The use of demonstrated reactor technology with organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power conversion can provide a low cost, minimal risk approach to reactor powered electrical generation systems in the near term. Several reactor technologies including zirconium hydride, EBR-II and LMFBR have demonstrated long life and suitability for space application at the operating temperature required by an efficient ORC engine. While this approach would not replace the high temperature space reactor systems presently under development, it could be available in a nearer time frame at a low and predictable cost, allowing some missions requiring high power levels to be flown prior to the availability of advanced systems with lower specific weight. It would also serve as a precursor to reactor powered high temperature liquid metal Rankine cycles in the area of two-phase fluid management in zero g. Although this system has relatively high efficiency, the heat rejection temperature is low, requiring a large radiator on the order of 3.4 M2/kWe. A deployable heat pipe radiator configuration will be required. All of the major components for the system have already demonstrated the level of reliability needed for a space nuclear power system. Closed loop ORC engines ranging in size from 1 kWe to 750 kWe have been built and have demonstrated reliabilities of up to 32 years MTBF in a variety of applications. The only area of technology requiring development is radiator deployment. Additional technology development in the areas of thermoelectric topping and fluid radiolytic decomposition could potentially reduce system mass and volume.


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    Title :

    Reactor/organic rankine conversion - A sota solution to near term high power needs in space


    Additional title:

    Energieversorgung mittels Kernreaktor und organischem Rankine-Kreisprozess - eine Loesung fuer die Hochleistungsanforderungen der Raumfahrt in naher Zukunft


    Contributors:
    Niggemann, R.E. (author) / Lacey, D. (author)


    Publication date :

    1985


    Size :

    6 Seiten, 6 Bilder, 1 Tabelle, 17 Quellen


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English





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