General-purpose heat source safety verification test series: SVT-11 through SVT-13

Technical Report · Thu May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5664400· OSTI ID:5664400

George, T G; Pavone, D

The General-Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) is a modular component of the radioisotope thermoelectric generator that will provide power for the Galileo and Ulysses (formerly ISPM) space missions. The GPHS provides power by transmitting the heat of /sup 238/Pu ..cap alpha..-decay to an array of thermoelectric elements. Because the possibility of an orbital abort always exists, the heat source was designed and constructed to minimize plutonia release in any accident environment. The Safety Verification Test (SVT) series was formulated to evaluate the effectiveness of GPHS plutonia containment after atmospheric reentry and Earth impact. The first two reports (covering SVT-1 through SVT-10) described the results of flat, side-on, and angular module impacts against steel targets at 54 m/s. This report describes flat-on module impacts against concrete and granite targets, at velocities equivalent to or higher than previous SVTs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5664400
• Report Number(s): LA-10710-MS; ON: DE86013624
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
SAFETY
SPACECRAFT POWER SUPPLIES
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS
ABLATION
IMPACT TESTS
MODULATION
REENTRY
VERIFICATION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
HEAT SOURCES
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL TESTS
POWER SUPPLIES
TESTING
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
070300 - Isotopic Power Supplies
210600 - Power Reactors
Auxiliary
Mobile Package
& Transportable