URANIUM ARC FISSION REACTOR

URANIUM ARC TECHNOLOGY IS BEING DEVELOPED FOR SPACE NUCLEAR THERMAL AND ELCTRIC PROPULSION REACTORS WHERE THE ARC IS DRIVEN MAINLY BY FISSION ENERGY AND REQUIRES LITTLE ELECTRICAL ENERGY INPUT. IT OPERATES AT 10,000K, AND TRANSFERS ITS ENERGY TO THE PROPELLANT OR WORKING FLUID VIA OPTICAL RADIATOR. THE PROPULSION TURBOCHARGER OR AFTERBURNER CAN ELEVATE FLUID TEMPERATURES TO LEVELS ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF ANY MATERIAL (ABOVE 4000K), WHICH BRINGS VERY HIGH SPECIFIC IMPULSE PROPULSION OR ULTRAHIGH TEMPERATURE POWER CONVERSION. FOR SPACE POWER PLATFORMS, THE RESULTANT IMPROVED EFFICIENCY MEANS REDUCED AND EASIER WASTE HEAT REJECTION AND THUS A MORE COMPACT, LOWER MASS REACTOR DESIGN. THE TECHNOLOGY IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR MORE EFFICIENT AND SAFER GROUND-BASED ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION. A SPINOFF DEVELOPMENT IS THE TECHNOLOGY FOR HANDLING URANIUM AND ITS COMPOUNDS IN LIQUID AND VAPOR FORMS.