Multimegawatt NEP with Vapor Core Reactor MHD

摘要

Efforts at the Innovative Nuclear Space Power and Propulsion Institute have assessed the feasibility of combining gaseous or vapor core reactors with magnetohydrodynamic power generators to provide extremely high quality, high density, and low specific mass electrical power for space applications. Innovative shielding strategies are employed to maintain an effective but relatively low mass shield, which is the most dominating part of multi-megawatt space power systems. The fission driven magnetohydrodynamic generator produces tens of kilowatt DC power at specific mass of less than 0.5 kg/kW for the total power system. The MHD output with minor conditioning is coupled to magnetoplasmadynamic thruster to achieve an overall NEP system specific mass of less than 1.0 kg/kW for power levels above 20 MWe. Few other concepts would allow comparable ensuing payload savings and flexible mission abort options for manned flights to Mars for example.