Production of general purpose heat source (GPHS) using advanced manufacturing methods

Abstract

Mankind will continue to explore the stars through the use of unmanned space craft until the technology and costs are compatible with sending travelers to the outer planets of our solar system and beyond. Unmanned probes of the present and future will be necessary to develop the necessary technologies and obtain information that will make this travel possible. Because of the significant costs incurred, the use of modern manufacturing technologies must be used to lower the investment needed even when shared by international partnerships. For over the last 30 years, radioisotopes have provided the heat from which electrical power is extracted. Electric power for future spacecraft will be provided by either Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTG), Radioisotopic Thermophotovoltaic systems (RTPV), radioisotope Stirling systems, or a combination of these. All of these systems will be thermally driven by General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) fueled clad in some configuration. The GPHS clad contains a 238PuO2 pellet encapsulated in an iridium alloy container. Historically, the fabrication of the iridium alloy shells has been performed at EG&G Mound and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and girth welding at Westinghouse Savannah River Corporation (WSRC) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). This paper will describe the use of laser processing for welding, drilling, cutting, and machining with other manufacturing methods to reduce the costs of producing GPHS fueled clad components and completed assemblies. Incorporation of new quality technologies will compliment these manufacturing methods to reduce cost.