Engineering considerations for the self-energizing magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD)-type fusion plasma thruster. Annual progress report, (Final) 8 Jun 90-12 Jul 91
Technical Report
·
OSTI ID:5199054
Feasibility studies Of dense plasma focus (DPF) device as a fusion propulsion thruster have been performed. Both conventional and spin-polarized D-3He fuels were used. Three modes of operation were identified and each was investigated for its usefulness in space travel with special attention paid to a manned Mars mission. Using fusion products to directly produce thrust resulted in specific impulse, Isp (i.e., the ratio of the rocket thrust to the propellant weight flow rate), around 10(6) sec, but produced system thrust-to-weight ratios (F/W) less than 10(-5). This F/W is many orders of magnitude less than a typical value of 0.2 for a manned Mars mission which is presently possible with chemical and nuclear thermal rockets. Using large quantities of propellant to burn impulsively gave Isp's of 4,000 sec with F/W equal to 0.05 for one thruster and 0.132 if five thrusters are used. The spin-polarized D-3He studies provided increased values of F/W and Isp over conventional D-3He fuel which was due to the increased fusion power and decreased radiation losses for the spin-polarized case. Thus, the DPF provides attractive plasma conditions as a space propulsion thruster, though uncertainties remain in the validity of scaling laws on capacitor mass at high current beyond 1 MA.
- Research Organization:
- Purdue Univ., Lafayette, IN (United States). School of Nuclear Engineering
- OSTI ID:
- 5199054
- Report Number(s):
- AD-A-248649/6/XAB; PL/PU--91007; CNN: F04611-90-K-0054
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700410* -- Specific Fusion Devices & Experiments-- (1992-)
CAPACITORS
DEUTERIUM
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FUELS
HELIUM 3
HELIUM ISOTOPES
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ION THRUSTERS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
LOSSES
MASS
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
OPERATION
PLASMA FOCUS
PLASMA FOCUS DEVICES
POWER
PROPELLANTS
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
SCALING LAWS
STABLE ISOTOPES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR FUELS
THRUSTERS
WEIGHT
700410* -- Specific Fusion Devices & Experiments-- (1992-)
CAPACITORS
DEUTERIUM
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FUELS
HELIUM 3
HELIUM ISOTOPES
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ION THRUSTERS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
LOSSES
MASS
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
OPERATION
PLASMA FOCUS
PLASMA FOCUS DEVICES
POWER
PROPELLANTS
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
SCALING LAWS
STABLE ISOTOPES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR FUELS
THRUSTERS
WEIGHT