Some nuclear safety aspects of a 3.2 mWt heat pipe cooled fast reactor with out-of-core thermionic converters are discussed. Safety related characteristics of the design including a thin layer of B4C surrounding the core, the use of heat pipes and BeO reflector assembly, the elimination of fuel element bowing, etc., are highlighted. Potential supercriticality hazards and countermeasures are considered. Impacts of some safety guidelines of space transportation system are also briefly discussed, since the currently developing space shuttle would be used as the primary launch vehicle for the nuclear electric propulsion spacecraft.


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    Title :

    Nuclear safety considerations in the conceptual design of a fast reactor for space electric power and propulsion


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Conference on the Future of Aerospace Power Systems ; 1977 ; St. Louis, MO


    Publication date :

    1977-03-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English