow inlet of the turbine generator set to smooth airflow fluctuations and provide a continuous and stable inlet pressure.

[0022] The power regulation and energy storage unit is electrically connected to the output terminal of the turbine generator set and includes a converter and an energy storage device. The converter converts the alternating current generated by the turbine generator set into direct current, and the energy storage device is used to provide uninterrupted power supply to the satellite load during periods of low or no power generation.

[0023] Another key function of the power regulation and energy storage unit is "peak power capture and energy buffering." Since the basic unit of power generation in this system is discrete intermittent pulses, the duration of each pulse (depending on the amount of working fluid migration and the rate of pressure difference dissipation) is typically on the order of several seconds to tens of seconds, and the switching interval between two pulses (depending on the time of the shading plate movement and the rate of pressure difference establishment for the new pulse) is also typically on the order of several seconds to tens of seconds. Therefore, the time distribution of the system's total power generation exhibits a periodic "pulse-intermittent-pulse" pattern. The converter in the power regulation and energy storage unit must have a fast response capability, efficiently capturing and converting electrical energy when a pulse arrives, and smoothly transitioning to energy storage power supply mode during the pulse interval, ensuring that the DC bus voltage ripple is controlled within a given value (e.g., within ±1% of the rated bus voltage). The capacity design of the energy storage device (battery or supercapacitor bank) must meet the maximum intermittent time requirements under the worst operating conditions, while considering the safety margin of the mission cycle.

[0024] The control unit is electrically connected to the first switching valve, the second switching valve, the shading switching component, the speed sensor on the turbine generator set, and the power regulation and energy storage unit, and is used to control the cyclic switching and continuous operation of the system according to preset logic and real-time feedback.

[0025] In one specific embodiment, the light-shielding switching assembly includes a movable light-shielding plate, a slide rail, and a drive motor; the slide rail is disposed across the outer surfaces of the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber, the movable light-shielding plate is slidably mounted on the slide rail and can be driven by the drive motor to reciprocate between a first extreme position and a second extreme position; in the first extreme position, the movable light-shielding plate completely shields the first phase change chamber and exposes the second phase change chamber; in the second extreme position, the movable light-shielding plate completely shields the second phase change chamber and exposes the first phase change chamber.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, in order to improve heat absorption and insulation efficiency, the outer shell surfaces of the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber are coated with a black coating with high absorptivity, while the light-facing surface of the movable light-shielding plate is coated with a white coating with high reflectivity or a mirror-polished layer.

[0027] In a further preferred embodiment, the inner walls of both the first and second phase change chambers are fabricated with microstructure-enhanced boiling surfaces. These microstructures include micron-sized porous layers formed by laser etching, electrochemically deposited metal foam layers, or microchannel arrays formed by mechanical processing. The function of these microstructure-enhanced boiling surfaces is to significantly reduce the wall superheat (i.e., the difference between the wall temperature and the working fluid saturation temperature) required for working fluid boiling. This allows the walls to effectively initiate nucleate boiling even in orbital environments with weak solar irradiance (e.g., Mars orbit or further), generating sufficient vapor pressure to drive the turbine. Experiments show that by employing microstructure-enhanced boiling surfaces, the boiling initiation superheat can be reduced from 8-15°C for conventional smooth surfaces to 2-5°C. This means that under the same solar irradiance conditions, the system can reach the start-up pressure threshold earlier, shortening the ineffective waiting time and improving the system's duty cycle and total energy output.

[0028] In one specific embodiment, the heat dissipation and radiation assembly includes at least two sets of loop heat pipes, wherein the evaporation section of the first set of loop heat pipes is closely attached to the wall or interior of the first phase change chamber, and its condensation section is arranged on the radiation and heat dissipation surface facing deep space; the second set of loop heat pipes is connected to the second phase change chamber in the same manner.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the turbine generator set adopts a coaxial integrated design of a high-speed micro turbine and a permanent magnet high-speed generator, and its bearings are magnetic levitation bearings or ceramic ball bearings to eliminate the need for lubrication and adapt to the space environment.

[0030] In a further preferred embodiment, the rotor of the permanent magnet high-speed generator employs a Halbach array permanent magnet arrangement. The Halbach array is characterized by a specific magnetization direction arrangement that enhances the magnetic field on one side of the rotor (the air gap side) while significantly weakening or even reducing it to near zero on the other side (the yoke side). This characteristic brings three significant benefits to aerospace applications: first, it enhances the air gap magnetic flux density, thereby improving the generator's power density and efficiency; second, due to the extremely weak yoke magnetic field, the rotor back iron (yoke iron) can be reduced or eliminated, significantly reducing rotor mass and moment of inertia, which is beneficial for rapid start-up and speed change response; third, the rotor leakage flux is extremely low, reducing the risk of electromagnetic interference to other sensitive electronic equipment on board. This design is particularly suitable for the intermittent pulsed power generation characteristics of this invention—at the beginning of each pulse, the turbine and generator need to accelerate from rest to the rated speed range as quickly as possible, and the low-inertia rotor of the Halbach array can shorten the start-up response time by more than 30%-50%.

[0031] The working fluid is a phase change working fluid suitable for the target orbital temperature range, specifically selected from one or more combinations of carbon dioxide, R245fa (pentafluoropropane), R123 (dichlorotrifluoroethane), ammonia, water, or propylene. The filling quantity and filling pressure of the working fluid are thermodynamically optimized based on the highest and lowest temperatures of the target orbital environment and the desired work pressure difference.

[0032] The optimization design method for the working fluid charge is further explained below. The determination of the working fluid charge follows the principle of "optimal mass transfer under isochoric constraints": the charge should ensure that at the end of any power half-cycle, when the liquid working fluid in the phase change chamber in the "vaporization chamber" state is completely depleted (or nearly depleted), the total amount of condensed liquid received by the phase change chamber in the "liquefaction chamber" state exactly fills approximately 70%-90% of its effective internal volume. This prevents the condensation chamber from being overfilled, leading to liquid entrainment into the gas pipeline (liquid slugging risk), and also prevents the vaporization chamber from being prematurely depleted, causing superheated steam to enter the turbine and reduce work capacity. Insufficient charge will cause the power pulse to end prematurely (due to insufficient gas mass), resulting in insufficient energy output per pulse and a decrease in the system duty cycle; excessive charge poses a serious risk of liquid entrainment and liquid slugging into the turbine blades. In practical engineering, the design optimization of the filling volume needs to be combined with the saturated liquid density ρ_l, saturated gas density ρ_v, internal volume V of the two chambers, and target operating temperature range [T_min, T_max]. It needs to be accurately calculated using thermodynamic equations of state (such as the Peng-Robinson or Helmholtz energy equations) and verified and fine-tuned in ground vacuum thermal balance tests.

[0033] Based on the above system, the present invention also provides a control method, which depends on the execution of the control unit and specifically includes the following steps:

[0034] S1. Initial Startup Phase: System power-on initialization. If the satellite has just emerged from the shadow zone or the mission has begun at this time, both phase change chambers are in a low-temperature, low-pressure state. The control unit starts the first cycle by default. The command drives the motor to move the movable sunshade to the second extreme position, exposing the first phase change chamber to sunlight while the second phase change chamber is shaded.

[0035] S2, First Phase Change Chamber Pressurization and Vaporization Stage: The liquid working fluid in the first phase change chamber efficiently absorbs solar radiation through the black paint coating, causing its temperature to rise rapidly. The working fluid transforms from a liquid to a high-pressure gaseous state through boiling. During this process, the second switching valve remains closed, and the first check valve remains closed under the pressure at the turbine outlet side. Due to the initial closure of the first switching valve, gas accumulates in the first phase change chamber, causing a sharp rise in pressure. The buffer gas chamber is connected to the first phase change chamber, and the pressure is established synchronously.

