Heatpipe power system and heatpipe bimodal system design and development options

Journal Article · Fri Jan 10 04:00:00 EST 1997 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.51941· OSTI ID:21165703

Houts, Michael G; Poston, David I; Emrich, Jr, William J ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS K551 Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)

The Heatpipe Power System (HPS) is a potential, near-term, low-cost space fission power system. The Heatpipe Bimodal System (HBS) is a potential, near-term, low-cost space fission power and/or propulsion system. Both systems will be composed of independent modules, and all components operate within the existing database. The HPS and HBS have relatively few system integration issues; thus, the successful development of a module is a significant step toward verifying system feasibility and performance estimates. A prototypic HPS module is being fabricated, and testing is scheduled to begin in November 1996. A successful test will provide high confidence that the HPS can achieve its predicted performance.

• OSTI ID: 21165703
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 387; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
DESIGN
FISSION
HEAT PIPES
NUCLEAR POWER
PERFORMANCE TESTING
POWER SYSTEMS
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
REACTORS
SPACE VEHICLES