START-3: Operational Evaluations of the ISUS Engine Ground Demonstration Thermionic Power System

Conference · Thu Oct 08 00:00:00 EDT 1998

OSTI ID:763

Luchau, D W; Luke, J R; Wyant, F J

START-3 was a test program conducted in order to demonstrate and characterize the operational performance of the prototype Integrated Solar Upper Stage (ISUS) thermionic power system. The test device consisted of a graphite thermal storage uni~ multilayer foil insulation, and sixteen thermionic converters electrically connected in a series array. Several thermal input conditions were achieved during the test, which resulted in measuring converter performance at average converter hot shoe temperatures in the range of 1600 K to 2000 K. Results indicate that the ;hermionic converter; did not perform as weil as expected in the array individual sixteen converters is currently being performed.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 763
• Report Number(s): SAND98-2255C; ON: DE00000763
• Resource Relation: Conference: STAIF-99 (Space Technology and Applications International Forum); Albuquerque, NM; 01/31-2/4/1999
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
Thermionic Converters
Propulsion Systems
Spacecraft Power Supplies
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems