Published January 5, 1991 | Version v1
Journal article

Lunar in-core thermionic nuclear reactor power system conceptual design

  • 1. NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH (USA)
  • 2. Sverdrup Technology, Inc., Brookpark, OH (USA)
  • 3. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM (USA)

Description

This paper presents a conceptual design of a lunar in-core thermionic reactor power system. The concept consists of a thermionic reactor located in a lunar excavation with surface mounted waste heat radiators. The system was integrated with a proposed lunar base concept representative of recent NASA Space Explortion Initiative studies. The reference mission is a permanently-inhabited lunar base requiring a 550 kWe, 7 year life central power station. Performance parameters and assumptions were based on the Thermionic Fuel Element (TFE) Verification Program. Five design cases were analyzed ranging from conservative to advanced. The cases were selected to provide sensitivity effects on the achievement of TFE program goals

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
AIP Conference Proceedings
Journal Volume
217
Journal Issue
2
Series
AIP Conf. Proc.
Journal Page Range
651-656
ISSN
0094-243X
CODEN
APCPC

Conference

Title
8. symposium on space nuclear power systems.
Dates
6-10 Jan 1991.
Place
Albuquerque, NM (USA).

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
United States
INIS RN
22087443
Subject category
S30: DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; S21: SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS;
Resource subtype / Literary indicator
Conference
Descriptors DEI
MOON; ON-SITE POWER GENERATION; SPECIFICATIONS; THERMIONIC FUEL ELEMENTS; THERMIONIC REACTORS; WASTE HEAT
Descriptors DEC
ENERGY SOURCES; FUEL ELEMENTS; POWER GENERATION; POWER REACTORS; REACTOR COMPONENTS; REACTORS; SATELLITES; WASTES

Optional Information

Secondary number(s)
CONF-910116--.