NASA LogoNTRSNTRS - NASA Technical Reports ServerSearchmore_vertCollectionsAboutNewsHelpLogin Back to ResultsFission Surface Power Technology Demonstration Unit Test ResultsThe Fission Surface Power (FSP) Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU) is a system-level demonstration of fission power technology intended for use on manned missions to Mars. The Baseline FSP systems consists of a 190 kWt UO2 fast-spectrum reactor cooled by a primary pumped liquid metal loop. This liquid metal loop transfers heat to two intermediate liquid metal loops designed to isolate fission products in the primary loop from the balance of plant. The intermediate liquid metal loops transfer heat to four Stirling Power Conversion Units (PCU), each of which produce 12 kWe (48 kW total) and reject waste heat to two pumped water loops, which transfer the waste heat to titanium-water heat pipe radiators. The FSP TDU simulates a single leg of the baseline FSP system using an electrically heater core simulator, a single liquid metal loop, a single PCU, and a pumped water loop which rejects the waste heat to a Facility Cooling System (FCS). When operated at the nominal operating conditions (modified for low liquid metal flow) during TDU testing the PCU produced 8.9 kW of power at an efficiency of 21.7 percent resulting in a net system power of 8.1 kW and a system level efficiency of 17.2 percent. The reduction in PCU power from levels seen during electrically heated testing is the result of insufficient heat transfer from the NaK heater head to the Stirling acceptor, which could not be tested at Sunpower prior to delivery to the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). The maximum PCU power of 10.4 kW was achieved at the maximum liquid metal temperature of 875 K, minimum water temperature of 350 K, 1.1 kg/s liquid metal flow, 0.39 kg/s water flow, and 15.0 mm amplitude at an efficiency of 23.3 percent. This resulted in a system net power of 9.7 kW and a system efficiency of 18.7 percent.Document ID20160014880Acquisition SourceGlenn Research CenterDocument TypeTechnical Memorandum (TM)AuthorsBriggs, Maxwell H.*(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)*Gibson, Marc A.*(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)*Geng, Steven M.*(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)*Sanzi, James L.*(Vantage Partners, LLC Brook Park, OH, United States)*Date AcquiredDecember 29, 2016Publication DateDecember 1, 2016Subject CategoryEngineering (General)Report/Patent NumberGRC-E-DAA-TN34744E-19290NASA/TM-2016-219382AIAA Paper 2016-5012Meeting InformationMeeting: International Energy Conversions Engineering Conference (IECEC)Location: Salt Lake City, UTCountry: United StatesStart Date: July 25, 2016End Date: July 27, 2016Sponsors:American Inst. of Aeronautics and AstronauticsFunding Number(s)CONTRACT_GRANT: NNC12BA01BWBS: WBS 887359.04.01.04.03Distribution LimitsPublicCopyrightPublic Use Permitted.KeywordsFacility Cooling Systemfission power technologyStirling Power Conversion UnitsFission Surface Power Technology Demonstration UnitAvailable DownloadsNameType20160014880.pdfSTIcloud_downloadcontent_copyvisibilityRelated RecordsIDRelationTitle20170000949See AlsoFission Surface Power Technology Demonstration Unit Test Resultsvisibility_offNo Preview Available
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