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Electrically Heated Testing of the Kilowatt Reactor Using Stirling TechnologY (KRUSTY) Experiment Using a Depleted Uranium CoreThe Kilopower project aims to develop and demonstrate scalable fission-based power technology for systems capable of delivering 1 to 10 kW of electric power with a specific power ranging from 2.5 to 6.5 W/kg. This technology could enable high-power science missions or could be used to provide surface power for manned missions to the Moon or Mars. NASA has partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), and Y−12 National Security Complex to develop and test a prototypic reactor and power system using existing facilities and infrastructure. This technology demonstration, referred to as the "Kilowatt Reactor Using Stirling TechnologY (KRUSTY)," will undergo nuclear ground testing by the end of calendar year (CY) 2017 at the NNSS. The 1-kWe variation of the Kilopower system was chosen for the KRUSTY demonstration. The concept for the 1-kWe flight system consists of a 4 kWt highly enriched uranium-molybdenum reactor operating at 800 degC coupled to sodium heat pipes. The heat pipes deliver heat to the hot ends of eight 125-W Stirling convertors producing a net electrical output of 1 kW. Waste heat is rejected using titanium-water heat pipes coupled to carbon composite radiator panels. The KRUSTY test, based on this design, uses a prototypic highly enriched uranium-molybdenum core coupled to prototypic sodium heat pipes. The heat pipes transfer heat to two Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASC−E2s) and six thermal simulators, which simulate the thermal draw of full-scale power conversion units. Thermal simulators and Stirling engines are gas cooled. The most recent project milestone was the completion of nonnuclear system-level testing using an electrically heated depleted uranium (DU) (nonfissioning) reactor core simulator at the NASA Glenn Research Center. System-level testing has validated performance predictions and has demonstrated system-level operation and control in a test configuration that replicates the one to be used at the Device Assembly Facility (DAF) at the NNSS. Fabrication, assembly, and testing of the DU core has allowed for higher fidelity system-level testing at Glenn, and has validated the fabrication methods to be used on the highly enriched uranium core that will supply heat for the DAF KRUSTY demonstration.
Document ID
20180001487
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Technical Memorandum (TM)
Authors
Briggs, Maxwell H.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Gibson, Marc A.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Sanzi, James L.
(Vantage Partners, LLC Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
February 27, 2018
Publication Date
February 1, 2018
Subject Category
Energy Production And Conversion
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Report/Patent Number
NASA/TM-2018-219702
AIAA Paper 2017-4610
E-19434
GRC-E-DAA-TN44587
Meeting Information
Meeting: AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum and Exposition
Location: Atlanta, GA
Country: United States
Start Date: July 10, 2017
End Date: July 12, 2017
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Funding Number(s)
WBS: WBS 887359.01.04
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNC12BA01B
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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