Carbon-carbon turbopump concept for Space Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

Conference · Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:5817164

Overholt, D M

The U.S. Air Force Space Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (SNTP) program is placing high priority on maximizing specific impulse (ISP) and thrust-to-weight ratio in the development of a practical high-performance nuclear rocket. The turbopump design is driven by these goals. The liquid hydrogen propellant is pressurized and pumped to the reactor inlet by the turbopump assembly (TPA). Rocket propulsion is from rapid heating of the propellant from 180 R to thousands of degrees in the particle bed reactor (PBR). The exhausted propellant is then expanded through a high-temperature nozzle. A high-performance approach is to use an uncooled carbon-carbon nozzle and duct turbine inlet. Carbon-carbon components are used throughout the TPA hot section to obtain the high-temperature capability. Several carbon-carbon components are in development including structural parts, turbine nozzles/stators, and turbine rotors. The technology spinoff is applicable to conventional liquid propulsion engines and many other turbomachinery applications. 3 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5817164
• Report Number(s): AIAA-Paper-93-2370; CONF-930633-
• Resource Relation: Conference: Joint AIAA/SAE/ASME propulsion conference, Monterey, CA (United States), 28-30 Jun 1993
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
PROPULSION REACTORS
DESIGN
RELIABILITY
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
COST ESTIMATION
CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS
ION PROPULSION
LUNA SPACE PROBES
MARS SPACE PROBES
PEBBLE BED REACTORS
PERFORMANCE
PUMP TURBINES
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
EQUIPMENT
GAS COOLED REACTORS
HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
HYDRAULIC TURBINES
MACHINERY
PROPULSION
PUMPS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
SAFETY
SOLID HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
SPACE VEHICLES
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
VEHICLES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
210600* - Power Reactors
Auxiliary
Mobile Package
& Transportable