Development of a Radioisotope Thermophotovoltaic Power System

Mechanical Engineering Department Seminar
3:35pm December 5, 2012
1130 Mechanical Engineering
Development of a Radioisotope
Thermophotovoltaic Power System
Richard Kaszeta
Engineer, Creare, Inc., Hanover, NH
Radioisotope thermophotovoltaic (RTPV) spacecraft power systems have the potential for both high efficiency
and high mass-specific power. This presentation describes ongoing activity at Creare to develop an RTPV
power system with a minimum thermal-to-electric conversion efficiency goal of 15% and a target of 20%. The
minimum specific power goal is 6 We/kg with a goal of >8 We/kg. Development of the RTPV system has required the development of advanced PV cells, highly-selective spectral emitters, advanced high-temperature
insulation systems, power conditioning electronics, and detailed system models. The overall RTPV system will
be described, as well as details of some of the specific system components and system models describing
their performance.
Bio Dr. Kaszeta received his master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of
Minnesota, and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University. He has an extensive background in fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, instrumentation, and data acquisition. He also has experience computer programming, image processing, and software development. His graduate studies involved experimental investigations of film cooling in turbomachinery and laminar-to-turbulent transition in turbomachines under unsteady flow conditions. He has also developed special wind tunnels for simulating periodically unsteady and rotational flows representative of gas turbine flow environments. Currently, Dr. Kaszeta
is working on projects related to development of improved radioisotope power generation systems for space
exploration, development of wireless load measurement sensor networks, improved thermal management systems for electric vehicle battery packs, and high-intensity ultraviolet light sources for Navy applications. He
has been an Engineer at Creare, Inc, in Hanover, NH since 2001.