Safe affordable fission engine: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Experimental fission reactors for use in space}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2017}} |
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{{update|date=June 2015}} |
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[[File:SAFE-30 Reactor.png|thumb|SAFE-30 small experimental reactor]] |
[[File:SAFE-30 Reactor.png|thumb|SAFE-30 small experimental reactor]] |
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'''Safe |
'''Safe affordable fission engine''' (SAFE) were [[NASA]]'s small experimental [[nuclear fission reactor]]s for electricity production in space.<ref>{{Cite conference |conference=Space Technology and Applications International Forum (STAIF 2002) |last1=Hrbud |first1=Ivana |last2=Van Dyke |first2=Melissa |last3=Houts |first3=Mike |last4=Goodfellow |first4=Keith |date=January 4, 2002 |title=End-to-End demonstrator of the Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE) 30: Power conversion and ion engine operation |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/enwiki/api/citations/20020049426/downloads/20020049426.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117053941/https://ntrs.nasa.gov/enwiki/api/citations/20020049426/downloads/20020049426.pdf |archive-date=November 17, 2023 |location=Albuquerque, New Mexico |publisher=[[American Institute of Physics]] |volume=608 |pages=906–911 |doi=10.1063/1.1449818 |hdl=2060/20020049426 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Most known was the '''SAFE-400''' reactor concept intended to produce 400 kW thermal and 100 kW electrical using a [[Brayton cycle]] [[closed-cycle gas turbine]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Poston |first1=David I. |last2=Kapernick |first2=Richard J. |last3=Guffee |first3=Ray M. |date=2002 |title=Design and analysis of the SAFE-400 space fission reactor |url=https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1449775 |journal=AIP Conference Proceedings |volume=608 |pages=578–588 |publisher=AIP |doi=10.1063/1.1449775|bibcode=2002AIPC..608..578P }}</ref> The fuel was [[uranium nitride]] in a core of 381 pins clad with [[rhenium]]. Three fuel pins surround a [[molybdenum]]–[[sodium]] [[heatpipe]] that transports the heat to a heatpipe-gas [[heat exchanger]]. This was called a '''heatpipe power system'''.<ref name="Poston">{{cite conference |
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| first = Poston |
| first = Poston |
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| last = David I. |
| last = David I. |author2=Richard J. Kapernick |author3=Ray M. Guffee |
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| coauthors = Richard J. Kapernick and Ray M. Guffee |
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| year = 2002 |
| year = 2002 |
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| title = Design and analysis of the SAFE-400 space fission reactor |
| title = Design and analysis of the SAFE-400 space fission reactor |
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| ⚫ | |||
| conference = |
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| conferenceurl = |
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| ⚫ | |||
| editor = ohamed S. El-Genk and Mary J. Bragg |
| editor = ohamed S. El-Genk and Mary J. Bragg |
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| volume = 608 |
| volume = 608 |
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| pages = 578–588 |
| pages = 578–588 |
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| doi = 10.1063/1.1449775 |
| doi = 10.1063/1.1449775 |
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}}</ref><ref name="Blanchard">{{cite conference |first=James P. |last=Blanchard |title=Stretching the Boundaries of Nuclear Technology | |
}}</ref><ref name="Blanchard">{{cite conference |first=James P. |last=Blanchard |title=Stretching the Boundaries of Nuclear Technology |book-title=Eighth Annual Symposium on Frontiers of Engineering: Reports on Leading-Edge Engineering from the 2002 NAE Symposium on Frontiers of Engineering |pages=84 |publisher=[[National Academies Press]] |date=2003 |url=http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10617&page=81 |accessdate=2014-07-02 |isbn=0309087325 }}</ref> The reactor was about {{convert|50|cm}} tall, {{convert|30|cm}} across and weighed about {{convert|512|kg}}. It was developed at the [[Los Alamos National Laboratory]] and the [[Marshall Space Flight Center]] under the lead of Dave Poston.<ref name="Poonawala">{{cite news|url=http://www.dawn.com/weekly/science/archive/040724/science6.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130121120848/http://www.dawn.com/weekly/science/archive/040724/science6.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 21, 2013|title=Nuclear adventure: the next evolutionary step in space exploration|last=Poonawala|first=Qurratulain|date=July 24, 2004|work=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] Sci-tech World|accessdate=2009-02-23}}</ref> A smaller test reactor called SAFE-30 was first built.<ref name="pdf1">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacetransportation.com/ast/presentations/7b_vandy.pdf|title=The Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE) Test Series|last=Poston|first=David|date=2001|work=NASA/JPL/MSFC/UAH 12th Annual Advanced Space Propulsion Workshop April 3–5, 2001|accessdate=2009-02-23|archive-date=October 22, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041022135357/http://www.spacetransportation.com/ast/presentations/7b_vandy.pdf|url-status=dead|display-authors=etal}}</ref> |