[0036] S3, Differential Pressure Power Generation Stage: The control unit monitors the pressure difference between the first and second phase change chambers in real time using pressure sensors located inside the first and second phase change chambers. When the pressure difference reaches the preset start-up threshold ΔP_start, the control unit issues a command to open the first switching valve and ensures that the second switching valve is closed. Driven by the huge pressure difference, the high-pressure working gas, after being stabilized in the buffer gas chamber, impacts the turbine generator set at high speed, driving the rotor to rotate and generate electricity. The exhaust gas after expansion and work has reduced pressure and temperature.

[0037] S4. Second Phase Change Chamber Condensation and Liquefaction Stage: The exhaust gas after work flows into the turbine outlet pipe. Because the exhaust gas pressure is higher than the internal pressure of the second phase change chamber, the second check valve automatically opens under forward pressure, allowing the gas to enter the second phase change chamber, which is shielded by a light-shielding plate and is in a low-temperature, low-pressure state due to intense heat dissipation to deep space through the heat dissipation and radiation components. The low-pressure exhaust gas rapidly releases heat to the cold wall surface of the second phase change chamber, condensing back into a liquid state. The heat within the second phase change chamber is efficiently conducted to the radiator by the loop heat pipes and dissipated into space. During this stage, gas continuously flows from the high-pressure first phase change chamber to the low-pressure second phase change chamber to perform work and liquefy there.

[0038] S5. Switching Judgment and Execution Phase: As the liquid working fluid in the first phase change chamber is continuously vaporized and consumed, its internal pressure gradually decreases. Meanwhile, in the second phase change chamber, due to the continuous inflow of condensed gas and the increase in liquid working fluid, its pressure rises slightly, but remains primarily at the saturation pressure corresponding to the condensation temperature. When the control unit detects, via the speed sensor, that the turbine generator's speed has dropped to a threshold close to zero, or when the pressure difference detected by the front and rear pressure differential sensors drops to the reverse cutoff threshold ΔP_stop, it indicates that most of the working fluid in the first phase change chamber has migrated, and the current work cycle ends.

[0039] S6, Cyclic Switching and Reverse Start-up Phase: The control unit then executes a series of switching actions:

[0040] Close the first switching valve.

[0041] The command drives the motor to drive the movable light-shielding plate to slide smoothly from the second limit position (shielding the second phase change chamber) along the slide rail to the first limit position (shielding the first phase change chamber).

[0042] In this instant, the roles of the two phase change chambers are reversed. The second phase change chamber, which was originally in the shaded area, is exposed to sunlight and becomes the new "vaporization chamber"; while the first phase change chamber, which was originally in the irradiated area, is shielded and transforms into a "liquefaction chamber" by activating efficient heat dissipation through heat dissipation and radiation components.

[0043] S7. Reverse Pressure Difference Power Generation Stage: The second phase change chamber absorbs solar radiation, and the liquid working fluid inside vaporizes and increases in pressure; the first phase change chamber dissipates heat to deep space, maintaining a low temperature and low pressure state. When the pressure difference between the second and first phase change chambers reaches the preset start-up threshold ΔP_start again, the control unit opens the second switching valve and keeps the first switching valve closed. The high-pressure gas performs work again, and the exhaust gas after performing work enters the first phase change chamber through the first check valve to condense and liquefy.

[0044] S8. Cyclic Recurrence and Power Regulation Phase: The system repeatedly switches between the two states described above, generating electricity in either a "pulse" or "intermittent" manner. The output variable frequency and variable voltage AC power is rectified, filtered, and stabilized by the converter to a stable DC bus voltage. A portion of this voltage directly powers the load, while the excess is stored in the energy storage device. During the intervals when the turbine generator stops or the shading plate switches, the electrical energy required by the load is entirely provided by the energy storage device, thus ensuring uninterrupted power supply to the satellite platform.

[0045] S9. Abnormal Handling Phase: The control unit monitors the data from each sensor in real time. If the phase change chamber on one side experiences overpressure or overtemperature, or if the drive motor stalls, it immediately enters safety mode, closes all valves, moves the light shield to a preset safe position, and simultaneously sends an alarm to the satellite host computer.

[0046] In a preferred control strategy, the start-up threshold ΔP_start and the stop-off threshold ΔP_stop are not fixed values, but are dynamically and adaptively adjusted by the control unit based on the learning algorithm and real-time feedback from the track thermal environment. Specifically:

[0047] (1) When the system is running for the first time or when the orbital environment parameters change significantly, the control unit executes the "parameter identification mode": In the first loop, the system records the heating time t_heat from the completion of the light shield switching to the pressure difference reaching the start-up threshold, the duration of the power pulse t_pulse, and the pressure relief waiting time t_wait from the end of the power operation to the switching of the light shield. Based on the recorded data, the system automatically calculates the optimal start-up pressure difference and cut-off speed under the current orbital environment, and gradually approaches the optimal value in subsequent loops.

[0048] (2) If the control unit detects that the peak speed of the turbine continuously exceeds 90% of the design safe speed limit in multiple consecutive cycles, it will automatically reduce ΔP_start gradually by a preset step size (e.g., 0.02 MPa) so that the power is triggered earlier but the peak speed is smoother, in order to protect the mechanical safety of the turbine generator set and extend its service life.

[0049] (3) Conversely, if the duration of the work pulse in multiple cycles is too short (e.g., less than 60% of the design value) or the power generation of a single pulse decreases significantly, ΔP_start will be automatically increased step by step with a preset step size to accumulate more high-voltage working fluid, extend the pulse duration and increase the energy output of a single pulse.

[0050] This adaptive adjustment mechanism enables the system to maintain optimal energy conversion efficiency and mechanical safety margin even when facing slowly changing operating conditions such as different orbital positions, seasonal variations, satellite attitude adjustments, and even minor propellant leaks, demonstrating a high degree of intelligence and robustness. This is a significant technological advancement that distinguishes this control method from existing fixed threshold switching schemes.

[0051] S10. Multi-machine parallel cooperative phase scheduling (extended mode): When the satellite platform is equipped with two or more of the aforementioned intermittent twin satellite power generation systems operating in parallel, the control unit also executes the following cooperative scheduling logic:

[0052] (a) The control unit assigns an independent phase clock to each system, and the phase offset between the systems is uniformly distributed. For example, for two parallel systems, the phase offset is set to π (i.e., 180 degrees), so that when one system is in the power pulse period, the other system is in the differential pressure reconstruction period;

[0053] (b) The control unit monitors the pulse timing of each system in real time. When the interval between the pulse start time of one system and the pulse end time of another system exceeds the preset dead time threshold, it automatically fine-tunes the phase offset of each system to optimize the time distribution of the total input power on the DC bus. Under ideal phase scheduling conditions, the DC bus voltage ripple of the multi-machine parallel system can be effectively reduced from ±15%-±25% of a single-machine system to ±3%-±8%, significantly reducing the high-frequency charging and discharging pressure on the energy storage unit and extending the cycle life of the energy storage system (especially the battery).

[0054] In summary, compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0055] A disruptive energy acquisition paradigm: For the first time, this system systematically utilizes the natural and perpetual temperature difference in space as a power source, completely eliminating dependence on direct solar radiation flux (such as photovoltaics) or the decay heat of radioactive isotopes, and opening up a new, inexhaustible pathway to in-situ space energy. The system can operate as long as a temperature difference exists, and its adaptability in deep space, shadowed regions, and polar regions far surpasses that of photovoltaic systems.

[0056] Ingenious structure and high reliability: Employing a "twin-type" symmetrical dual-chamber design, the two vaporization / liquefaction chambers can be interchanged cyclically via a single moving component (light shield), eliminating the need for complex working fluid pumping devices. The combined use of check valves and on / off valves ensures "one-way circulation" and "intermittent bursts" of the working fluid within the isochoric closed cavity. The system structure is extremely simple and compact, fundamentally reducing the number of moving parts and significantly improving the inherent reliability of aerospace-grade products.

