Tests of a cesium vapor control, circulation and purge system

Conference · Wed Jan 20 00:00:00 EST 1993 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43060· OSTI ID:5460263

Desplat, J; Hatch, G L; Greek, K ^[1]; Rasor, N.S. Consultant ^[2]

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1. Rasor Associates, Inc., 253 Humboldt Court, Sunnyvale, California 94089 (United States)
2. 253 Humboldt Court, Sunnyvale, California 94089 (United States)

A new type of cesium vapor supply system (the Cesiator) has been conceived that automatically maintains a constant cesium pressure over a wide range of temperature conditions, continuously recirculates the cesium vapor, and purges the cesium vapor of evolved impurities. The operating principle of this new type of cesium vapor supply is based on gas-buffered heat pipe technology. A preprototype model of the cesiator with an argon buffer was successfully operated at prototypic cesium pressures. Its ability to effectively sweep away injected non-condensible inert impurities was demonstrated using xenon.

• OSTI ID: 5460263
• Report Number(s): CONF-930103-; CODEN: APCPCS
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 271:3; Conference: 10. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 10-14 Jan 1993; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
CESIUM
PRESSURE CONTROL
PURIFICATION
SPACE POWER REACTORS
THERMIONIC CONVERTERS
DESIGN
FISSION PRODUCTS
HEAT PIPES
IMPURITIES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RESERVOIR FLUIDS
VAPORS
XENON
ALKALI METALS
CONTROL
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
METALS
MOBILE REACTORS
NONMETALS
POWER REACTORS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RARE GASES
REACTORS
TESTING
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
210600* - Power Reactors
Auxiliary
Mobile Package
& Transportable
300402 - Thermionic Converters- Performance & Testing