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The working fluid used in the reactor |
The working fluid used in the reactor was a helium–xenon gas mixture.<ref name="pdf2">{{cite journal|title=Application of Brayton Cycle Technology to Space Power|last=Harty|first=R.B.|date=1994|journal=IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine|volume=9|issue=1|pages=28–32|doi=10.1109/62.257140|s2cid=20139958 }}</ref> |
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The project |
The project was funded with discretionary money in the lab's budget and done mostly outside the researchers' normal work.<ref name="Spotts">{{cite news|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0228/p14s01-stss.html|title=NASA eyes nuclear rockets to reach deep space|last=Spotts|first=Peter N.|date=February 28, 2002|work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]|accessdate=2009-02-24}}</ref> |
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As of 2019, this project appears to have been superseded by Nasa's [[Kilopower]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-12-12 |title=Kilopower - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/tech-demo-missions-program/kilopower-hmqzw/ |access-date=2023-11-19 |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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* [[Kilopower]] |
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* [[Systems Nuclear Auxiliary Power Program]] and [[SNAP-10A]], that flew in 1965 |
* [[Systems Nuclear Auxiliary Power Program]] and [[SNAP-10A]], that flew in 1965 |
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* [[SP-100]] |
* [[SP-100]] |
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Latest revision as of 01:57, 20 March 2024
 | This article needs to be updated. (June 2015) |
Safe affordable fission engine (SAFE) were NASA's small experimental nuclear fission reactors for electricity production in space.[1] Most known was the SAFE-400 reactor concept intended to produce 400 kW thermal and 100 kW electrical using a Brayton cycle closed-cycle gas turbine.[2] The fuel was uranium nitride in a core of 381 pins clad with rhenium. Three fuel pins surround a molybdenum–sodium heatpipe that transports the heat to a heatpipe-gas heat exchanger. This was called a heatpipe power system.[3][4] The reactor was about 50 centimetres (20 in) tall, 30 centimetres (12 in) across and weighed about 512 kilograms (1,129 lb). It was developed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Marshall Space Flight Center under the lead of Dave Poston.[5] A smaller test reactor called SAFE-30 was first built.[6]
The working fluid used in the reactor was a helium–xenon gas mixture.[7]
The project was funded with discretionary money in the lab's budget and done mostly outside the researchers' normal work.[8]
As of 2019, this project appears to have been superseded by Nasa's Kilopower.[9]
See also
[edit]- Kilopower
- Systems Nuclear Auxiliary Power Program and SNAP-10A, that flew in 1965
- SP-100
References
[edit]- ^ Hrbud, Ivana; Van Dyke, Melissa; Houts, Mike; Goodfellow, Keith (January 4, 2002). End-to-End demonstrator of the Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE) 30: Power conversion and ion engine operation (PDF). Space Technology and Applications International Forum (STAIF 2002). Vol. 608. Albuquerque, New Mexico: American Institute of Physics. pp. 906–911. doi:10.1063/1.1449818. hdl:2060/20020049426. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 17, 2023.
- ^ Poston, David I.; Kapernick, Richard J.; Guffee, Ray M. (2002). "Design and analysis of the SAFE-400 space fission reactor". AIP Conference Proceedings. 608. AIP: 578–588. Bibcode:2002AIPC..608..578P. doi:10.1063/1.1449775.
- ^ David I., Poston; Richard J. Kapernick; Ray M. Guffee (2002). "Design and analysis of the SAFE-400 space fission reactor". In ohamed S. El-Genk and Mary J. Bragg (ed.). Space Technology and Applications International Forum – STAIF 2002. Vol. 608. AIP. pp. 578–588. doi:10.1063/1.1449775.
- ^ Blanchard, James P. (2003). "Stretching the Boundaries of Nuclear Technology". Eighth Annual Symposium on Frontiers of Engineering: Reports on Leading-Edge Engineering from the 2002 NAE Symposium on Frontiers of Engineering. National Academies Press. p. 84. ISBN 0309087325. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ Poonawala, Qurratulain (July 24, 2004). "Nuclear adventure: the next evolutionary step in space exploration". Dawn Sci-tech World. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
- ^ Poston, David; et al. (2001). "The Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE) Test Series" (PDF). NASA/JPL/MSFC/UAH 12th Annual Advanced Space Propulsion Workshop April 3–5, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 22, 2004. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
- ^ Harty, R.B. (1994). "Application of Brayton Cycle Technology to Space Power". IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine. 9 (1): 28–32. doi:10.1109/62.257140. S2CID 20139958.
- ^ Spotts, Peter N. (February 28, 2002). "NASA eyes nuclear rockets to reach deep space". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
- ^ "Kilopower - NASA". December 12, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2023.