Space reactor/Stirling cycle systems for high power lunar applications
- Sverdrup Technology, Inc., 21000 Brookpark Rd., MS 301-5, Cleveland, Ohio 44135 (US)
- NASA Lewis Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Rd., MS 501-6, Cleveland, Ohio 44135 (US)
It is desired to estimate performance and mass of a 550 kWe SP-100/Stirling nuclear power lunar base. Mass and efficiency estimates are made by modeling the components as a function of thermal or electrical power output requirements. It is found that utilizing a 1050 K heater head the total system mass is 13537 kg. For the 1300 K heater head temperature the system mass is 11474 kg. Mass and radiator area comparisons are made with a SP-100/Brayton and an Incore thermionic reactor. Two technology levels are looked at which correspond to low and high temperature systems (for the thermionic system it also includes a increase in thermionic output voltage). Stirling converter systems are the lightest of the low temperatures systems. At higher temperatures all of the systems masses are similar. Thermionic systems always produced the smallest radiators because of their high heat rejection temperature with Stirling systems coming in a close second.
- OSTI ID:
- 5373708
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-910116-; CODEN: APCPC; TRN: 91-024717
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 217:2; Conference: 8. symposium on space nuclear power systems, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 6-10 Jan 1991; ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
SPACE POWER REACTORS
DESIGN
STIRLING ENGINES
MOON
PERFORMANCE
RADIATORS
SPACE VEHICLE COMPONENTS
SPACE VEHICLES
STIRLING CYCLE
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
ENGINES
HEAT ENGINES
HEAT EXCHANGERS
MOBILE REACTORS
POWER REACTORS
REACTORS
SATELLITES
THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES
VEHICLES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
220800* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Propulsion Reactors
330201 - External Combustion Engines- Stirling Cycle