Design analysis and risk assessment for a single stage to orbit nuclear thermal rocket

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dc.contributor.advisorKing, Jeffrey C.
dc.contributor.authorLabib, Satira I.
dc.contributor.committeememberHowe, Steven D.
dc.contributor.committeememberBraley, Jenifer C.
dc.date.accessioned2007-01-03T06:05:44Z
dc.date.accessioned2022-02-09T08:55:38Z
dc.date.available2007-01-03T06:05:44Z
dc.date.available2022-02-09T08:55:38Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.date.submitted2014
dc.description2014 Spring.
dc.descriptionIncludes illustrations (some color).
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.
dc.description.abstractRecent advances in high power density fuel materials have renewed interest in nuclear thermal rockets (NTRs) as a viable propulsion technology for future space exploration. This thesis describes the design of three NTR reactor engines designed for the single stage to orbit launch of payloads from 1-15 metric tons. Thermal hydraulic and rocket engine analyses indicate that the proposed rocket engines are able to reach specific impulses in excess of 700 seconds. Neutronics analyses performed using MCNP5 demonstrate that the hot excess reactivity, shutdown margin, and submersion criticality requirements are satisfied for each NTR reactor. The reactors each consist of a 40 cm diameter core packed with hexagonal tungsten cermet fuel elements. The core is surrounded by radial and axial beryllium reflectors and eight boron carbide control drums. At the same power level, the 40 cm reactor results in the lowest radiation dose rate of the three reactors. Radiation dose rates decrease to background levels ~3.5 km from the launch site. After a one-year decay time, all of the activated materials produced by an NTR launch would be classified as Class A low-level waste. The activation of air produces significant amounts of argon-41 and nitrogen-16 within 100 m of the launch. The derived air concentration, DAC, from the activation products decays to less than unity within two days, with only argon-41 remaining. After 10 minutes of full power operation the 120 cm core corresponding to a 15 MT payload contains 2.5 x 10[superscript 13], 1.4 x 10[superscript 12], 1.5 x 10[superscript 12], and 7.8 x 10[superscript 7] Bq of [superscript 131]I, [superscript 137]Cs, [superscript 90]Sr, and [superscript 239]Pu respectively. The decay heat after shutdown increases with increasing reactor power with a maximum decay heat of 108 kW immediately after shutdown for the 15 MT payload.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifierT 7418
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11124/12289
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library
dc.relation.ispartof2010-2019 - Mines Theses & Dissertations
dc.rightsCopyright of the original work is retained by the author.
dc.subjectNTR
dc.subjectspace exploration
dc.subjectnuclear thermal rocket
dc.subjectnuclear propulsion
dc.subjectnuclear
dc.subject.lcshNuclear rockets
dc.subject.lcshNuclear rockets -- Risk assessment
dc.subject.lcshNuclear rockets -- Design
dc.subject.lcshNuclear propulsion
dc.subject.lcshPropellants
dc.subject.lcshNuclear reactors
dc.titleDesign analysis and risk assessment for a single stage to orbit nuclear thermal rocket
dc.typeText
dspace.entity.typePublication
thesis.degree.disciplineMetallurgical and Materials Engineering
thesis.degree.grantorColorado School of Mines
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (M.S.)
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