METHOD FOR GROUND TESTING OF NUCLEAR ROCKET ENGINE WITH WATER AS WORKING MEDIUM AND UNIT FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION Russian patent published in 2023 - IPC G21C1/00 

FIELD: rocket engines.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a method for ground testing of a nuclear rocket engine with water as a working fluid. The method includes dividing a nuclear rocket engine into two units, a reactor and a gas generating unit, for installation in a bench, supplying gas to the reactor part from a connected bench hydrogen-oxygen burner, connecting a hydraulically reactor unit of a nuclear rocket engine with a gas generating unit along the coolant line of the cooldown system and along the line of the system supply of the working fluid to the turbopump unit, setting data through flow meters with the choice of the position of the bypass line flow regulator. Moreover, the gas flow through the nuclear reactor is provided, equal to the flow rate generated by the heat exchanger by the evaporator of the gas generating unit, with the coordinated operation of the reactor and gas generating units. The unit comprises of a reactor building containing an engine reactor assembly, a gas generating assembly, a control, information collection and processing system, a complex for supplying gas and water working fluids, a power supply system, gasification and working fluid supply systems. The reactor unit and the gas generating unit are configured for connection along the lines of the coolant and the supply of the working fluid to the turbopump unit, flow meters are installed in the bypass gas line, the gas outlet channel of the gas generator and the pipeline connecting the reactor unit and the bench gas generator.

EFFECT: creation of a method for non-nuclear ground tests with the possibility of measuring the parameters of nuclear rocket engines necessary for flight tests in space.

4 cl, 2 dwg