TY - JOUR
T1 - Preliminary conceptual design of fast neutron spectrum nuclear thermal rocket cores using monolithic uranium nitride fuel
AU - Youinou, G. J.
AU - Lin, C. S.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and by the U.S. Department of Energy , Office of Nuclear Energy , under DOE Idaho Operations Office Contract DE-AC07-051D14517 . The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a nonexclusive, paid up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. The authors also gratefully acknowledge Douglas E. Burn from Idaho National Laboratory for providing funding and encouragements.
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, under DOE Idaho Operations Office Contract DE-AC07-051D14517. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a nonexclusive, paid up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. The authors also gratefully acknowledge Douglas E. Burn from Idaho National Laboratory for providing funding and encouragements.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2022/7
Y1 - 2022/7
N2 - This paper presents a few nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) reactor core preliminary conceptual designs based on the use of monolithic uranium nitride (UN) fuel plates or pins clad with tungsten (W), alloyed or unalloyed as needed. High-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) as well as high-enriched uranium (HEU) are considered. Nominal core thermal powers are between 300 and 1100 MW corresponding to thrusts between 66 kN and 240 kN. The estimated thrust-to-reactor-weight ratios (T/WRx) achievable with the HEU plate and pin configurations are between 3.8 and 10.9. The T/WRx achievable with the HALEU plate and pin configurations are lower, 1.9–4.0, than those achievable with HEU. It is noteworthy that even a relatively modest increase in fuel enrichment above the HALEU limit enables a significant increase in T/WRx. It must be emphasized that these results do not yet account for uncertainties and that the appropriateness of the assumed fuel thermal design limits for normal operation (i.e., peak centerline temperature of 3100 K) will need to be confirmed. Finally, just like for the other UN-based fuels currently considered for NTR applications (i.e., CERMET and CERCER), the proposed UN fuel systems need significant testing in prototypic conditions to confirm the appropriate performance for safe NTR applications. However, the monolithic fuel systems may have, overall, a higher technology readiness level (TRL), and, consequently, shorter fuel development and validation time may result.
AB - This paper presents a few nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) reactor core preliminary conceptual designs based on the use of monolithic uranium nitride (UN) fuel plates or pins clad with tungsten (W), alloyed or unalloyed as needed. High-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) as well as high-enriched uranium (HEU) are considered. Nominal core thermal powers are between 300 and 1100 MW corresponding to thrusts between 66 kN and 240 kN. The estimated thrust-to-reactor-weight ratios (T/WRx) achievable with the HEU plate and pin configurations are between 3.8 and 10.9. The T/WRx achievable with the HALEU plate and pin configurations are lower, 1.9–4.0, than those achievable with HEU. It is noteworthy that even a relatively modest increase in fuel enrichment above the HALEU limit enables a significant increase in T/WRx. It must be emphasized that these results do not yet account for uncertainties and that the appropriateness of the assumed fuel thermal design limits for normal operation (i.e., peak centerline temperature of 3100 K) will need to be confirmed. Finally, just like for the other UN-based fuels currently considered for NTR applications (i.e., CERMET and CERCER), the proposed UN fuel systems need significant testing in prototypic conditions to confirm the appropriate performance for safe NTR applications. However, the monolithic fuel systems may have, overall, a higher technology readiness level (TRL), and, consequently, shorter fuel development and validation time may result.
KW - Nuclear thermal rocket
KW - Uraniun nitride
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85129745984
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/9fccc17d-9bb2-3da5-ab26-5875a8b9e834/
U2 - 10.1016/j.pnucene.2022.104237
DO - 10.1016/j.pnucene.2022.104237
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85129745984
SN - 0149-1970
VL - 149
JO - Progress in Nuclear Energy
JF - Progress in Nuclear Energy
M1 - 104237
ER -