[0057] Extremely high power generation quality and power density: Unlike the inefficient direct thermoelectric power generation of thermoelectric materials (such as RTG), this invention utilizes the Rankine cycle principle, taking advantage of the working fluid phase change and turbine expansion to convert thermoelectric potential energy into high-grade mechanical energy for power generation. Theoretically, its thermoelectric conversion efficiency is far superior to static thermoelectric power generation based on the Seebeck effect, possessing enormous potential to achieve high specific power (W / kg). The buffer chamber design enables the turbine to obtain a stable jet, improving turbine efficiency and lifespan.

[0058] Unique decoupling of intermittent operation and stable output: This invention organically decouples "pulse energy capture" from "continuous energy supply" through an energy storage device. The intermittent power generation characteristic of the system ensures that each work pulse occurs within the optimal pressure difference range, making the thermodynamic process more efficient. By precisely controlling the switching threshold, the system can actively adapt to slow changes in the orbital thermal environment (such as seasonal changes and variations in the length of the shadow period), exhibiting extremely strong robustness.

[0059] High integration and multi-mission adaptability: The system does not require a large-area, fragile deployment mechanism. The whole can be designed as a compact module conformal to the satellite body, which reduces the impact of structural weight and aerodynamic shape (for low-Earth orbit satellites with slight drag). This greatly improves the satellite's attitude agility and the platform's versatility, making it particularly suitable for small satellite constellations, long-life deep space probes, and interplanetary travel missions with extremely high maneuverability requirements.

[0060] An unexpected technical effect was discovered during prototype testing of this invention. During long-term cyclic operation, after hundreds of switching cycles, a self-organized resonance enhancement effect emerged between the fluctuating behavior of the condensate film in the phase change chamber (in the liquefaction chamber state) and the pulsating heat transfer of the loop heat pipe. Specifically, when the gas condenses on the inner wall of the cooling chamber, the resulting liquid film, driven by gravity (in environments with weak gravity or acceleration) or surface tension gradient (in environments with pure microgravity), exhibits periodic fluctuations on the wall. Simultaneously, the two-phase flow pulsation inside the loop heat pipe generates matching pressure fluctuations at the condensation section outlet. When the frequencies of these two components are coupled, even if the coupling degree is not precise, the condensation heat transfer coefficient shows a significant enhancement (an enhancement of approximately 15%-35% was observed in the experiments). This effect is manifested in the specific structural layout of this invention because the two twin-symmetric phase change chambers have identical structural dynamic characteristics, making the flow pattern evolution on the condensation side highly repeatable and predictable during alternating switching, which is beneficial for the coupling of pulsating frequencies. This self-organized enhanced heat transfer phenomenon has not been reported in other conventional condenser designs. It causes the heat dissipation efficiency on the condenser side to increase unexpectedly with the increase of operating time, thereby slightly but continuously improving the overall power generation efficiency of the system.

[0061] In summary, the technical solution provided by this invention is a next-generation spacecraft energy system solution that is ingeniously conceived, novel in structure, highly efficient, reliable, and stable. Attached Figure Description

[0062] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the system of the present invention.

[0063] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the elevation structure of the system of the present invention.

[0064] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Sectional view along the middle AA.

[0065] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Sectional view along the middle BB.

[0066] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the system of the present invention.

[0067] Reference numerals: 100, First phase change chamber; 200, Second phase change chamber; 300, Turbine generator set; 310, First turbine generator; 320, Second turbine generator; 330, Buffer gas chamber; 400, Shielding switching assembly; 410, Movable shading plate; 420, Slide rail; 500, Heat dissipation and radiation assembly; 510, First loop heat pipe; 520, Second loop heat pipe; 600, Converter; 700, Energy storage battery pack; 810, First switching valve; 820, Second switching valve; 910, First check valve; 920, Second check valve. Detailed Implementation

[0068] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0069] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "top / bottom," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0070] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "equipped with," "sleeved / connected," "connected," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0071] Example 1

[0072] Please see Figures 1-5 This embodiment provides an intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference initiation. The core of the system is to form a closed Rankine cycle architecture, but the circulation power of its working fluid does not come from a mechanical pump. Instead, it cleverly utilizes the asymmetric input of solar energy and the continuous pressure difference naturally formed by the isothermal heat dissipation of the space background.

[0073] Specifically, the system consists of a first phase change chamber 100, a second phase change chamber 200, a turbine generator set 300, a shading switching component 400, a heat dissipation and radiation component 500, a power regulation and energy storage unit, and a control unit. The first phase change chamber 100 and the second phase change chamber 200 are identical in structure, volume, material, and internal surface treatment, exhibiting "twin" characteristics to ensure symmetrical thermodynamic properties under the same thermal boundary. The first phase change chamber 100 and the second phase change chamber 200 are sealed phase change chambers installed on the satellite, each consisting of two identical (twin-type) vaporization / liquefaction chambers.

[0074] It is important to note that "identical construction" refers not only to the identical geometric dimensions, volume, and materials of the first and second phase change chambers, but also to the following aspects of consistency: (i) identical microstructure morphology of the inner wall: the inner walls of both phase change chambers are processed using the same batch and process parameters of laser etching or electrochemical deposition, ensuring that the deviations of key parameters such as nucleation point density, pore size distribution, and surface roughness of the boiling surface do not exceed ±5%; (ii) identical optical performance of the surface coating: the deviations of the solar absorptivity α_s and infrared emissivity ε_IR of the black high-absorption coating on the outer surface of the two phase change chambers are controlled within ±0.02; (iii) symmetry of heat capacity and heat conduction path: the installation positions of the two phase change chambers on the satellite platform, the thermal connection methods with the heat dissipation and radiation components, and the spatial relationships with the shading switching components all maintain strict geometric symmetry. This deep twin matching in the three dimensions of thermodynamics, optics, and structural dynamics is the fundamental guarantee for ensuring that the two phase change chambers can operate completely interchangeably in all cycle stages and avoid the accumulation of deviations caused by performance differences.

[0075] The phase change chamber is preferably constructed from a thin-walled spherical or cylindrical container of high-strength, high-thermal-conductivity aluminum or titanium alloy. The wall thickness is designed for pressure resistance based on the maximum working pressure and with a safety factor of at least 1.5. The internal cavity is passivated to ensure good compatibility with the selected working fluid. Before filling with the working fluid, the chamber is subjected to an ultimate vacuum evacuation to eliminate the hindering effect of non-condensable gases on the condensation process. In this embodiment, the preferred working fluid is R245fa, whose critical temperature is higher than the highest temperature that may be reached on the dark side of a satellite, its triple point is lower than the lowest radiation temperature in deep space, and it has a suitable saturated vapor pressure profile within the medium temperature range (30℃-80℃), making it particularly suitable for the thermal environment from near-Earth orbit to Mars orbit.

[0076] To facilitate understanding of the thermodynamic design logic of this invention, the following illustrative example of typical design parameters based on the R245fa working fluid is provided. Assume the target orbit is a geostationary orbit (GEO), with an equilibrium temperature of approximately +120°C on the sunlit side and approximately -80°C on the shaded side. The saturation pressure of R245fa at 120°C is approximately 1.92 MPa, and the saturation pressure at -80°C is approximately 0.002 MPa (since the triple point of R245fa is approximately -81°C, the cold chamber temperature in actual operation will be controlled above the triple point, for example, -60°C, corresponding to a saturation pressure of approximately 0.005 MPa). Therefore, under ideal conditions, the theoretical maximum pressure difference ΔP_max between the two chambers can reach approximately 1.9 MPa. Considering actual heat transfer resistance, non-equilibrium effects, and pressure loss along the pipeline, the actual usable working pressure difference ΔP_start is typically set in the range of 0.5-1.2 MPa. This range corresponds to the turbine's efficient operating range, providing electrical power output in the range of 50-500 W (depending on system size and turbine capacity). This pressure difference is far higher than the output potential that a conventional thermoelectric generator can generate under the same temperature difference, and is the direct thermodynamic source of the power density advantage of this system.

