Studies are being conducted on an innovative space power system that combines a uranium tetrafluoride (UF4) ultrahigh-temperature vapor core reactor (UTVR) and a disk magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator to obtain closed-cycle burst-mode operation (hundreds of MWe power level for a few thousand seconds). Use of UF4 as the vapor fuel and metal fluorides as the working fluid in the UTVR/MHD generator allows for operation on a direct, closed-Rankine-type cycle and leads to space power systems with high efficiency ( approximately=20%), small radiator size ( approximately=5 m5/MWe) and high specific power ( approximately=10 kWe/kg).


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    Title :

    Ultrahigh temperature vapor core nuclear reactor/MHD generator Rankine cycle space power system


    Additional title:

    Kernreaktor und magnetohydrodynamischer Generator für sehr hohe Dampftemperaturen in der Raumfahrt


    Contributors:
    Dugan, E.T. (author) / Welch, G.E. (author) / Kahook, S. (author)


    Publication date :

    1989


    Size :

    6 Seiten, 4 Quellen


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English