SPACE-BASED NUCLEAR POWER PLANT Russian patent published in 1999 - IPC

FIELD: nuclear power engineering. SUBSTANCE: power plant has nuclear power reactor with core incorporating tubular fuel elements and heat insulation placed in metal can, modular thermionic generator in the form of stack of thermionic converter modules with high-temperature heat pipe whose evaporation zone is located in reactor core. Condensation zone of heat pipe accommodates thermionic converters with shaped intermediate-temperature heat pipes transmitting heat to radiating cooler built up of finned intermediate-temperature heat pipes. Some portion of core heat insulation is made of set of pyrographite crucibles inserted in each other and joined together by means of carbon pins so that low heat-conductivity axis is perpendicular to external surface of heat insulation. Condensation zone of high-temperature heat pipes is located in channels of fuel elements with guaranteed clearance of 2 to 5 mm; emitters of thermionic converters are joined with external wall of high- temperature heat pipe in condensation zone; their collectors are joined with shaped intermediate-temperature heat pipe without electric insulation. Electrode-to-electrode electric insulation on thermionic converters is, essentially, shunt made of stack of metal sleeves coaxial with electrodes of thermionic converters and bellows, all welded together; collectors and emitters of converters are made in the form of fitted-in taper bushings; spacer bushings made of emitter material are installed between emitter current lead and collector; bearings are pinned to bushings. EFFECT: enlarged service life and improved performance characteristics of space-based nuclear power plant. 1 dwg