Planning for ground testing of nuclear rocket engines with today's environmental awareness

Bohl, Richard J.; Hanson, D.R.; Edeskuty, F.J.

doi:10.2514/6.1990-2517

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…A number of concepts have been proposed to perform the functions of exhaust treatment for solid core NTP ground test reactors (Kirk 1973, Bohl et al 1990, Whitbeck and Olsen 1991, Clark 1992, and Harmon et al 1992. ETS concq)ts can be grouped into three broad categories: closed volume systems, open systems, and closed loop systems.…”

Section: Concept Optionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effluent treatment options for nuclear thermal propulsion system ground tests

Shipers¹,

Brockmann²

1993

AIP Conference Proceedings

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A variety of approaches for handling effluent from nuclear thermal propulsion system ground tests in an environmentally acceptable manner are discussed. The functional requirements of effluent treatment are defined and concept options are presented within the framework of these requirements. System concepts diflfer primarily in the choice of fission-product retention and waste handUng concepts. TTie concept options considered range from closed cycle (venting the exhaust to a closed volume or recirculating the hydrogen in a closed loop) to open cycle (real time processing and venting of the effluent). This paper reviews the strengths and weaknesses of different methods to handle effluent from nuclear thermal propulsion system ground tests.

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Section: Concept Optionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effluent treatment options for nuclear thermal propulsion system ground tests

Shipers¹,

Brockmann²

1993

AIP Conference Proceedings

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“…Previous studies 6,7 had examined the cost of building a containment test facility and of using the Subsurface Active Filtering of Exhaust (SAFE) method. As part of the NCSP, a study was performed to evaluate the costs of testing a NTR using the SAFE technique.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ground Testing a Nuclear Thermal Rocket: Design of a Sub-scale Demonstration Experiment

Bedsun¹,

Lee²,

Townsend³

et al. 2012

48th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference &Amp;amp; Exhibit

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In 2008, the NASA Mars Architecture Team found that the Nuclear Thermal Rocket (NTR) was the preferred propulsion system out of all the combinations of chemical propulsion, solar electric, nuclear electric, aerobrake, and NTR studied. Recently, the National Research Council committee reviewing the NASA Technology Roadmaps recommended the NTR as one of the top 16 technologies that should be pursued by NASA. One of the main issues with developing a NTR for future missions is the ability to economically test the full system on the ground. In the late 1990s, the Sub-surface Active Filtering of Exhaust (SAFE) concept was first proposed by Howe as a method to test NTRs at full power and full duration. The concept relied on firing the NTR into one of the test holes at the Nevada Test Site which had been constructed to test nuclear weapons. In 2011, the cost of testing a NTR and the cost of performing a proof of concept experiment were evaluated.

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High energy-density propulsion—reducing the risk to humans in planetary exploration

Howe¹

2001

Space Policy

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Planning for ground testing of nuclear rocket engines with today's environmental awareness

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Effluent treatment options for nuclear thermal propulsion system ground tests

Effluent treatment options for nuclear thermal propulsion system ground tests

Ground Testing a Nuclear Thermal Rocket: Design of a Sub-scale Demonstration Experiment

High energy-density propulsion—reducing the risk to humans in planetary exploration

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