SP100/closed Brayton cycle options for the lunar outpost consolidation and utilization phase stationary powerplants

Abstract

A study was conducted to examine the characteristics of lunar outpost power systems for the consolidation and utilization phases using closed Brayton cycle (CBC) power conversion and an SP100 nuclear reactor heat source. Three CBC system architectures using the baseline 2400 kWt SP100 reactor were examined: 1) the minimum specific mass CBC power conversion system mated to a single reactor, 2) the minimum mass, 825 kWe CBC power conversion system mated to a single reactor, and 3) an 825 kWe CBC power conversion system, using two SP100 reactors. A reliability assessment was also conducted to verify a minimum reliability of 0.977 for the power conversion unit for a 15‐year mission. The minimum specific mass was found to be 22.0 kg/kW at a total output power level of 550 kWe. This corresponds to a conversion efficiency of 23 percent. The 825 kWe, single reactor case had a specific mass of 27.2 kg/kW. The total mass of the 825 kWe, two reactor system was estimated to be approximately 4000 kg less than the mass of the 825 kWe, single reactor system.