Two-dimensional steady-state analysis of an electrically heated thermionic fuel element

Conference · Wed Jan 20 00:00:00 EST 1993 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43025· OSTI ID:5587686

Xue, Huimin; El-Genk, M S; Paramonov, D ^[1]

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1. Institute for Space Nuclear Power Studies, Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 (United States)

A two-dimensional transient model of a single cell, long Thermionic Fuel Element (TFE) is developed and its predictions are compared with published calculations and experimental data on steady-state operation of electrically heated, TOPAZ-II type TFEs. The operation parameters of the TFE, such as axial distributions of the emitter temperature, emission current density, and the electrode voltage are calculated and discussed. Results show that despite the excellent agreement between the model predictions of the axial distribution of the emitter temperature, its predictions of the maximum emission current density was lower by about 17%. This difference is attributed primarily to the J-V characteristics in the model, which could be different than those of the TOPAZ-II TFE, hence additional data on the latter is needed. When compared with experimental data, the model predictions of the electric power output are in excellent agreement with the data at thermal power input of 3.5 kW or higher, but within 10% of the data at lower thermal power.

• OSTI ID: 5587686
• Report Number(s): CONF-930103-; CODEN: APCPCS
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 271:3; Conference: 10. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 10-14 Jan 1993; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
THERMIONIC FUEL ELEMENTS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
ELECTRIC HEATING
TOPAZ REACTOR
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CURRENT DENSITY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SPACE POWER REACTORS
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
DATA
EVALUATION
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEATING
HYDRIDE MODERATED REACTORS
INFORMATION
MOBILE REACTORS
NUMERICAL DATA
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SIMULATION
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
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