Investigation and Feasibility Assessment of TOPAZ-2 Derivations for Space Power Applications

The ability to provide continuous power at significant levels is of utmost importance for many space missions, from simple satellite operations to manned Mars missions. One of the main problems faced in delivering solar or chemical space power in the tens of kW range, is the increasingly massive nature of the power source and the costs associated with its launch, operation and maintenance. A national program had been initiated to study the feasibility of using certain advanced technologies in developing an efficient lightweight space power source. The starting point for these studies has been the Russian TOPAZ-2 space reactor system, with the ultimate goal to aid in the development of a TOPAZ-2 derivative which will be ready for flight by the year 2000. The main objective of this project has been to perform feasibility assessment and trade studies which would allow the development of an advanced space nuclear power system based on the in-core thermionic fuel element technology currently used in the Russian TOPAZ-2 reactor. Two of the important considerations in developing the concept are: (1) compliance of the current TOPAZ-2 and of any advanced designs with U.S. nuclear safety expectations, and (2) compliance of the design with the seven years lifetime requirement. The project was composed of two major phases. The initial phase of the project has concentrated on understanding the TOPAZ-2 thermionic reactor in sufficient detail to allow several follow-on tasks. The primary interest during this first phase has been given on identifying the potential of the TOPAZ-2 design for further improvements. The second phase of the project has focused on the feasibility of a TOPAZ-2 system capable of delivering 30-50 kWe. Towards the elimination of single-point failures in the load voltage regulation system an active voltage regulator has been designed to be used in conjunction with the available shunt load voltage regulator. The possible use of a dual-loop, model-based adaptive control system for load-following in the TOPAZ-2 has also been investigated. The objective of this fault-tolerant, autonomous control system is to deliver the demanded electric power at the desired voltage level, by appropriately manipulating the neutron power through the control drums. As a result, sufficient thermal power is produced to meet the required demand in the presence of dynamically changing system operating conditions and potential sensor failures. The designed controller is proposed for use in combination with the currently available shunt regulators, or as a back-up controller when other means of power system control, including some of the sensors, fail

ICONE10-22771 RE-ASSESSMENT OF NITRIDE FUEL POTENTIAL IN THE CURRENT CONTEXT OF THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY

ABSTRACT In recent years, there has been a renewal of interest in nitride fuels throughout the international community. The new challenges met by the nuclear industry, which include greater safety margin and the question of the waste management, have resulted in active research programs in next generation fast spectrum reactors and waste transmutation systems. Through these programs, nitride fuel has emerged as one of the most promising advanced fuels, thanks to their numerous favorable properties

ICONE10-22213 UTILIZATION OF PLUTONIUM AND HIGHER ACTINIDES IN THE HTGR AS POSSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN LONG-TERM OPERATION ON ONE FUEL LOADING

ABSTRACT Promising existing nuclear reactor concepts together with new ideas are being discussed worldwide. Many new studies are underway in order to identify prototypes that will be analyzed and developed further as systems for Generation IV. The focus is on designs demonstrating full inherent safety, competitive economics and proliferation resistance. The work discussed here is centered on a modularized small-size High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) concept. This paper discusses the possibility of maintaining long-term operation on one fuel loading through utilization of plutonium and higher actinides in the small-size pebble-bed reactor (PBR). Acknowledging the well-known flexibility of the PBR design with respect to fuel composition, the principal limitations of the long-term burning of plutonium and higher actinides are considered. The technological challenges and further research are outlined. The results allow the identification of physical features of the PBR that significantly influence flexibility of the design and its applications. INTRODUCTION Because of the growing world's power consumption, new systems for energy production are being discussed worldwide. Despite the great promise of solar, geothermal, and fusion power, only nuclear fission energy and coal can be relied upon to supply energy in the quantities needed. Only a technology

The Effect of Internal Free Surfaces on Void Swelling of Irradiated Pure Iron Containing Subsurface Trenches

We studied the effects of internal free surfaces on the evolution of ion-induced void swelling in pure iron. The study was initially driven by the motivation to introduce a planar free-surface defect sink at depths that would remove the injected interstitial effect from ion irradiation, possibly enhancing swelling. Using the focused ion beam technique, deep trenches were created on a cross section of pure iron at various depths, so as to create bridges of thickness ranging from 0.88 μm to 1.70 μm. Samples were then irradiated with 3.5 MeV Fe2+ ions at 475 °C to a fluence corresponding to a peak displacement per atom dose of 150 dpa. The projected range of 3.5 MeV Fe2+ ions is about 1.2 μm so the chosen bridge thicknesses involved fractions of the ion range, thicknesses comparable to the mean ion range (peak of injected interstitial distribution), and thicknesses beyond the full range. It was found that introduction of such surfaces did not enhance swelling but actually decreased it, primarily because there were now two denuded zones with a combined stronger influence than that of the injected interstitial. The study suggests that such strong surface effects must be considered for ion irradiation studies of thin films or bridge-like structures