Closed cycle MHD power generation system driven by nuclear reactor for space exploration

Author

Harada, Nob ; Buttapeng, Chainarong

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., Nagoka Univ. of Technol., Nagaoka, Japan

fYear

2004

Firstpage

315

Abstract

For deep space explorations, we have to develop high-efficiency, high-reliability and high-performance electric power generation system. In this paper, a closed cycle magnetohydrodynamic (CCMHD) power generation system directly driven by a nuclear fission reactor (NFR) was proposed and investigated. Output electric power level is multi-MWe. Particularly, influence of the number of compressor stages, the regenerator efficiency and the radiator temperature on total plant efficiency and on specific mass (kg/kWe) was analyzed. Proposed system was expected to provide over 55% of total plant efficiency with the radiator temperature of 300 K. The estimated specific mass was about 2∼3 (kg/kWe) for 2 MWe output and 1∼2 (kg/kWe) for output power over 3 MWe level.

Keywords

fission reactors; magnetohydrodynamics; nuclear power stations; power generation reliability; 2 MW; 300 K; closed cycle MHD power generation system; magnetohydrodynamics; nuclear fission reactor; nuclear reactor; regenerator efficiency; space exploration; Fission reactors; Inductors; Magnetohydrodynamic power generation; Moon; Nuclear power generation; Power generation; Solar power generation; Space exploration; Temperature; Turbines;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

TENCON 2004. 2004 IEEE Region 10 Conference

Print_ISBN

0-7803-8560-8

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/TENCON.2004.1414770

Filename

1414770