Application of heat pipes to a nuclear aircraft propulsion system

Abstract

A preliminary study was conducted f o determine the f e a s i b i l i t y of using heat pipes i n a nuclear a i r c r a f t propulsion system. the sole transporter of heat. heat pipe systems were used. heat from the reactor. Another transferred the heat t o the a i r i n the j e t engine. Conceptural designs of t h e reactor, engine, and reactor t o e ine heat pipes a r e presented and the amount of U2% required f o r c r i t i c a l i t y i s estimated. a r e defined: wick pore size, wick thickness, heat pipe diameter and length, vapor flow area, a x i a l and r a d i a l heat flux; and temperatures of liquid, vapor, and s t r u c t u r a l materials. The factors t h a t l i m i t the heat pipe performance or d i c t a t e the design a r e identified. Design features t h a t s t r e t c h the state-of-the-art a r e pointed out.

Impact of Advanced Energy Technologies on Aircraft Design

“…In addition, the cycling of a hot liquid from an LENR to a heat exchanger placed in an engine relies on heat exchange equipment and properties better understood than the unprecedented nanoparticle injection concept. Extensive research has also been conducted on replacing a turbojet burner with a heat exchanger for use on nuclear aircraft, 11,12,13,14,15,16,17 which shows promise for using a similar system on an LENR aircraft. These facts result in an LENR heat exchanger-based Brayton cycle engine as the most viable option.…”

Dynamics Model Construction and Characteristic Analysis of Heat Pipe Nuclear Reactor in Thermal State

“…It makes full use of the heat conduction principle and the rapid heat transfer property of phase change medium to rapidly remove the heat outside of the heat source. Its heat transfer rate and ability are hundreds of times the same volume of metal [1] .…”