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Design and out-of-pile testing of a novel irradiation experiment vehicle to support qualification of nuclear thermal propulsion components

Journal Article · · Nuclear Engineering and Design
 [1];  [2]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  2. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

Fission power systems have demonstrated higher thermal energy density per unit mass than chemical systems. High mass specific energy density offers advantages in space thermal propulsion applications. In the 1960s, nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) development included the ROVER/NERVA program, in which full-scale prototype reactors were tested on the ground using hydrogen as the reactor coolant and propellant. NTP systems are being revisited, with expectations of improved performance resulting from improved fuel materials, allowing propellant temperatures near 2,800 K and over 20 thermal propulsion cycles. An apparatus has been developed to test NTP fuel materials in a research reactor at temperature and in a radiation environment typical of the NTP application. Here, this paper presents the design constraints, preliminary scoping thermal analysis, and basic thermal qualification testing for the out-of-pile experiment set apparatus, or OUTSET.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1607252
Journal Information:
Nuclear Engineering and Design, Journal Name: Nuclear Engineering and Design Journal Issue: C Vol. 361; ISSN 0029-5493
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (3)

Tungsten‐Rhenium Thermocouples for Use at High Temperatures journal August 1967
ATR Compendium: Irradiation Test Capabilities journal January 2018
Heat Transfer Through Small Moveable Gas Gaps in a Multi-Body System Using the ANSYS Finite Element Software
  • McDuffee, Joel L.
  • ASME 2013 Heat Transfer Summer Conference collocated with the ASME 2013 7th International Conference on Energy Sustainability and the ASME 2013 11th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, Volume 1: Heat Transfer in Energy Systems; Thermophysical Properties; Theory and Fundamental Research in Heat Transfer https://doi.org/10.1115/HT2013-17783
conference December 2013

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Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
irradiation experiment design
nuclear thermal propulsion
reactor component qualification