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Multimegawatt potassium Rankine power for nuclear electric powerA cermet fueled potassium rankine power system concept has been developed for various power ranges and operating lifetimes. This concept utilizes a single primary lithium loop to transport thermal energy from the reactor to the boiler. Multiple, independent potassium loops are employed to achieve the required reliability of 99 percent. The potassium loops are two phase systems which expand heated potassium vapor through multistage turboalternators to produce a 10-kV dc electrical output. Condensation occurs by-way-of a shear-flow condenser, producing a 100 percent liquid potassium stream which is pumped back to the boiler. Waste heat is rejected by an advanced carbon-carbon radiator at approximately 1000 K. Overall system efficiencies of 19.3 percent to 20.5 percent were calculated depending on mission life and power level.
Document ID
19930029800
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Rovang, Richard D.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Mills, Joseph C.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Baumeister, Ernie B.
(Rockwell International Corp. Rocketdyne Div., Canoga Park, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: In: Space nuclear power systems; Proceedings of the 8th Symposium, Albuquerque, NM, Jan. 6-10, 1991. Pt. 1 (A93-13751 03-20)
Publisher: American Institute of Physics
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Accession Number
93A13797
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: DE-AC07-88ID-12749
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS3-25808
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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