Pellet Bed Reactor for nuclear thermal propelled vehicles. [BeO; B d4C; ZrC; TaC]
- Institute for Space Nuclear Power Studies, Department of Chemistry and Nuclear Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 (US)
- McDonnell Douglas 5301 Bolsa Avenue, MS 13-3, Huntington Beach, California 92647 (US)
The Pellet Bed Reactor (PeBR) concept is capable of operating at a high power density of up to 3.0 kWt/cm{sup 3} and an exit hydrogen gas temperature of 3000 K. The nominal reactor thermal power is 1500 MW and the reactor core is 0.80 m in diameter and 1.3 m high. The nominal PeBR engine generates a thrust of approximately 315 kN at a Specific Impulse (I{sub sp}) of 1000 s for a mission duration to Mars of 250 days requiring a total firing time of 170 minutes. Because of its low diameter-to-height ratio, PeBR has enough surface area for passive removal of the decay heat from the reactor core. In addition, the reactor is equipped with two independent shutdown mechanisms; 8-D{sub 4}C safety rods and 26 BeO/B{sub 4}C control drums; each system is capable of operating and scraming the reactor safely. The core k-effective at Beginning of-Life (BOL) is about 1.07 and in case of water immersion the reactor core is subcritical (k-effective of 0.93). Due to the absence of core internal support structures, the PeBR can be fueled and refueled in orbit using the vacuum of space. These unique features of the PeBR provide for safety during launch, simplicity of handling, deployment, and end-of-life disposal, and vehicle extended lifetime.
- OSTI ID:
- 5489324
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-910116--
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States) Vol. 217:2; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPC
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
220800* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Propulsion Reactors
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BERYLLIUM COMPOUNDS
BERYLLIUM OXIDES
BORON CARBIDES
BORON COMPOUNDS
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
DESIGN
ENERGY LOSSES
HEAT LOSSES
LOSSES
MARS SPACE PROBES
MOBILE REACTORS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER REACTORS
PROPULSION REACTORS
REACTOR SHUTDOWN
REACTORS
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
SHUTDOWN
SPACE POWER REACTORS
SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS
SPACE VEHICLES
TANTALUM CARBIDES
TANTALUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VEHICLES
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
ZIRCONIUM CARBIDES
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS