Design Considerations and Conceptual Designs for Surface Nuclear Power Systems for the Moon and Mars

Details Design Considerations and Conceptual Designs for Surface Nuclear Power Systems for the Moon and Mars Design Considerations and Conceptual Designs for Surface Nuclear Power Systems for the Moon and Mars

Jan 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006aipc..813..920b&link_type=abstract

SPACE TECH.& APPLIC.INT.FORUM-STAIF 2006: 10th Conf Thermophys Applic Microgravity; 23rd Symp Space Nucl Pwr & Propulsion; 4th C

Physics

Power And Production Reactors, Theory, Design, And Computerized Simulation, Spaceborne And Space Research Instruments, Apparatus, And Components

Scientific paper

A set of design considerations is proposed for nuclear power systems to provide power on the Moon or Mars. Setting the initial requirements is extremely important since they govern the choices that determine the final design. In addition, the choice of reactor and its operating conditions depends on details of the energy conversion and heat rejection systems, which must be studied in tandem. Refractory materials are not suitable for the primary pressure boundary for the reactor due to their susceptibility to chemical attack from particles of regolith on the Moon and Mars or by the carbon dioxide atmosphere on Mars. High nickel superalloys would be acceptable in these environments, but their limited creep strength at elevated temperatures limits reactor outlet temperature to about 1150 K or less. This temperature restriction results in the mass of a gas cooled reactor coupled to a Brayton power conversion system being somewhat lighter than that of a liquid metal-cooled reactors coupled to a Brayton power conversion system. The mass of a liquid metal-cooled reactor coupled to an advanced Stirling power conversion system would be in between that of the gas and liquid metal cooled systems which use Brayton power conversion.

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