Gaseous Fuel Reactor Research

Abstract

Gaseous Fuel Nuclear Reactors are externally moderated and contain the fissile material inside a cavity where it is suspended by fluid mechanics forces. The gaseous phase of the nuclear fuel permits operation of the reactor at temperatures much higher than the melting point of all materials. NASA has originally supported relevant research for space propulsion. The continuation of this work includes now research on power generation on Earth for improved economy and environmental acceptability. In reactor experiments with enriched uranium hexafluoride, UF6, a critical mass of 6 kg is determined. Pressurized UF6 remains chemically stable at temperatures up to 2000 kelvins. The interaction of fission fragments with their gaseous environment causes preferential excitation and ionization, leading to non-equilibrium optical radiation. Powerful fluxes of photons are expected to become a superior mechanism of energy extraction from the fissioning gas or plasma in the reactor. The pumping of lasers solely by fission fragments is realized in a variety of lasants. A near term objective of the NASA gaseous fuel reactor program is a benchmark experiment at 100 kw power and at a gas temperature of 1600 kelvins, demonstrating the feasibility of major advances in reactor technology. A concerted research effort is leading to this experiment. A plasma core cavity reactor for high specific impulse propulsion in space reminas a long range goal.