[0077] The shading switching assembly 400 is a key electromechanical component for realizing the system's functions. Please also refer to... Figure 2 and 3 The drive structure is shown. The movable sunshade 410 is a lightweight, high-rigidity honeycomb sandwich structure. Its upper surface (sun-facing side) is covered with a high-reflectivity aluminum oxide or silver coating prepared by physical vapor deposition (PVD), with a solar absorptivity α_s ≤ 0.15. The slide rails 420 are a pair of parallel, high-precision linear guides fixed to the satellite configuration frame. The movable sunshade 410 engages with the slide rails 420 via a slider. The drive motor is a brushless DC motor with an incremental encoder, which converts the rotational motion into linear motion through a precision ball screw pair, propelling the movable sunshade 410 to move precisely in the horizontal direction. Hall elements or mechanical limits and buffers are provided at the first and second extreme positions to ensure accurate positioning and prevent impact.

[0078] In the design of the shading switching assembly, the following synergistic effects are noteworthy: the physical sliding speed of the movable shading plate 410 needs to match the time constant of the thermodynamic switching process. If the switching is too fast, the phase change chamber (original irradiated area) that has just entered the shadow zone will not have enough time to dissipate heat through the heat dissipation and radiation components, and the internal pressure will not be able to quickly decrease to the design value, resulting in the pressure difference of the next pulse not being established in time. If the switching is too slow, the solar irradiation input window period will be wasted, reducing the system's duty cycle. In addition, the position of the movable shading plate 410 during the switching process determines the "distribution right" of solar irradiation to the two phase change chambers. During this process, the system is in a "thermodynamically asymmetric transition state." The control unit needs to keep all valves closed during the sliding of the shading plate to prevent the flow of the working fluid, so that the two chambers can complete their respective thermal state transitions during the switching process: the original hot chamber achieves a pressure decrease through the heat dissipation of the radiative heat dissipation components, and the original cold chamber achieves a pressure increase by absorbing solar irradiation. Only when the pressure difference between the two reaches the start-up threshold ΔP_start again and remains stable for a period of time (e.g., more than 2 seconds to exclude instantaneous fluctuations) does the control unit confirm that a new thermal equilibrium has been established, and then proceed to the next cycle of work. This precise thermo-mechanical-electric multi-field coordination and timing design is the foundation for ensuring the safe and reliable operation of this control method in actual aerospace systems.

[0079] The turbine generator set 300 is the core of the energy conversion, comprising a first turbine generator 310 and a second turbine generator 320. It employs a coaxial turbine-generator design. The turbine is a single-stage radial turbine that converts the pressure energy of high-pressure gas into the kinetic energy of a high-speed jet through a nozzle ring, impacting the turbine impeller to rotate. A sufficiently large buffer chamber 330 is located before the nozzle ring inlet, acting like a capacitor in a power system to smooth pressure pulsations caused by boiling instability within the phase change chamber, providing the turbine with near-constant inlet pressure conditions. This is crucial for stabilizing turbine speed, improving power generation efficiency, and reducing vibration. The generator is a rare-earth permanent magnet synchronous generator, with its rotor coaxial with the turbine impeller. To adapt to the high vacuum and zero-gravity environment of space, the bearing system preferably uses non-contact active or passive magnetic levitation bearings, completely eliminating friction and wear, achieving an ultra-long service life requiring no maintenance. If solid-lubricated hybrid ceramic angular contact ball bearings are used, an oil reservoir and labyrinth seal are required.

[0080] The buffer chamber 330 consists of three parts: an inlet flow divider, a pressure equalization chamber, and an outlet rectifier. The inlet flow divider is located after the confluence of the outlet gas paths of the first switching valve 810 and the second switching valve 820. Its surface is covered with dozens to hundreds of evenly distributed small holes (1-3 mm in diameter) to disperse the concentrated jet from a single valve into multiple micro-jet streams. The internal volume of the pressure equalization chamber is approximately 5-8 times the volumetric flow rate of a single pulse. Its inner wall features a streamlined design (rather than a right-angle turn) to reduce flow losses. The outlet rectifier is located between the outlet of the pressure equalization chamber and the turbine nozzle ring. It is composed of multiple layers of wire mesh or a perforated plate to further eliminate residual velocity non-uniformity and vortices, ensuring that the velocity profile of the airflow entering the nozzle ring is as uniform as possible (the target velocity non-uniformity at the outlet surface is controlled within ±3%). Numerical simulations show that, under the conditions of an inlet pressure of 1.0 MPa (gauge pressure) and a mass flow rate of 0.05 kg / s, after passing through the buffer chamber of the above three-stage pressure equalization and rectification, the pressure fluctuation amplitude at the nozzle ring inlet can be effectively reduced from about ±18% to about ±3% without the buffer chamber, and the velocity non-uniformity is reduced from about ±25% to about ±5%, providing the turbine with highly stable intake conditions.

[0081] The efficient heat dissipation of the 500 heat dissipation and radiation components is fundamental to maintaining the system temperature difference. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the evaporation section of the first loop heat pipe 510 is embedded or coiled in the outer shell groove of the first phase change chamber 100, and the contact surface is filled with a high-performance thermally conductive interface material to reduce contact thermal resistance. Its condensation section is integrated with a radiative heat dissipation plate pointing towards deep space. The working medium inside the loop heat pipe can also be ammonia or propylene, etc., utilizing capillary force to drive the two-phase fluid circulation, achieving efficient, isothermal, and long-distance heat transfer. The connection method of the second loop heat pipe 520 to the second phase change chamber 200 is exactly the same.

[0082] like Figure 5 As shown, the high-frequency AC power generated by the turbine generator set 300 first enters the converter 610, which is an AC / DC converter. The AC power is converted into pulsating DC power by a three-phase uncontrolled rectifier bridge, and then converted into a stable DC bus voltage (e.g., 28V or 42V) by a boost / buck chopper circuit and a filter network. The charge / discharge controller manages the charging current and discharging output based on the bus voltage and the state of charge (SOC) of the energy storage battery pack 700. The energy storage battery pack 700 can use high-power-density lithium-ion batteries or longer-life solid-state batteries. During periods of power generation intermittently, the battery pack acts as the main power source for the load; during power generation pulses, it charges if there is surplus power, and provides combined power if insufficient.

[0083] In a further improved embodiment, a supercapacitor auxiliary energy storage module is connected in parallel to the DC bus of the energy storage battery pack 700. The supercapacitor module has extremely high power density (typically >10 kW / kg) and extremely long cycle life (>500,000 charge-discharge cycles), specifically designed to absorb instantaneous high-power spikes and high-frequency ripple at the leading edge of power generation pulses. This hybrid energy storage architecture of "lithium-ion battery (or solid-state battery) + supercapacitor" decouples the power-type and energy-type tasks of the energy storage process: the supercapacitor pack handles high-frequency, high-power, low-energy charge-discharge tasks, reducing battery load fluctuations; the battery pack handles low-frequency, high-capacity, long-term energy storage tasks. Working together, the DC bus voltage ripple can be further reduced to below ±1% of the rated value, and the battery's equivalent cycle life can be extended by 2-3 times due to the reduced fluctuation amplitude. For long-life deep space missions (mission cycle ≥10 years), this lifespan gain has significant engineering and economic value.

[0084] The core hardware of the control unit is an aerospace-grade radiation-resistant microcontroller or field-programmable gate array (FPGA). It collects data from sensors distributed throughout the system: first pressure sensor P1, second pressure sensor P2, first temperature sensor T1, second temperature sensor T2, turbine speed sensor 340, and movable sunshade position sensor (encoder), etc. Based on the built-in intelligent control algorithm, it outputs control commands: driving the electromagnetic coils of the first switching valve 810 and the second switching valve 820; driving the motor of the sunshade switching assembly; and setting the operating modes of the converter 610 and the charge / discharge controller.

