AN INNOVATIVE CESIUM SUPPLY FOR HYBRID THERMIONIC REACTORS

RECENTLY PROPOSED HYBRID THERMIONIC NUCLEAR SPACE POWER SYSEMS HAVE BEEN GIVEN MUCH ATTENTION DUE TO THE BENEFITS OF THE DUAL MODE OF OPERATION. A HYBRID REACTOR SYSTEM CAN PROVIDE ELECTRIC POWER FOR ON-BOARD REQUIREMENTS THROUGH THE THERMIONIC CONVERTERS AS WELL AS PROPULSION THROUGH DIRECT IN-CORE THERMAL HEATING OF HYDROGEN. THIS CONCEPT IMPROVES CAPABILITIES OF FUTURE SPACE MISSIONS, BUT PLACES NEW REQUIREMENTS ON THE THERMIONIC CONVERTERSAND THEIR COMPONENTS INCLUDING THE CESIUM SUPPLY RESERVOIRS. IN THE PROPULSION MODE OF OPERATION SIGNIFICANT QUANTITIES OF HYDROGEN PERMEATE INTO THE INTERELECTRODE GAP OF THE CONVERTERS. THE CESIUM SOURCE FOR THE CONVERTERS MUST EFFECTIVELY REMOVE THIS GAS FROM THE THE RELECTRODE GAP. THE PHASE I PROGRAM OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP AN INNOVATIVE CESIUM SOURCE THAT IS ABLE TO CONTINUOUSLY SWEEP LARGE QUANTITIES OF CONTAMINANT GASSES FROM THE INTERELECTRODE GAP AND THAT PROVIDES IMPROVED CESIUM VAPOR CONTROL OVER CURRENT CESIUM SOURCES FOR THERMIONIC CONVERTERS.