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Results for “GASEOUS FISSION REACTOR”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1965

Gas core reactors

Fuel containment and heat transfer in gaseous core fission reactors

GASEOUS FISSION REACTOR↗
DOE OSTI2025

Development of an In Situ Fission Gas Release Instrument for Fuel Sample Irradiations in the High Flux Isotope Reactor

Experimental measurement of gaseous fission product release with respect to temperature and burnup is a critical aspect of understanding nuclear fuel performance, validating predictive models, and qualifying new fuels. To measure this phenomenon in real-time, Oak Ridge National Laboratory has developed an instrument for measuring in situ fission gas release from small-scale fuel samples irradiated in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). The instrument uses a continuous flow of Heover the fuel samples to sweep gaseous fission products from a sealed capsule in the HFIR Be reflector to an instrument station adjacent to the reactor. The instrument station houses two high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors that measure decay gamma rays from fission products passing through a room temperature dwell chamber placed over the detector crystal. The sealed capsules in the reactor are designed to modulate fuel sample temperatures between 700 and 1,100°C by changing the Ar/He gas mixture surrounding the capsules during irradiation. N-type thermocouples are incorporated into the capsule housing to record real-time fuel temperatures. The capsules are heated primarily by prompt gamma rays emitted from the HFIR core with minimal heat contributions from fission in the fuel samples to minimize temperature gradients in the specimens for separate-effects characterization of the material. This paper describes modeling of time-dependent nuclear heating and fission product formation in fuel samples, thermal characteristics of the in-core capsules, and expected gaseous fission product gamma spectra at the HPGe instrument station.

Mulligan, Padhraic L [ORNL] (ORCID:000000025826540↗
NASA NTRS1963

OUTLOOK FOR GAS-CORE NUCLEAR ROCKETS

Fission energy transferal, hydrogen propellant flow, and adequate fissionable material are main factors in gas-core nuclear rocket design concepts

GASEOUS FISSION REACTOR↗
NASA NTRS1976

Vacuum ultraviolet spectra of uranium hexafluoride/argon mixtures

The transmission properties of room temperature helium at pressures up to 20 atmospheres were determined in the wavelength range from 80 to 300 nm. Similarly, the transmission properties of uranium hexafluoride at 393 K (pressures less than 1.0 mm) were determined in the wavelength range from 80 to about 120 nm. The results show that high pressure helium is sufficiently transparent in the vacuum ultraviolet region (provided trace contaminants are removed) to be utilized as a transparent purge gas in future fissioning gaseous uranium plasma reactor experiments. Absorption cross sections for uranium hexafluoride were calculated from the data between 80 and 120 nm and were of the order of 10 to the -17 power sq cm.

Krascella, N. L.↗
NASA NTRS1962

Thermal and Criticality Analysis of the Plasma Core Reactor

Radiative heat transfer to the propellant and reactor criticality for a fissionable gaseous rocket engine are analyzed to determine their interdependence. The necessity for propellant thicknesses of approximately 1-3 m due to poor thermal absorption properties of hydrogen significantly affects reactor critical radius and mass. The two primary adverse effects are: (1) increased absorption in the reflector- moderator for a given reflector thickness and (2) poor utilization of thermal neutrons by the core due to the lower geometrical view factor of the core for the reflector walls. In fact, there is a minimum core radius at a particular propellant thickness which allows the system to “go” critical. Engine performance is limited primarily to two regions of operation: the first, a specific impulse of approximately 1550 sec at a thrust level of 2 x 10(exp 6) lb. and second, a specific impulse of approximately 2200 sec at a thrust level of 5.3 x 10(exp 6) lb.

Rocket engine↗
NASA NTRS1975

Fissioning uranium plasmas and nuclear-pumped lasers

Current research into uranium plasmas, gaseous-core (cavity) reactors, and nuclear-pumped lasers is discussed. Basic properties of fissioning uranium plasmas are summarized together with potential space and terrestrial applications of gaseous-core reactors and nuclear-pumped lasers. Conditions for criticality of a uranium plasma are outlined, and it is shown that the nonequilibrium state and the optical thinness of a fissioning plasma can be exploited for the direct conversion of fission fragment energy into coherent light (i.e., for nuclear-pumped lasers). Successful demonstrations of nuclear-pumped lasers are described together with gaseous-fuel reactor experiments using uranium hexafluoride.

Schneider, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Investigation of applications for high-power, self-critical fissioning uranium plasma reactors

Analytical studies were conducted to investigate potentially attractive applications for gaseous nuclear cavity reactors fueled by uranium hexafluoride and its decomposition products at temperatures of 2000 to 6000 K and total pressures of a few hundred atmospheres. Approximate operating conditions and performance levels for a class of nuclear reactors in which fission energy removal is accomplished principally by radiant heat transfer from the high temperature gaseous nuclear fuel to surrounding absorbing media were determined. The results show the radiant energy deposited in the absorbing media may be efficiently utilized in energy conversion system applications which include (1) a primary energy source for high thrust, high specific impulse space propulsion, (2) an energy source for highly efficient generation of electricity, and (3) a source of high intensity photon flux for heating working fluid gases for hydrogen production or MHD power extraction.

Rodgers, R. J.↗