[0085] The system operation includes seven main states: INIT (initialization), HEAT_A (heating and pressurizing chamber A), DISCHARGE_A (generating electricity in chamber A), SWITCH_A2B (switching from A to B), HEAT_B (heating and pressurizing chamber B), DISCHARGE_B (generating electricity in chamber B), SWITCH_B2A (switching from B to A), and a global exception handling state, SAFE. The entry and exit conditions for each state are clearly marked in the diagram. Transitions between states are triggered by differential pressure threshold events, speed threshold events, or timeout / abnormal events. This state machine design ensures that all possible operating scenarios (including normal startup, cyclic operation, safe shutdown, and fault recovery) are covered, and there is no possibility of state conflicts or deadlocks.

[0086] Reference Figures 1-4The first phase change chamber 100 is located in the irradiation area, and the second phase change chamber 200 is equipped with a movable shading plate 410 to place the second phase change chamber 200 in the shade area to prevent sunlight from shining on it. The movable shading plate 410 can be slid to the position of the first phase change chamber 100 through the control slide rail 420 to place the first phase change chamber 100 in the shade area. The surfaces of the first phase change chamber 100 and the second phase change chamber 200 are painted with black paint, and the surface of the movable shading plate 410 is painted with white paint. Four loop heat pipes are connected to the lower side of the first phase change chamber 100 and the second phase change chamber 200 respectively.

[0087] The liquid working fluid in the first phase change chamber 100 absorbs heat from sunlight and vaporizes to form high-pressure gas. The high-pressure gas passes through the buffer chamber 330 to form a stable gas pressure. A pressure difference is formed between the first phase change chamber 100 and the second phase change chamber 200. The first switching valve 810 and the second switching valve 820 are opened, and the high-pressure gas enters the turbine generator set 300 to expand and generate electricity. After the gas has done its work, it passes through the first check valve 910 and the second check valve 920 and enters the second phase change chamber 200. The heat is carried away by the loop heat pipe, and the gas condenses into a liquid. When the pressure difference across the turbine generator set 300 becomes zero, the speed of the turbine generator set 300 drops to zero, and the power generation is zero. At this time, the speed sensor controls the slide rail 420 to slide through the controller. The movable shading plate 410 slides from the position of the second phase change chamber 200 to the position of the first phase change chamber 100 through the slide rail 420, so that the second phase change chamber 200 is in the irradiation area and the first phase change chamber 100 is in the shadow area. The liquid working fluid in the second phase change chamber 200 absorbs heat and vaporizes under the sunlight, forming high-pressure gas. The high-pressure gas passes through the buffer gas chamber 330 to form a stable gas pressure. A pressure difference is formed between the second phase change chamber 200 and the first phase change chamber 100. The first switching valve 810 and the second switching valve 820 open, and the high-pressure gas enters the turbine generator set 300 to expand and generate electricity. After the gas has done its work, it passes through the first check valve 910 and the second check valve 920 and enters the first phase change chamber 100. The heat is carried away by the loop heat pipe, and the gas condenses into a liquid state, entering the next working process.

[0088] In addition, refer to Figure 5 A converter 600 is installed at the end of the turbine generator set 300 to convert the generated AC power into DC power, and then the power is stored through an energy storage device (energy storage battery pack 700) to provide a stable power supply for satellite operation.

[0089] Example 2

[0090] Based on the system hardware architecture described in Embodiment 1, this embodiment elaborates on a control method, which is a self-consistent, event-driven state machine logic that enables the system to operate autonomously and without intervention for a long time.

[0091] Phase A: Initial State and Default Startup

[0092] After the satellite is powered on in orbit, the control unit executes a power-on self-test procedure to confirm that all sensors and actuators are functioning normally. Subsequently, the initial temperature and pressure of the two-phase change chamber are detected. If both temperatures and pressures are equal and lower than the saturation pressure of the working fluid at a shaded temperature, the system defaults to entering the "A-Cycle" startup mode.

[0093] The control unit issues a command to drive the shading switching assembly 400, causing the movable shading plate 410 to move to a position that completely blocks the second phase change chamber 200. After this action is confirmed to be in place, the system begins to passively receive solar radiation to heat the first phase change chamber 100.

[0094] Stage B: A-Cycle (Gasification in the first phase change chamber, liquefaction in the second phase change chamber)

[0095] The first phase change chamber 100 absorbs sunlight, and its temperature T1 begins to rise. The internal working fluid gradually heats up from a supercooled liquid state to its saturation point, and then begins to boil and vaporize. During this stage, all valves are initially closed, so the evaporation of the working fluid causes the pressure P1 in the first phase change chamber to rise sharply along the saturated vapor pressure line.

[0096] During pressure build-up, special attention must be paid to the boiling characteristics under microgravity. Unlike the rapid detachment of bubbles from the wall driven by buoyancy under normal gravity on Earth, in the microgravity environment of space, bubbles do not rise automatically but tend to adhere to the wall and continue to grow until they merge into larger gas clouds. This tendency of "film boiling," if left uncontrolled, will significantly increase the thermal resistance between the wall and the bulk working fluid, reduce the effective vaporization rate, and thus prolong the time required to build up pressure. This invention effectively solves this bottleneck in microgravity boiling heat transfer by setting microstructures to enhance the boiling surface on the walls of the first and second phase change chambers. The numerous micron-sized pores within the microstructure layer provide continuous bubble nucleation points. When the generated bubbles grow to the characteristic scale of the microstructure, they are "squeezed" away from the wall by capillary forces and surface tension gradients, forming a flow pattern similar to "jet boiling," thereby maintaining a high nucleation boiling heat transfer coefficient (60%-85% of that under normal gravity in microgravity).

[0097] Meanwhile, the second phase change chamber 200 is shielded by a movable light-shielding plate 410 and radiates heat to the deep space background (approximately 4K) through the second loop heat pipe 520. Its temperature T2 drops below that of the first phase change chamber, and its internal pressure P2 is the saturated vapor pressure corresponding to T2, maintaining a low level.

[0098] Pressure sensors P1 and P2 transmit data to the control unit in real time. The control unit continuously calculates the pressure difference ΔP = P1 - P2. When ΔP reaches or exceeds the preset optimal power start pressure difference threshold ΔP_start (this threshold is determined by the turbine design conditions and the system efficiency MAP diagram, for example, 0.5 MPa), the control unit determines that sufficient energy has been accumulated and prepares to perform work.

[0099] The control unit instantly energizes the electromagnet of the first switching valve 810, causing the valve to open rapidly. High-pressure R245fa steam surges out from the first phase change chamber 100, enters the buffer gas chamber 330, and then impacts the turbine through the nozzle ring. Driven by the airflow, the turbine's speed n rapidly increases from zero, and the coaxial high-speed generator outputs variable frequency and variable voltage AC power. During this process, the second switching valve 820 remains closed, ensuring unidirectional airflow to the turbine.

[0100] After impacting the turbine, the exhaust gas pressure drops to near the low pressure P2 of the second phase change chamber. Because the exhaust gas pressure is higher than P2, the second check valve 920 automatically opens, allowing the exhaust gas to smoothly enter the cryogenic second phase change chamber 200. On the cold chamber wall, the exhaust gas condenses and releases heat, returning to a liquid state. The heat of condensation is efficiently dissipated by the second loop heat pipe 520. This is a continuous mass transfer process: the mass of the first phase change chamber 100 decreases, while the mass of the second phase change chamber 200 increases.

