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Encapsulated in Platinum Metal Alloys CASSINI MISSION to STUDY SATURN and ITS MOONS by E

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Encapsulated in Platinum Metal Alloys CASSINI MISSION to STUDY SATURN and ITS MOONS by E Long Life Radioisotopic Power Sources Encapsulated in Platinum Metal Alloys CASSINI MISSION TO STUDY SATURN AND ITS MOONS By E. A. Franco-Ferreira and G. M. Goodwin Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee, U.S.A. and T. G. George and G. H. Rinehart Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico, U.S.A. The platinum metals alloys, DOP-26 iridium and platinum-30 per cent rhodium, have been successfully used to encapsulate plutonia fuel pellets for the Cassini Spacecraft. The iridium-encapsulated heat sources provide approx- imately 900 watts of electrical power for the spacecraft and its experiments, whereas the platinum alloy clad pellets will supply about 150 watts of heat to various parts of the spacecraft and its lunar probe, Huygens. The particular alloys used on this mission have been selected to fulfil the critical function of maintaining fuel containment during normal service and for projected malfunction or accident scenarios. Their ability to perform satisfactorily has been demonstrated through extensive testing of their mechanical, physical and impact properties. The Cassini heat source manufacturing yields were significantly higher than those obtained for previous missions. The last NASA grand-scale interplanetary other object in the solar system which has a voyage of this century, the Cassini/Huygens liquid and solid surface with shorelines (5). Mission, is scheduled to be launched during a Electrical power for the eighteen science insuu- window which occurs between October 6th and ments and forty-four on-board processors (4) 30th, 1997 (1-3). The mission is a joint U.S.- will be supplied by three Radioisotope Thermo- European close-up study of Saturn and its electric Generators (RTGs) which are powered moons. by plutonia (238Pu02)-~elledGeneral Purpose The four-year study will begin in July 2004 Heat Source (GPHS) modules. This source of and will include sixty orbits of Saturn and about power is necessary because of the great distance forty fly-bys of Titan, its largest moon, by the of Saturn Eom the sun and because of the dura- Cassini orbiter. Huygens, the European-built tion of the mission. Alternative, solar power, lunar probe, will have a parachute descent last- would have required a pair of arrays measur- ing for two and a half hours before landing on ing at least 35 m x 9 m (2). Also, because ofthe Titan. Among investigations will be Saturn’s distance from the sun, instruments and equip- atmosphere, its rings and its magnetosphere and ment on both the orbiter and probe will require additional insights will be sought into questions external heaters to maintain their temperature raised during the twin Voyager fly-bys of the within normal operating ranges. This heat is 1980s (4). The atmosphere and surface of Titan provided by plutonia-fuelled Light Weight and other icy moons will also be characterised. Radioisotope Heater Units (LWRHUs) which Titan is the only known body in the solar sys- are strategically located on their respective vehi- tem, other than Earth, with a thick nitrogen cles. The $144 million spent on the RTGs and atmosphere, and it is thought to be the only LWRHUs represents approximately 4.5 per cent Platinum Metals Rev., 1997,41, (4), 154163 154 Radioisotope Therrnoelectrlc Generator (RTG) General purpose Heat source capsule heat source (GPHS) Fig. 1 The Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG), the General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) Module and the Heat Source Capsule, showing the relationship between them. Each GPHS module contains four heat source capsulea of the total cost of $3.2 billion for the 18 year review and update the use of platinum metals long lifetime of the programme (4). for the containment capsules, a topic that has The plutonia fuel pellets for both the RTGs been reported here previously (6). and LwRHus are completely contained in irid- ium alloy and platinum alloy claddings, respec- Radioisotope Thermoelectric tively. This encapsulation is necessary both to Generators maintain the integrity of the fuel forms during The electricity-producing RTGs are identical service and to prevent accidental release of fuel in design to those used on the Galileo Mission particles to the environment. to Jupiter, launched in 1989, and the Solar-Polar The two accident scenarios of most concern Ulysses Mission, launched in 1990. The Cassini entail a launch accident or an inadvertent atmos- spacecraft will carry three RTGs, the largest pheric re-entry as a result of an orbital abort number ever for a single launch. An RTG and or during the gravity-assisted Earth fly-by in its relationship to the fuelled capsules and the 1999. Extensive impact testing of fuelled cap- GPHS modules