Semi-Annual Technical Progress Report of the Radioisotope Power System Materials Production and Technology Program Tasks for September 2000 through March 2001
The Office of Space and Defense Power Systems of the Department of Energy (DOE) provides Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) for applications where conventional power systems are not feasible. For example, radioisotope thermoelectric generators were supplied by the DOE to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for deep space missions including the Cassini Mission launched in October of 1997 to study the planet Saturn. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been involved in developing materials and technology and producing components for the DOE for more than three decades. For the Cassini Mission, for example, ORNL was involved in the production of carbon-bonded carbon fiber (CBCF) insulator sets, iridium alloy blanks and foil, and clad vent sets (CVS) and weld shields (WS). This report has been divided into three sections to reflect program guidance from the Office of Space and Defense Power Systems for fiscal year (FY) 2001. The first section deals primarily with maintenance of the capability to produce flight quality (FQ) CBCF insulator sets, iridium alloy blanks and foil, CVS, and WS. In all three cases, production maintenance is assured by the manufacture of limited quantities of FQ components. The second section deals with several technology activities to improve the manufacturing processes, characterize materials. or to develop technologies for new radioisotope power systems. The last section is dedicated to studies related to the production of {sup 238}Pu.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-96OR22464
- OSTI ID:
- 786330
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/CF-01/24; TRN: AH200132%%152
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 22 May 2001
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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