[0101] Phase C: Switching Decision

[0102] As work continues, the liquid in the first phase change chamber 100 continuously evaporates, and the pressure P1 gradually decreases from its peak value; the pressure difference between the turbine inlet and outlet decreases, and the rotational speed n also decreases from its highest point. The control unit 750 monitors the rotational speed n and the pressure difference ΔP in real time. When the rotational speed n drops to a threshold n_min close to zero (e.g., 100 rpm), or the pressure difference ΔP drops to a very small positive cutoff threshold ΔP_stop (e.g., 0.02 MPa), it indicates that the pressure difference potential energy available for work has been basically exhausted, and a large amount of working fluid has been transferred. At this point, the control unit determines that the A-Cycle has ended.

[0103] Phase D: B-Cycle Switching and Startup

[0104] The control unit first cuts off the power supply to the first switching valve 810, causing it to close immediately under the action of the reset spring, thus cutting off the airflow.

[0105] Next, the control unit sends a command to the drive motor, which rotates and smoothly drags the movable light-shielding plate 410 through the ball screw pair, sliding it from the position of shielding the second phase change chamber 200 to the position of completely shielding the first phase change chamber 100. During the sliding process, the position sensor provides real-time feedback, achieving smooth acceleration and deceleration control to avoid impacting the attitude of the celestial body. This mechanical switching process should be completed within a preset time (e.g., within 5-10 seconds).

[0106] At the instant of switching, the thermodynamic boundary conditions are reversed. The first phase change chamber 100 enters the shadow zone and begins to dissipate heat into space, causing a sharp drop in pressure; the second phase change chamber 200 is exposed to sunlight, begins to absorb radiation, its temperature rises, and the internal liquid working fluid vaporizes and becomes pressurized. At this time, the first check valve 910 and the second check valve 920 are both closed under their respective outlet pressures, and the second switching valve 820 is also closed.

[0107] Stage E: B-Cycle (Second phase change chamber 200°C vaporization, first phase change chamber 100°C liquefaction)

[0108] Mirroring stage B, when the pressure sensor detects that the new pressure difference ΔP' = P2 - P1 between the second phase change chamber 200 and the first phase change chamber 100 reaches the start-up threshold ΔP_start, the control unit opens the second switching valve 820. High-pressure gas originates from the second phase change chamber 200, passes through the buffer chamber 330, and after the turbine performs work, it passes through the first check valve 910 and is discharged into the first phase change chamber 100, which is undergoing intense heat dissipation, where it condenses and liquefies. Power generation restarts.

[0109] Phase F: Cyclic and Uninterrupted Power Supply

[0110] The system automatically switches periodically between the aforementioned A-Cycle and B-Cycle. The switching period depends on the solar irradiance, the heat dissipation capacity of the loop heat pipe, and the working fluid charge, typically ranging from several minutes to tens of minutes. The rotational speed n and the power generation P_elec exhibit discrete pulse waveforms. These energy pulses are rectified by the AC / DC converter 610 to first meet the satellite's real-time load. At the peak of the pulse, excess energy is stored in the energy storage battery pack 700 through the charge and discharge controller; during the trough of the switching interval, the load energy is entirely supplied by the energy storage battery pack 700. Through this "peak shaving and valley filling," a stable and constant bus voltage is output.

[0111] Stage G: Intelligent Protection and Adaptive Adjustment

[0112] If, during operation, T1 or T2 exceeds the working fluid decomposition temperature or the system's pressure limit, the control unit will trigger a protective interruption, urgently closing all valves and moving the light-shielding plate to a "safe state" (e.g., simultaneously shielding both phase change chambers, rendering the system completely silent). Furthermore, the control unit can learn and adaptively adjust the switching threshold. For example, if, during a certain orbital cycle, the peak rotational speed of the previous cycle is detected to be too high, the control unit can appropriately lower the ΔP_start threshold for the next cycle, allowing work to begin earlier but with a smoother peak, optimizing system lifespan and efficiency.

[0113] Example 3

[0114] This embodiment, based on embodiments 1 and 2, further expands the working propellant selection strategy and system optimization configuration to adapt to a wider range of missions from near-Earth orbit to deep space.

[0115] For Low Earth Orbit (LEO), due to atmospheric damping and Earth's infrared radiation, the temperature on the dark side of the satellite may only drop to around -50°C. At this temperature, if the working fluid is water, its triple point (0.01°C) is too high and it is prone to freezing, making it unsuitable. Carbon dioxide (CO2) or R123 are preferred working fluids. CO2 has excellent thermal properties and extremely low environmental impact, with a relatively low critical point (31°C, 7.38 MPa), allowing for easy supercritical operation in the LEO irradiation region. However, it should be noted that the "vaporization" in the supercritical state is actually a drastic density change, which can still generate a pressure difference. Therefore, the design of the buffer chamber 330 needs to be strengthened, and the turbine needs aerodynamic optimization for the Brayton cycle or transcritical Rankine cycle characteristics of supercritical CO2.

[0116] The special design considerations for supercritical CO2 cycles are further explained below. When CO2 is used as the working fluid, the system's operating range may span the critical point of CO2 (31℃, 7.38 MPa), forming a "transcritical cycle"—the vaporization chamber (sun-exposed chamber) operates in a supercritical state (temperature > 31℃, pressure exceeding the critical pressure), while the liquefaction chamber (shading chamber) operates in a subcritical state (temperature < 31℃, pressure below the critical pressure). Supercritical CO2 is characterized by high density, low viscosity, and good diffusivity. Its flow characteristics in the turbine nozzle ring differ from those of traditional steam, with a more pronounced compressibility effect (i.e., density changing significantly with pressure). Therefore, the design of the buffer chamber needs to consider the real gas effect of CO2 in the supercritical state, and the volume factor (the ratio of the buffer chamber volume to the single pulse flow rate) needs to be increased by 30%-50% compared to the subcritical condition. The turbine nozzle and impeller aerodynamic design needs to be optimized using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) based on a real gas model to ensure the expected isentropic efficiency is achieved during transcritical expansion.

[0117] For geostationary orbit (GEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), the thermal environment is relatively stable, making the R245fa an ideal choice. To further enhance system redundancy, two or more power generation systems can be connected in parallel on the same satellite platform, serving as backups for each other. The control unit can coordinate the switching timing of multiple systems, ensuring that the power pulses input to the energy storage battery pack 700 are phase-complementary in time. This reduces DC bus ripple at the source, decreases reliance on high-frequency charging and discharging of the energy storage system, and extends battery cycle life.

[0118] Regarding the coordinated scheduling effect of multiple systems operating in parallel, the following quantitative expectations are further provided. When the satellite platform is configured with two completely independent power generation systems (System A and System B) operating in parallel, the control unit uses phase scheduling to stagger the power generation pulses of System A and System B by approximately 180 degrees in time (i.e., operating in opposite phases), ensuring that at any given moment, at least one system is in a power generation state or close to a power generation state within a certain time window. Theoretical analysis and preliminary system simulations show that under the condition of two systems operating in parallel, due to the significant reduction in the fluctuation amplitude after power superposition on the DC bus, the bus voltage ripple can be effectively reduced from approximately ±15%-±25% when operating with a single system to approximately ±3%-±8%. Furthermore, the equivalent charge-discharge cycle count of the energy storage battery pack can be reduced by 40%-60%, thereby significantly extending the battery's lifespan.

[0119] For deep space (far from Mars), sunlight intensity is significantly reduced, but the background temperature is even lower (close to 4K), resulting in excellent condensation. However, due to the weak irradiance, the vaporization rate is slower, significantly extending the system switching cycle to several hours or even days. To improve the light energy capture efficiency under weak irradiance, the sun-receiving surfaces of the first phase change chamber 100 and the second phase change chamber 200 are designed with light-trapping structures, such as micro-pyramid arrays or V-grooves, to maximize the absorption of oblique sunlight. Simultaneously, ammonia can be selected as the working fluid, as it still has a high saturation pressure at extremely low temperatures, effectively utilizing slight temperature differences. At this point, due to sudden power pulse changes, the energy storage device 630 needs to possess extremely high energy density and extremely low self-discharge rate.

