Feasibility of Ground Testing a Moon and Mars Surface Power Reactor in EBR-II

Journal Article · Fri Jan 20 04:00:00 EST 2006 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2169219· OSTI ID:20797995

Morton, Sheryl L ^[1]; Baily, Carl E ^[2]; Hill, Thomas J; Werner, James E ^[3]

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1. Nuclear Materials Disposition and Engineering Department, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 (United States)
2. Engineering, Design, and Drafting Department, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 (United States)
3. Space Nuclear Systems and Technology Department, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 (United States)

Ground testing of a surface fission power system would be necessary to verify the design and validate reactor performance to support safe and sustained human exploration of the Moon and Mars. The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has several facilities that could be adapted to support a ground test. This paper focuses on the feasibility of ground testing at the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) facility and using other INL existing infrastructure to support such a test. This brief study concludes that the INL EBR-II facility and supporting infrastructure are a viable option for ground testing the surface power system. It provides features and attributes that offer advantages to locating and performing ground testing at this site, and it could support the National Aeronautics and Space Administration schedules for human exploration of the Moon. This study used the initial concept examined by the U.S. Department of Energy Inter-laboratory Design and Analysis Support Team for surface power, a low-temperature, liquid-metal, three-loop Brayton power system. With some facility modification, the EBR-II can safely house a test chamber and perform long-term testing of the space reactor power system. The INL infrastructure is available to receive and provide bonded storage for special nuclear materials. Facilities adjacent to EBR-II can provide the clean room environment needed to assemble and store the test article assembly, disassemble the power system at the conclusion of testing, and perform posttest examination. Capability for waste disposal is also available at the INL.

• OSTI ID: 20797995
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 813; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
DESIGN
EBR-2 REACTOR
EXPLORATION
FISSION
LIQUID METALS
MOON
NASA
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
PERFORMANCE
POWER SYSTEMS
REACTOR MATERIALS
SPACE
TESTING
WASTE DISPOSAL