Carbide-based fuel assembly for thermal propulsion applications
Abstract
Carbide-based fuel assembly includes outer structural member of ceramic matrix composite material, the interior surface of which is lined in higher temperature regions with an insulation layer of porous refractory ceramic material. Continuous insulation layer extends the length of the fuel assembly or separate insulation layer sections have a thickness increasing step-wise along the length of the fuel assembly from upper (inlet) section towards bottom (outlet) section. A fuel element positioned inward of the insulation layer and between support meshes has a fuel composition including HALEU and the form of a plurality of individual elongated fuel bodies or one or more fuel monolith bodies containing coolant flow channels. Fuel assemblies are distributively arranged in a moderator block, with upper end of the outer structural member attached to an inlet for propellant and lower end of the outer structural member operatively interfaced with a nozzle forming a nuclear thermal propulsion reactor.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC, Lynchburg, VA (United States); BWXT Nuclear Energy, Inc., Charlotte, NC (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 2222129
- Patent Number(s):
- 11728044
- Application Number:
- 17/399,822
- Assignee:
- BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC (Lynchburg, VA); BWXT Nuclear Energy, Inc. (Charlotte, NC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517; 00212687; 20135; 80MSFC17C0006
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 08/11/2021
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Citation Formats
Barringer, Eric A., Jensen, Russell R., Gustafson, Jeremy L., Ales, Matt, Bergman, Joshua J., Swanson, Ryan T., Witter, Jonathan K., Galicki, Danny, Inman, James B., Krecicki, Matt, and Ridgeway, Roger. Carbide-based fuel assembly for thermal propulsion applications. United States: N. p., 2023.
Web.
Barringer, Eric A., Jensen, Russell R., Gustafson, Jeremy L., Ales, Matt, Bergman, Joshua J., Swanson, Ryan T., Witter, Jonathan K., Galicki, Danny, Inman, James B., Krecicki, Matt, & Ridgeway, Roger. Carbide-based fuel assembly for thermal propulsion applications. United States.
Barringer, Eric A., Jensen, Russell R., Gustafson, Jeremy L., Ales, Matt, Bergman, Joshua J., Swanson, Ryan T., Witter, Jonathan K., Galicki, Danny, Inman, James B., Krecicki, Matt, and Ridgeway, Roger. Tue .
"Carbide-based fuel assembly for thermal propulsion applications". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/2222129.
@article{osti_2222129,
title = {Carbide-based fuel assembly for thermal propulsion applications},
author = {Barringer, Eric A. and Jensen, Russell R. and Gustafson, Jeremy L. and Ales, Matt and Bergman, Joshua J. and Swanson, Ryan T. and Witter, Jonathan K. and Galicki, Danny and Inman, James B. and Krecicki, Matt and Ridgeway, Roger},
abstractNote = {Carbide-based fuel assembly includes outer structural member of ceramic matrix composite material, the interior surface of which is lined in higher temperature regions with an insulation layer of porous refractory ceramic material. Continuous insulation layer extends the length of the fuel assembly or separate insulation layer sections have a thickness increasing step-wise along the length of the fuel assembly from upper (inlet) section towards bottom (outlet) section. A fuel element positioned inward of the insulation layer and between support meshes has a fuel composition including HALEU and the form of a plurality of individual elongated fuel bodies or one or more fuel monolith bodies containing coolant flow channels. Fuel assemblies are distributively arranged in a moderator block, with upper end of the outer structural member attached to an inlet for propellant and lower end of the outer structural member operatively interfaced with a nozzle forming a nuclear thermal propulsion reactor.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2023},
month = {8}
}
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