Feasibility of an antiproton catalyzed fission fragment rocket

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/307939· OSTI ID:307939

Hidinger, David S. ^[1]

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1. Air Force Inst. of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (United States)

The purpose of this project was to investigate the feasibility of an antiproton catalyzed fission fragment rocket (FFR). The FFR is characterized by the extraction of fission fragments from the fissile fuel, and the utilization of their kinetic energy for thrust generation. A significant drawback to previous FFR designs was the requirement to maintain a critical nuclear pile as the fission fragment source. The author examined the possibility of replacing the critical pile with a sub-critical pile driven by antiprotons. Recent experiments have revealed that antiprotons stimulate highly energetic fissions in ²³⁸U, with a neutron multiplicity of 13.7 neutrons per fission. This interaction was used as a throttled neutron source. The pile consisted of layers of fissile coated fibers which are designed to allow fission fragments to escape them, where the fragments collide with a fluid. The heated fluid is then ejected from the rocket to provide thrust. The calculations performed indicate that each antiproton injected into the pile can stimulate 8 or more fissions while maintaining a neutron multiplication of less than 0.4. Based on the results seen, the engine design presented is inadequate. Limitations introduced by the reaction fluid far outweigh the simplicity-of-design gained. Despite this, the basic idea of using the antiproton-U interaction as a source of spacecraft propulsion warrants further study.

• Research Organization: Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy
• DOE Contract Number: AI03-88SF17799
• OSTI ID: 307939
• Report Number(s): DOE/SF/17799--T1; AFIT/GNE/ENP--92M-03; ON: DE99001601
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
ANTIPROTONS
DESIGN
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FISSION FRAGMENTS
NEUTRON SOURCES
SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS
SUBCRITICAL ASSEMBLIES
URANIUM 238