Thermal analysis of the ATI thermionic converter for optimum cesium reservoir location

Conference · Fri Jan 15 04:00:00 EST 1993 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43159· OSTI ID:5460267

Young, T J ^[1]; Thayer, K L; Ramalingam, M L ^[2]

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1. Aerospace Power Division, Wright Laboratory/POOC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433-6563 (United States)
2. UES, Inc., 4401 Dayton-Xenia Road, Dayton, Ohio 45432-1894 (United States)

A first-order thermal analysis was performed on the emitter lead region of the Advanced Thermionic Initiative (ATI) Thermionic Fuel Element (TFE) design. The lead region is the candidate location for a metal-matrix, cesium-graphite reservoir to supply cesium vapor to the thermionic converter. The cesium pressure developed is dependent upon the temperature and cesium-carbon equilibrium reaction of the reservoir. Steady-state, one dimensional conduction, with thermal radiation losses and Joulean heat generation, was used to calculate the temperature distribution in the non-fueled lead region. This temperature distribution was linked to the ATI reactor core design through the integration of axial emitter temperature distributions for the maximum, minimum, and average power TFE fuel pins. The axial temperature distribution in the emitter lead region was found to be most pronounced for the maximum power fuel element and least pronounced for the minimum power TFE.

• OSTI ID: 5460267
• Report Number(s): CONF-930103--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States) Journal Volume: 271:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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