Patent Number: 041475909
Section: summary

This invention relates to nuclear propulsion apparatus and more particularly to nuclear propulsion apparatus utilizing a fast nuclear fission reactor as a source of heat in a turbojet engine. It has long been the desire of workers in the fields of modern aircraft jet engines and nuclear power to find some practical way of combining a nuclear power source with jet propulsion apparatus to make most effective use of both techniques and bring about a practical application of these areas of technology. Efforts have been made in the past to design turbojet engines which utilize nuclear fission reactors in the place of the combustion chamber as a source of heat. Unfortunately, these efforts have resulted in designs in which the engines were excessively heavy or occupied excessive volumes, especially when it came to meeting shielding requirements, and in which the control systems did not have the degree of reliability which one would like to have in aircraft engines. A variety of other problems, as well, have not heretofore been adequately dealt with in prior designs, so that efforts have been continuing to obtain a safe, reliable economic and practical system combining the turbojet and the nuclear power source. The present invention overcomes many of these difficulties to an extent not heretofore obtainable nor believed by some to be realizable in the present state of the art. By combining a counterflow type of turbojet power plant utilizing a partial by-pass of the turbine to make use of recently developed high temperature materials, and combining in unique fashion an improved fast reactor design embodying special core and support arrangement it has been made possible by this invention to obtain a nuclear powered jet propulsion apparatus of reduced weight and volume, increased reliability and economy, and capable of increased length of lift and safety. It is thus a first object of this invention to provide a turbojet engine utilizing a nuclear power source. It is another object of this invention to provide an improved turbojet engine using a nuclear fission reactor of reduced weight and volume. A further object is an improved support arrangement for a compact fast-neutron reactor. It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved cooling arrangement for a fast reactor designed for use in aircraft propulsion apparatus. Still another object of this invention is compact nuclear propulsion apparatus of improved reliability and safety.