Nuclear thermal rocket entry heating and thermal response preliminary analysis

Conference · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:6926391

Potter, D L; Connell, L W; Wong, C Channy; Kniskern, M W

This preliminary study analyzes the atmospheric entry of a solid core nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) engine under three accidental entry scenarios. Depending on the scenario, results of the analysis showed that, without external thermal protection, an aluminum pressure vessel will fail at altitudes ranging 25 to 73 km. subsequent release the core materials occurs. The graphitic based core materials will undergo partial ablation, with the percent mass loss depending on the geometry of the fuel elements. A carbon-phenolic thermal protection system was sized to prevent pressure vessel aerothermal failure. It was found to increase the mass of the NTR by approximately 15 percent.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6926391
• Report Number(s): SAND-92-2342C; CONF-930108-2; AIAA-93-0378; ON: DE93002460
• Resource Relation: Conference: 31. American Institute of Astronautics and Aeronautics (AIAA) aerospace sciences meeting, Reno, NV (United States), 11-14 Jan 1993
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
ALUMINIUM
HEATING
PRESSURE VESSELS
ROCKETS
REENTRY
SPACE VEHICLES
ABLATION
AERODYNAMICS
DESIGN BASIS ACCIDENTS
HEAT TRANSFER
LEVELS
REACTOR SAFETY
THERMAL INSULATION
TRAJECTORIES
ACCIDENTS
CONTAINERS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID MECHANICS
MECHANICS
METALS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
SAFETY
VEHICLES
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
210600 - Power Reactors
Auxiliary
Mobile Package
& Transportable