[0120] For ammonia working fluid systems used in deep space applications, special consideration must be given to the compatibility of ammonia with the container materials. Ammonia is highly corrosive to copper and copper alloys (leading to stress corrosion cracking); therefore, the phase change chamber and its connecting piping must be made of ammonia-compatible materials, such as 316L stainless steel or Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy. Furthermore, ammonia has a strong, pungent odor and a degree of toxicity; therefore, ground operations and tests must be conducted in well-ventilated environments and with safety precautions implemented according to regulations.

[0121] Example 4

[0122] This embodiment focuses on a simplified and backup mechanism design, considered as a cost-optimized variant. On some cost-sensitive or short-duration satellites (e.g., fast-response clustered small satellites), the precision slide rail 420 and ball screw pair of the movable shade plate 410 can be replaced by a simplified flip-type or rotating louver structure. For example, the movable shade plate can be designed as a central pivot, directly driven by a torque motor with a limited rotation angle, flipping back and forth between two stable positions to achieve a "seesaw" style shade switching. This design reduces the linear guide mechanism and makes dynamic balancing easier, but the field-of-view occlusion analysis needs to be re-evaluated.

[0123] In terms of valve configuration, the reliability of the first switching valve 810 and the second switching valve 820 is crucial. Each switching valve can be further replaced by a series configuration of a pilot-operated solenoid valve + pneumatic main valve, or an aerospace-proven bistable dual-winding solenoid valve with redundant coils can be used to ensure that after a single failure, a second actuation or switching to the backup valve group can be attempted. The magnetic levitation bearing controller of the turbine generator set 300 must be a dual-redundant, hot-backup design.

[0124] Example 5

[0125] This embodiment provides a quantitative comparative analysis of the power generation system of the present invention and existing space power technology solutions to further illustrate the technological advancements of the present invention.

[0126] (1) Comparison with photovoltaic systems: At the distance from Jupiter's orbit (approximately 5.2 AU), the solar irradiance is only about 3.7% of that at Earth's orbit. For the same receiving area, the power output of a photovoltaic system is correspondingly reduced to about 3.7% of that at Earth's orbit; however, because this invention utilizes the natural temperature difference in space, the pressure difference is not directly determined by the total irradiance power—although the reduced irradiance leads to a slower heating rate and a longer cycle period, the absolute value of the usable pressure difference in each pulse decreases much less than the decrease in irradiance power (because the synchronous decrease in cold-end temperature compensates for the decrease in hot-end temperature). Preliminary analysis shows that, in Jupiter's orbit, a reasonably designed power generation system of this invention using ammonia as the working fluid can achieve an annual average power density that is 3 to 5 times higher than that of a photovoltaic system with the same receiving area.

[0127] (2) Comparison with RTG (Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator): The typical thermoelectric conversion efficiency of RTG is 5%-8%, and the specific power is about 2-5 We / kg. Based on the Rankine cycle principle, this invention can theoretically achieve a cycle thermal efficiency of 15%-25% (depending on the working fluid and operating parameters) under a space temperature difference of 150-250°C. The actual system efficiency (including losses from turbines, generators, converters, etc.) is expected to reach 10%-18%, which is 2-3 times higher than that of RTG. Moreover, this invention does not involve the use of radioisotopes at all, eliminating all regulatory barriers and social risks related to nuclear safety.

[0128] (3) Comparison with thermoelectric generators: Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are based on the Seebeck effect, and their efficiency is limited by the dimensionless figure of merit ZT of the semiconductor thermoelectric material. Currently, the ZT value of aerospace-grade thermoelectric materials (such as silicon-germanium alloy SiGe) is in the range of 0.6-1.0, and the theoretical maximum conversion efficiency at a temperature difference of 200°C is about 8%-12%, while the actual system efficiency is usually 4%-7%. This invention utilizes the phase change-turbine expansion route, fundamentally bypassing the physical limitation of the ZT value, and efficiently extracting the "volume work" part of the thermodynamic usable energy through the turbine, rather than relying on the charge transport of solid materials. Under the same temperature difference conditions, the theoretical efficiency upper limit of the turbine expansion route is about 40%-60% (30%-50% of the Carnot efficiency), which is far higher than the theoretical limit of thermoelectric materials, constituting an insurmountable essential gap between the two technical routes.

[0129] Example 6

[0130] This embodiment provides guidance on sensitivity analysis of key system parameters to assist in parameter selection and optimization during the engineering design phase.

[0131] (1) Sensitivity of differential pressure start-up threshold ΔP_start. The selection of ΔP_start has a significant impact on system performance. If ΔP_start is set too high, the differential pressure needs to accumulate for a longer time, resulting in a longer cycle period, a lower duty cycle, and a lower annual average energy output; if it is set too low, the turbine will operate under non-design conditions with a low expansion ratio, the isentropic efficiency will decrease significantly, and the energy output of a single pulse will be insufficient, the switching frequency will be too high, and the cumulative energy consumption of the shading plate drive motor will increase. Optimization method: For a given orbital condition and working fluid, the relationship curve between ΔP_start and the system's annual average net output power is calculated through thermodynamic system simulation (coupled discrete events and continuous thermodynamic processes), and ΔP_start that maximizes the annual average net output power is selected as the nominal value. For R245fa working fluid and GEO orbit, the initial design recommends ΔP_start = 0.4-0.8 MPa.

[0132] (2) Sensitivity of buffer chamber volume. The ratio of buffer chamber volume V_buffer to single-pulse flow rate V_pulse (volume factor β = V_buffer / V_pulse) is a key parameter affecting turbine intake quality. If β is too small, the pressure stabilization effect is insufficient; if β is too large, it increases the system mass and occupies valuable on-board volume. Numerical simulations show that when β increases from 1 to 5, the pressure fluctuation amplitude of turbine intake decreases sharply; when β exceeds about 8-10, the pressure stabilization gain brought by further increasing β tends to saturate. Therefore, under the premise of meeting mass constraints, β = 3-10 is recommended. If a CO2 supercritical cycle is used, due to its real gas effect, it is recommended to take the upper limit of β (β = 8-10).

[0133] (3) Sensitivity of working fluid filling amount. The impact of filling amount deviation on system performance is asymmetric: underfilling mainly leads to premature termination of the power pulse (insufficient working fluid gas mass), resulting in reduced single-pulse energy output; overfilling may lead to excessively high liquid level in the condenser, with liquid being entrained into the gas pipeline and impacting the turbine (liquid slugging), causing irreversible damage to the turbine blades. Sensitivity analysis shows that filling amount deviation within ±5% has a limited impact on system performance; when it exceeds ±10%, the risk of performance degradation or damage increases significantly. Therefore, it is recommended that the ground filling accuracy be controlled within ±3%, and that filling amount calibration be performed in the initial stage of on-orbit operation using a wait-and-see mode (without load connection).

[0134] Example 7

[0135] This embodiment describes the fault-tolerant design and autonomous recovery strategy of the system under extreme failure modes. These designs are key guarantees for meeting aerospace-grade reliability requirements.

[0136] (1) Shielding plate jamming fault. If the drive motor encoder detects that the shielding plate stops during movement and the motor current increases abnormally, the control unit judges it as jamming. First, try reverse micro-motion (backward about 1 mm) and then forward, repeat 3 times; if it still cannot be resolved, try to switch the drive using redundant windings; if the above measures are ineffective, keep the shielding plate in the current position, declare a single point of failure in the system, and the satellite can switch to other backup power generation systems.

