The Feasibility of a Storable Propellant Turbine/High-Speed Alternator as a Compact Short-Life Power System for Hardened Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Installations.

摘要

Power systems for use in Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) installations must satisfy unusual requirements. The most significant of these are that the power system must not be adversely affected by strong pressure perturbations in the atmosphere, it must be small and lightweight since volume inside a BMD building is very expensive, and it must reliably fulfill the specified mission. Unfortunately, adaptation of conventional diesel and gas turbine power systems to meet these requirements is expensive. This report describes and technically evaluates a turboalternator power system which is uniquely suited for the BMD mission. This power system consists of an alternator driven by a small turbine which is powered by gaseous products from the decomposition of a single, stored liquid fuel. The system does not consume air from the atmosphere, nor does it require an external cooling system or heat sink. These characteristics give the turboalternator significant advantages which may lead to substantial cost savings over conventional diesel and gas turbine power systems when short operating times are required.