Space reactor/Stirling cycle systems for high power lunar applications

It is desired to estimate performance and mass of a 550 kWe SP-100/Stirling nuclear power lunar base. Mass and efficiency estimates are made by modeling the components as a function of thermal or electrical power output requirements. It is found that utilizing a 1050 K heater head the total system mass is 13537 kg. For the 1300 K heater head temperature the system mass is 11474 kg. Mass and radiator area comparisons are made with a SP-100/Brayton and an Incore thermionic reactor. Two technology levels are looked at which correspond to low and high temperature systems (for the thermionic system it also includes a increase in thermionic output voltage). Stirling converter systems are the lightest of the low temperatures systems. At higher temperatures all of the systems masses are similar. Thermionic systems always produced the smallest radiators because of their high heat rejection temperature with Stirling systems coming in a close second