Development of a heat source assembly for an isotope Brayton space power conversion system
The promise of high efficiency and reliability for the Brayton power conversion system has fostered development of an Isotope Brayton System by NASA and the AEC (ERDA). Component hardware for ground demonstration and endurance tests are presently under contract. The work being accomplished on one of these components, the Heat Source Assembly (HSA), is summarized. This unit, designed to accommodate the Multi-Hundred Watt Isotope Heat Source, requires the verification of advanced technologies associated with fabrication of a refractory alloy heat exchanger and the operation of a unique emergency cooling system to preclude a radiological hazard from the isotope fuel in the event of a system failure in space. The heat exchanger is a hot gas pressure bonded columbium (niobium) alloy machined plate fin core assembly that is welded to inlet and outlet header scrolls. This assembly must be capable of sustained, leak proof operation at 1800$sup 0$F in space vacuum for 10 years, after being subjected to cyclic temperatures and pressures during ground tests. Emergency cooling of the plutonium oxide-fueled heat source is required in space if a failure occurs which could cause an overtemperature of the isotope fuel containment. Emergency cooling is effected by melting of the thermal insulation blanket which during normal operation of the Brayton system must limit heat loss from the HSA. Design of the insulation blanket to meet these requirements with materials that are operationally stable and compatible with the refractory materials in the system, is a challenging development. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co., Philadelphia
- NSA Number:
- NSA-33-005669
- OSTI ID:
- 4184235
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 10. intersociety energy conversion engineering conference, Newark, Delaware, USA, 17 Aug 1975; Other Information: See CONF-750812--. Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-76; Related Information: Tenth intersociety energy conversion engineering conference
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Preliminary Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) of the conceptual Brayton Isotope Power System (BIPS) Flight System
Brayton Isotope Power System (BIPS). Phase I. First annual technical report
Related Subjects
070301* -Isotope & Radiation Source Technology-Isotopic Power Supplies-Design & Fabrication
*BRAYTON CYCLE POWER SYSTEMS- RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
*HEAT EXCHANGERS- PERFORMANCE TESTING
*RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES- HEAT EXCHANGERS
*SPACECRAFT POWER SUPPLIES- BRAYTON CYCLE POWER SYSTEMS
COOLING
OPERATION
REFRACTORIES
THERMAL INSULATION
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems