IMPULSE---an advanced, high performance nuclear thermal propulsion system
- Advanced Programs Department, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, P.O. Box 158, Madison, Pennsylvania 15663-0158 (United States)
- Rocketdyne Division, Rockwell International Corporation, 6633 Canoga Avenue, P.O. Box 7922, Canoga Park, California 91309-7922 (United States)
IMPULSE is an advanced nuclear propulsion engine for future space missions based on a novel conical fuel. Fuel assemblies are formed by stacking a series of truncated (U, Zr)C cones with non-fueled lips. Hydrogen flows radially inward between the cones to a central plenum connected to a high performance bell nozzle. The reference IMPULSE engine rated at 75,000 lb thrust and 1800 MWt weighs 1360 kg and is 3.65 meters in height and 81 cm in diameter. Specific impulse is estimated to be 1000 for a 15 minute life at full power. If longer life times are required, the operating temperature can be reduced with a concomitant decrease in specific impulse. Advantages of this concept include: well defined coolant paths without outlet flow restrictions; redundant orificing; very low thermal gradients and hence, thermal stresses, across the fuel elements; and reduced thermal stresses because of the truncated conical shape of the fuel elements.
- OSTI ID:
- 5460754
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-930103-; CODEN: APCPCS
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 271:1; Conference: 10. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 10-14 Jan 1993; ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
CARBIDES
CERMETS
CONFIGURATION
DESIGN
GEOMETRY
PERFORMANCE
REACTOR CORES
REFRACTORIES
ROCKET ENGINES
THERMAL STRESSES
THRUSTERS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
ENGINES
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICS
MOBILE REACTORS
POWER REACTORS
PROPULSION REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SPACE POWER REACTORS
STRESSES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
210600* - Power Reactors
Auxiliary
Mobile Package
& Transportable