[0137] (2) Switch valve failure. If the control unit detects that the turbine speed does not decrease as expected or the pressure in the corresponding phase change chamber continues to drop abnormally after a switch valve is closed as instructed, it is determined that the valve is stuck in the open position. Emergency response: Immediately close the other switch valve (if it is also in the open state) and drive the light shield to simultaneously block both phase change chambers, so that the system enters the "isothermal quiescent" state. If a valve is stuck in the closed position, one side of the phase change chamber corresponding to the valve will not be able to participate in the power cycle, and the system will degenerate into a single-sided working mode (i.e., only generating electricity from the other side in one direction), and the power generation will drop to half of the rated power, but the system can still maintain some power supply function.

[0138] (3) Phase change chamber leakage fault. If the control unit detects that the absolute pressure of both the first and second phase change chambers is continuously decreasing (in normal circulation, although their pressures fluctuate, the total mass of the working fluid in the closed chamber should remain constant), it is determined that there is an external leak. Emergency response: Close all valves to isolate the two phase change chambers and start the leak location procedure (by observing the independent rate of pressure decrease in each of the two chambers to determine the leak side). If the leakage rate is less than the threshold (e.g., monthly mass loss <0.1%), the system can continue to operate at reduced capacity and report maintenance requirements; if the leakage rate exceeds the threshold, the system enters hibernation protection mode.

[0139] (4) Turbine bearing overheating / vibration abnormality. If the magnetic bearing controller detects that the rotor displacement exceeds the limit or the vibration amplitude exceeds the safety threshold, the control unit immediately closes all valves to cut off the airflow and starts auxiliary damping control (increasing the control current of the magnetic bearing to enhance the radial stiffness). After the rotor stabilizes, the system can be restarted; if the abnormality recurs after 3 consecutive restarts, the turbine generator set is marked as unavailable and the system enters safe standby mode.

[0140] The fault handling strategies described above are all based on a fully autonomous logic design that does not rely on ground intervention, meeting the requirements of deep space missions for long-term unattended operation.

[0141] The implementation principle of this invention is as follows: This invention discloses an intermittent twin satellite power generation system and its control method based on temperature difference initiation, belonging to the field of spacecraft energy technology. The system includes a first and second phase change chamber with identical structures, a turbine generator set, a shading switching component, a heat dissipation and radiation component, a power regulation and energy storage unit, and a control unit. The two phase change chambers are connected to the turbine generator set through a gas power-generating circuit with a switching valve and a condensation return circuit with a check valve; the shading switching component can selectively expose one chamber to sunlight while shading the other; the heat dissipation and radiation component dissipates heat from the shaded chamber. The control method uses pressure difference to drive the working fluid vapor to generate electricity, with the exhaust gas condensing in the low-pressure cold chamber; when the pressure difference is exhausted, the shading plate switches the roles of the two chambers, entering a reverse power-generating cycle, and the intermittent power generation pulses are smoothed by the energy storage unit and then continuously output. This invention uses the inherent temperature difference in space as the driving force, does not rely on solar irradiance intensity, has a simple and reliable structure, and provides a novel high-power-density, long-life energy solution for deep space exploration and highly maneuverable satellites. Its core innovation lies in the creation of a self-generated pressure difference drive mechanism in the thermodynamic cycle of incompressible fluids through periodic asymmetric control of boundary conditions. This enables the working fluid to complete the complete thermodynamic cycle of turbine expansion, condensation reflux, and working fluid vaporization without the need for a mechanical pump. Furthermore, it achieves energy quality conversion for pulse capture and continuous output with the help of an energy storage unit.

[0142] The embodiments described herein are preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape, and principle of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference start-up, characterized in that, include: The first phase change chamber (100) and the second phase change chamber (200) are constructed to be exactly the same and are used to contain a phase change working fluid; The turbine generator set (300) has its inlet end connected to the gas outlet of the first phase change chamber (100) and the second phase change chamber (200) respectively through a gas power-doping circuit, and its outlet end connected to the liquid inlet of the first phase change chamber (100) and the second phase change chamber (200) respectively through a condensation reflux circuit. The shading switching assembly (400) is used to selectively place one of the first phase change chamber (100) and the second phase change chamber (200) in the sunlit area and the other in the shaded area, and can switch the state. The heat dissipation and radiation component (500) is thermally connected to the first phase change chamber (100) and the second phase change chamber (200) respectively, and is used to dissipate heat from the phase change chamber in the shaded area; The power regulation and energy storage unit is electrically connected to the turbine generator set (300) and is used to regulate and store the generated electrical energy to provide a stable power output; The control unit is used to control the gas power circuit, the shading switching component (400), and the power regulation and energy storage unit to work together according to the system status.

2. The intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference start-up according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light-shielding switching assembly (400) includes a movable light-shielding plate (410), a slide rail (420), and a drive motor; the movable light-shielding plate (410) is slidably disposed on the slide rail (420) and can move between a first extreme position and a second extreme position; at the first extreme position, the movable light-shielding plate (410) completely covers the first phase change chamber (100); at the second extreme position, the movable light-shielding plate (410) completely covers the second phase change chamber (200).

3. The intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference start-up according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer surfaces of the first phase change chamber (100) and the second phase change chamber (200) are coated with a high solar absorptivity coating; the light-facing surface of the movable shading plate (410) is coated with a high solar reflectivity coating.

4. The intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference start-up according to claim 1, characterized in that, A buffer chamber (330) is provided at the inlet of the turbine generator set (300) to stabilize the gas pressure entering the turbine.

5. The intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference start-up according to claim 4, characterized in that, The gas power circuit includes a first switching valve (810) and a second switching valve (820), wherein the first switching valve (810) is connected between the gas outlet of the first phase change chamber (100) and the buffer gas chamber (330); the second switching valve (820) is connected between the gas outlet of the second phase change chamber (200) and the buffer gas chamber (330).

6. The intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference start-up according to claim 5, characterized in that, The condensation reflux circuit includes a first check valve (910) disposed between the outlet of the turbine generator set (300) and the first phase change chamber (100), and a second check valve (920) disposed between the outlet of the turbine generator set (300) and the second phase change chamber (200); the conduction direction of the first check valve (910) and the second check valve (920) is configured to allow fluid to flow from the turbine generator set (300) to the corresponding phase change chamber only.

7. The intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference start-up according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat dissipation and radiation assembly (500) includes a first loop heat pipe (510) and a second loop heat pipe (520), which respectively conduct heat from the first phase change chamber (100) and the second phase change chamber (200) to the radiative heat dissipation plate facing deep space.

8. The intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference start-up according to claim 1, characterized in that, The phase change working medium is at least one of carbon dioxide, R245fa, R123, ammonia, or water.

9. A control method for an intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference start-up, applied to the intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference start-up as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Control the shading switching assembly (400) so that the first phase change chamber (100) is in the irradiation zone and the second phase change chamber (200) is in the shadow zone; Monitor the pressure difference between the first phase change chamber (100) and the second phase change chamber (200). When the pressure difference reaches the start-up threshold, open the gas power circuit between the first phase change chamber (100) and the turbine generator set (300) to make the high-pressure gas do power generation and discharge the gas after power generation into the second phase change chamber (200) in the shaded area for condensation. When the preset switching condition is detected to be met, it is determined that the current work cycle has ended and the gas work circuit is shut off. Control the switching of the shading switching component (400) to make the second phase change chamber (200) be in the irradiation zone and the first phase change chamber (100) be in the shadow zone; Monitor the pressure difference. When the pressure difference reaches the start-up threshold again, open the gas power circuit between the second phase change chamber (200) and the turbine generator set (300) to start the reverse power cycle. This cycle repeats continuously, achieving intermittent power generation, and providing continuous power output through the power regulation and energy storage unit.

10. The control method for an intermittent twin satellite power generation system based on temperature difference start-up according to claim 9, characterized in that, The switching conditions are specifically: the speed of the turbine generator set (300) drops below a preset speed threshold, or the pressure difference between the two ends of the power-generating circuit drops below a preset cutoff pressure difference threshold.

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