are shown in Figure 1. sules has verified that the cladding materials can TheRTGis 1.13mlong,426.7mmindiam- provide the requisite fuel containment under all eter from fin to fin and weighs 55.8 kg. It con- credible accident conditions. The occasion of tains eighteen GPHS modules powered by a the launch presents an ideal opportunity to total of seventy-two heat source capsules. The Platinum Metals Rev., 1997, 41, (4) 155 electrical output is approximately 300 watts and results from thermoelectric conversion of the heat from the capsules which is delivered at an operating temperature of 1287°C. Each heat source capsule, producing about 60 watts of heat, consists of a pressed and sintered pellet of plutonia weighing 151 g contained in a 0.685 mm thick shell of DOP-26 iridium alloy. The capsule, shown in Figure 2, is 29.97 mm long and 29.72 mm in diameter. Capsule clo- sure is accomplished by an autogenous gas tung- sten arc weld at the equator. Each capsule has a sintered iridium frit-vent at one pole to release the helium which is produced by a-decay within the fuel pellet. The frit-vent, covered by its 0.127 mm thick iridium decontamination cover, is Fig. 2 A DOP-26 iridium GkndPurpoee Heat So- visible in Figure 2. capsule showing the equatorial tungsten arc weld and As shown in Figure 1, each GPHS module the iridium frit-vent at the pole to release the helium produced by the plutonia contains four heat source capsules. The mod- ules are assembled from a number of nesting graphite components which provide the required capsules, with their final closure welds at the heat transfer to the thermopiles in the RTG. top, are shown in Figure 4. As in the GPHS The graphite shells are also responsible, along modules, each LWRHU capsule is equipped with the RTG structure, for significant impact with a frit-vent of sintered platinum in the cen- attenuation in accident conditions. To activate tre of its lower end cap, which is activated prior the vents, just prior to assembly of the GPHS to assembly. The remaining components of the module, the decontamination covers on the Lm,shown in Figure 3, are three pyrolytic capsule frit-vents are removed. graphite shells and the outer he-weave-pierced fabric graphite aeroshell, each with their respec- Light Weight Radioisotope tive end closures. These graphite components Heater Units control the overall thermal balance of the heat LWRHUs of the present design (7) were also source and enhance the performance of the fuel used to heat components in the Galileo space- cladding in accident conditions. craft (8), and were launched aboard the Mars Each LWRHU produces 1 watt of heat. The Pathfinder Mission in December 1996. A max- LWRHU units are mechanically attached to the imum of a hundred and fifty-seven of these heat spacecraft singly and in groups so as to main- sources will be used on the Cassini spacecraft tain the temperature of critical instruments and and the Huygens probe (9). Figure 3 shows mechanical devices. Some of the LWRHUs are various components of a LWRHU. mounted in thermostatically-controlled assem- The fuelled capsule consists of a pressed and blies which are able to vary the amount of heat sintered plutonia pellet weighing 2.7 g encap- provided either to the spacecraft components sulated in a 0.875 mm thick shell of platinum- or radiated into space. 30 per cent rhodium (Pt-30%Rh) alloy. This capsule, identified as the “clad” in Figure 3, is Alloy Selection and Properties 12.85 mm long and 8.60 mm in diameter at The service environments experienced by space its two ribs. Capsule closure is by means of an power isotopic heat sources may involve expo- autogenous gas tungsten arc weld of a flat end sure at elevated temperatures to low pressure cap at one end of the cylindrical capsule. Three oxygen as well as to carbonaceous insulating Platinum Met& Rev., 1997, 41, (4) 156 - End cap (Wpn -Shim (Pt-30Rh) -Clad (Pt-30Rh) -Frit (Sintered Pt) Fig. 3 Components of the Light Weight Radioisotope Heater Unit; around the plutonia is a platinum-30% rhodium capsule with a welded flat end of the same material and sintered plat- inum frit-vent at the lower end. Thie is surrounded by three pyrolytic graphite (PG) shells with , insulator plugs at each pole. The outer aeroshell is of fine-weave-pierced fabric (FWPF)graphite materials. Refractory metals and alloys based by interstitial elements. They also have good on tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum and nio- high temperature strength and ductility, and the bium do not perform well in environments of liquidus temperatures of their metal-carbon this type. In contrast, how- ever, platinum group metals and alloys exhibit a high degree of resistance to oxi- dation and to embrittlement Fig. 4 Three platinum-lO%o rhodium Light Weight Radio- isotope Heater Unit capsules Platinum Metals Rev., 1997, 41, (4) 157 compounds are high enough to pose no danger during atmospheric re-entry or accidents, such as a fuel fire.
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