A 50-100 kWe gas-cooled reactor for use on Mars.

Technical Report · Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/886894· OSTI ID:886894

Peters, Curtis D ^[1]

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1. .

In the space exploration field there is a general consensus that nuclear reactor powered systems will be extremely desirable for future missions to the outer solar system. Solar systems suffer from the decreasing intensity of solar radiation and relatively low power density. Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators are limited to generating a few kilowatts electric (kWe). Chemical systems are short-lived due to prodigious fuel use. A well designed 50-100 kWe nuclear reactor power system would provide sufficient power for a variety of long term missions. This thesis will present basic work done on a 50-100 kWe reactor power system that has a reasonable lifespan and would function in an extraterrestrial environment. The system will use a Gas-Cooled Reactor that is directly coupled to a Closed Brayton Cycle (GCR-CBC) power system. Also included will be some variations on the primary design and their effects on the characteristics of the primary design. This thesis also presents a variety of neutronics related calculations, an examination of the reactor's thermal characteristics, feasibility for use in an extraterrestrial environment, and the reactor's safety characteristics in several accident scenarios. While there has been past work for space reactors, the challenges introduced by thin atmospheres like those on Mars have rarely been considered.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 886894
• Report Number(s): SAND2006-2189; TRN: US0604166
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
ACCIDENTS
BRAYTON CYCLE
DESIGN
EXPLORATION
GAS COOLED REACTORS
POWER DENSITY
POWER SYSTEMS
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTORS
SAFETY
SOLAR RADIATION
SOLAR SYSTEM
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
Thermoelectric generators.
Radioisotopes-Industrial applications.
SPACE POWER REACTORS