Heat pipe nuclear reactor for space power

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7153953

Koenig, D R

A heat-pipe cooled nuclear reactor has been designed to provide 3.2 MW(t) to an out-of-core thermionic conversion system. The reactor is a fast reactor designed to operate at a nominal heat pipe temperature of 1675/sup 0/K. Each reactor fuel element consists of a hexagonal molybdenum block which is bonded along its axis to one end of a molybdenum, lithium vapor, heat pipe. The block is perforated with an array of longitudinal holes which are loaded with UO/sub 2/ pellets. The heat pipe transfers heat directly to a string of six thermionic converters which are bonded along the other end of the heat pipe. An assembly of 90 such fuel elements forms a hexagonal core. The core is surrounded by a thermal radiation shield, a thin thermal neutron absorber and a BeO reflector containing boron loaded control drums.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N.Mex. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 7153953
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-76-998; CONF-760906-14
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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210600* -- Power Reactors
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ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
DESIGN
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
FUEL PELLETS
HEAT PIPES
MOBILE REACTORS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PELLETS
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
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SPACE POWER REACTORS
SPECIFICATIONS
THERMIONIC CONVERTERS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES