Space reactors. Progress report, October 1981-March 1982
- comp.
Progress in design studies and technology for the SP-100 Project - successor to the Space Power Advanced Reactor (SPAR) Project - is reported for the period October 1, 1981 to March 31, 1982. The basis for selecting a high-temperature, UO/sub 2/-fueled, heat-pipe-cooled reactor with a thermoelectric conversion system as the 100-kW/sub e/ reference design has been reviewed. Although no change has been made in the general concept, design studies have been done to investigate various reactor/conversion system coupling methods and core design modifications. Thermal and mechanical finite element modeling and three-dimensional Monte Carlo analysis of a core with individual finned fuel elements are reported. Studies of unrestrained fuel irradiation data are discussed that are relevant both to the core modeling work and to the design and fabrication of the first in-pile irradiation test, which is also reported. Work on lithium-filled core heat pipe development is described, including the attainment of 15.6 kW/sub t/ operation at 1525 K for a 2-m-long heat pipe with a 15.7-mm outside diameter. The successful operation of a 5.5-m-long, lightweight potassium/titanium heat pipe at 760 K is described, and test results of a thermoelectric module with GaP-modified SiGe thermoelectric elements are presented.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 6393507
- Report Number(s):
- LA-9598-PR; ON: DE83008278
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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HEAT PIPES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
SPECIFICATIONS
TEST FACILITIES
REACTOR CORES
SPACE POWER REACTORS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
POWER RANGE 10-100 KW
URANIUM DIOXIDE
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
MOBILE REACTORS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
TESTING
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM OXIDES
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