High Efficiency, Modular T-form Space Refrigeration

Space refrigeration systems are essential for preserving medicines, biological samples, and research materials during space missions. Future manned space and interplanetary missions will require refrigerators designed for low-volume storage that can keep food nutritious over long durations. Unlike conventional refrigerators, space food refrigeration needs specialized components to function in zero gravity, posing challenges for heat exchange and compressor lubrication. Mechanical Stirling coolers are optimized for colder temperatures but may be difficult to scale for long-term food storage. Solid-state ThermoElectric (TE) coolers are ideal for space applications due to their compact size, low profile, lightweight design, and lack of moving parts, making them unaffected by zero gravity. Although TE coolers have a slightly lower efficiency compared to vapor-compression or Stirling refrigerators, advancements in materials and methods are improving their efficiency. Scalable, modular TE systems promise ultra-compact, efficient solutions for space food refrigeration, critical for astronaut health, mission success, and scientific progress. To address NASA's critical gap of high-efficiency, food storage refrigeration devices, Nanohmics team proposes to design a modular, high cooling power, space vehicle refrigeration system configured as a Volumetric-Interdigitated, T-form, Thermoelectric array for Lightweight, Efficient, food Storage (VITTLES). The Space VITTLES refrigeration system will include provisions for both material and system performance improvements vs. conventional solid-state TE cooling that does not require mechanical moving components for operation and are seamlessly interfaced with the heat rejection cryofluid connected to the space vehicle heat management system or directly to a radiator.

The proposed work will enhance the cooling power and efficiency of thermoelectric convertor (TEC) at the temperature of interest. These V-shunt TECs can be used in many NASA missions, which require localized cooling to remove heat or to achieve low temperature to replace currently available complicated multistage TECs. Furthermore, the highly efficient TEC designs will also enable to use thermoelectric technology for many other space cooling and power generation missions. The efficient and high cooling density TEC would provide a means to meet next generation smart cooling systems which can reduce the CO2 and greenhouse gases emission compared to the competitive cooling systems. These mass-marketable TECs can replace most multistage TECs and compression-based system in other applications such as automotive, defense and biomedical cooling applications and waste heat recovery markets which worth more than billions dollar.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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