Radial flow nuclear thermal rocket (RFNTR)

Patent · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:875172

Leyse, Carl F. ^[1]

---

1. Idaho Falls, ID

A radial flow nuclear thermal rocket fuel assembly includes a substantially conical fuel element having an inlet side and an outlet side. An annular channel is disposed in the element for receiving a nuclear propellant, and a second, conical, channel is disposed in the element for discharging the propellant. The first channel is located radially outward from the second channel, and separated from the second channel by an annular fuel bed volume. This fuel bed volume can include a packed bed of loose fuel beads confined by a cold porous inlet frit and a hot porous exit frit. The loose fuel beads include ZrC coated ZrC-UC beads. In this manner, nuclear propellant enters the fuel assembly axially into the first channel at the inlet side of the element, flows axially across the fuel bed volume, and is discharged from the assembly by flowing radially outward from the second channel at the outlet side of the element.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): H001501
• Application Number: 07/970888
• OSTI ID: 875172
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/376/
annular
annular channel
annular fuel
assembly
assembly axially
axially
beads
bed
channel
cold
confined
conical
discharged
discharging
disposed
element
enters
flow
flow nuclear
flowing
flows
frit
fuel
fuel assembly
fuel element
hot
inlet
located
located radially
loose
manner
nuclear
nuclear thermal
outlet
outward
packed
packed bed
porous
propellant
radial
radial flow
radially
radially outward
receiving
rfntr
rocket
rocket fuel
separated
statutory invention registration
substantially
thermal
thermal rocket
volume