Advanced radiator concepts

Author

Begg, L.L. ; Engdahl, E.H.

Author_Institution

Space Power Inc., San Jose, CA, USA

fYear

1989

fDate

6-11 Aug 1989

Firstpage

75

Abstract

Two radiator systems to reject heat from future space nuclear power systems were conceptually designed. One design would dissipate 1.7 MW_t of heat at 600 K, and the other would reject 2.4 MW_t at 875 K. The low-temperature radiator utilized a pump loop system constructed of titanium, and achieved a specific mass of 5.8 kg/m ², including pumps and structure. The high-temperature radiator system utilized potassium heat pipes constructed of SiC-reinforced titanium, and achieved a specific mass of 5.5 kg/m². Both radiators took advantage of light, high-thermal-conductivity carbon/graphite composite fins to distribute and radiate the rejected heat

Keywords

fission reactor cooling and heat recovery; heat pipes; space vehicle power plants; 600 K; 875 K; K heat pipes; SiC-Ti; carbon/graphite composite fins; heat rejection; high-temperature radiator system; high-thermal-conductivity; low-temperature radiator; pump loop system; space nuclear power systems; Building materials; Composite materials; Geometry; Heat pumps; Iron alloys; Payloads; Space heating; Space technology; Temperature; Titanium alloys;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, 1989. IECEC-89., Proceedings of the 24th Intersociety

Conference_Location

Washington, DC

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IECEC.1989.74441

Filename

74441