Computational model for an open-cycle gas core nuclear rocket

Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:89331

Poston, D I; Kammash, T

A computational model of an open-cycle gas core nuclear rocket (GCR) has been developed. The model evaluates the rocket performance of an open-cycle GCR as a function of design and operational parameters. A schematic of the model is displayed in Fig. 1. The solution is divided into two distinct areas - thermal hydraulics and neutronics. To obtain the thermal-hydraulic solution, a computer code has been written that solves the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes, energy, and species diffusion equations. For the majority of the plasma, the optical thickness is sufficiently high to employ the diffusion approximation of radiative heat transfer. Near the walls, where the optical thickness is low, a transport integral is evaluated to calculate wall heat flux. A spatially implicit solution of the conservation equations is obtained by a direct solver that was developed specifically for the code. The two-dimensional transport code TWODANT is used to obtain the neutronics solution. The important requirements of the neutronics model are the ability to handle neutron upscattering and a highly inhomogeneous mesh. Fifty group nuclear cross sections were obtained from EG&G Idaho for a wide range of materials and temperatures. The thermal-hydraulic and neutronic models are coupled, and the solution proceeds in an iterative manner until a consistent power density profile is obtained.

• OSTI ID: 89331
• Report Number(s): CONF-941102--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 71; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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