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CORE

CORE. Core - Design Concept. Develop a 100 kWe reactor with a 5 full-power-year lifetime Evaluation of options were based on design criteria: Low mass Launchability Safety High Reliability. Core - Design Choices. Fast Spectrum Ceramic Fuel – Uranium Nitride, 33.1 w / o enriched

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CORE

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  1. CORE

  2. Core - Design Concept • Develop a 100 kWe reactor with a 5 full-power-year lifetime • Evaluation of options were based on design criteria: • Low mass • Launchability • Safety • High Reliability

  3. Core - Design Choices • Fast Spectrum • Ceramic Fuel – Uranium Nitride, 33.1 w/o enriched • Tantalum Burnable Poison • Lithium Heatpipe Coolant • Fuel Pin Elements in tricusp configuration • External Control By Drums • Zr3Si2 Reflector material • TaB2 Control material

  4. Core - Design Specifications • UN fuel and Ta poison were chosen for heat transfer, neutronics performance, and limited corrosion • Heat pipes eliminate the need for pumps, have excellent heat transfer, and reduce system mass. • Li working fluid operates at high temperatures necessary for power conversion unit: 1800 K

  5. Fuel Pin Heatpipe Tricusp Material Core - Design Specifications (2) • Fuel pins are the same size as the heat pipes and arranged in tricusp design.

  6. 88 cm Fuel Pin Reflector and Core Top-Down View 10 cm Reflector Control Drum Reflector 42 cm Fuel Core 10 cm Reflector Zr3Si2 Reflector Total Mass: 2654kg Radial Reflector Core - Design Specifications (3) • Reflector controls neutron leakage • Control drums add little mass to the system and offer high reliability due to few moving parts

  7. Integration • Insert picture of reactor design from Joe

  8. Launch Accident Analysis • Many accidents were considered however, only accidents upon launch could not be prevented by extra safeguards. • Worst Case Scenarios: • Uniform dispersion of all U235 in atmosphere • Undeformed core with all heat pipes ruptured lands in water or wet sand

  9. Launch Accident Results • Total Dispersion of the 157 kg of U235 will increase the natural background radiation by 0.0025% • Water and Wet Sand Landing will not result in criticality

  10. Future Work • Investigate further the feasibility of plate fuel element design • Optimize core configuration • Examine long-term effects of high radiation environment on chosen materials • Develop comprehensive safety analysis for launch accidents

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