Ultra high temperature particle bed reactor design
This study is a computer analysis of a conceptual nuclear reactor. The purpose of this work is to design a direct nuclear propulsion engine which could be used for a mission to Mars. The main features of this reactor design are high values for I{sub sp} and, secondly, very efficient cooling. This particle bed reactor consists of 37 cylindrical fuel elements embedded in a cylinder of beryllium which acts as a moderator and reflector. The fuel consists of a packed bed of spherical fissionable fuel particles. Gaseous H{sub 2} passes over the fuel bed, removes the heat and is exhausted out of the rocket. The design was found to be neutronically critical and to have tolerable heating rates. Therefore, this Particle Bed Reactor Design is suitable as a propulsion unit for this mission.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/ER
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 7038394
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-44443; CONF-9004178-1; ON: DE90009831
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Vision-21 space travel for the next millenium, Cleveland, OH (USA), 3-4 Apr 1990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS
DESIGN
BERYLLIUM
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PARTICLES
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRAULICS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
COOLING SYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID MECHANICS
MECHANICS
METALS
MOBILE REACTORS
POWER REACTORS
PROPULSION REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SPACE POWER REACTORS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
220800* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Propulsion Reactors