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Romashka Reactor
The Romashka reactor () was a Soviet experimental nuclear reactor. It began operation in 1964, and was developed by the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy. The reactor used direct thermoelectric conversion to create electricity, rather than heating water to drive a turbine. It is thus similar to a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, but higher power. The Romashka reactor was developed with the intention of using nuclear power in space satellites, but was superseded by the more powerful BES-5 reactor. The project was canceled after the death of Sergei Korolev, who was heavily involved in the project. Reactor design The fuel was of highly enriched uranium (90% ) in the form of UC2 (uranium carbide). A beryllium reflector was used on the ends of the reactor, and electricity was generated using silicon-germanium semiconductors. The Romashka reactor didn't use liquid coolant; it was designed to be simple, compact, and light. Temperature was self-regulated through the use of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator
A radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG, RITEG), or radioisotope power system (RPS), is a type of nuclear battery that uses an array of thermocouples to convert the Decay heat, heat released by the decay of a suitable radioactive material into electricity by the Seebeck effect. This type of Electricity generation, generator has no moving parts and is ideal for deployment in remote and harsh environments for extended periods with no risk of parts wearing out or malfunctioning. RTGs are usually the most desirable power source for unmaintained situations that need a few hundred watts (or less) of power for durations too long for fuel cells, batteries, or generators to provide economically, and in places where solar cells are not practical. RTGs have been used as power sources in satellites, space probes, and uncrewed remote facilities such as a series of lighthouses built by the Soviet Union inside the Arctic Circle. However, the Western Bloc did not use RTGs in this way due to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kurchatov Institute
The Kurchatov Institute (, National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute") is Russia's leading research and development institution in the field of nuclear power, nuclear energy. It is named after Igor Kurchatov and is located at 1 Kurchatov Square, Moscow. In the Soviet Union it was known as I. V. Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy (), abbreviated KIAE (). Between 1991 and 2010, it was known as the Russian Scientific Centre "Kurchatov Institute" () before its name was changed to National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute". History Until 1955 known under a secret name "Laboratory No. 2 of the USSR Academy of Sciences", the Kurchatov Institute was founded in 1943 with the initial purpose of developing nuclear weapons. The majority of Soviet nuclear reactors were designed in the institute, including the on-site F-1 (nuclear reactor), F-1, which was the first nuclear reactor outside North America to sustain criticality. Since 1955, it was also the host for major scien ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nuclear Power In Space
Nuclear power in space is the use of nuclear power in outer space, typically either small nuclear fission, fission systems or radioactive decay for electricity or heat. Another use is for scientific observation, as in a Mössbauer spectrometer. The most common type is a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, which has been used on many space probes and on crewed lunar missions. Small fission reactors for Earth observation satellites, such as the TOPAZ nuclear reactor, have also been flown. A radioisotope heater unit is powered by radioactive decay and can keep components from becoming too cold to function, potentially over a span of decades. The United States tested the SNAP-10A nuclear reactor in space for 43 days in 1965, with the next test of a nuclear reactor power system intended for space use occurring on 13 September 2012 with the Demonstration Using Flattop Fission (DUFF) test of the Kilopower reactor. After a ground-based test of the experimental 1965 Romashka reactor, w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
TOPAZ Nuclear Reactor
The TOPAZ nuclear reactor is a lightweight nuclear reactor developed for long term space use by the Soviet Union. Cooled by liquid metal, it uses a high-temperature moderator containing hydrogen and highly enriched fuel and produces electricity using a thermionic converter. Nomenclature In initial discussions, it was unclear that TOPAZ and the somewhat similar YENISEI reactors were different systems, and when the existence of the two Russian thermionic reactors became generally known, US personnel began referring to TOPAZ as TOPAZ-I and YENISEI as TOPAZ-II. TOPAZ-I The first thermionic converter reactors were discussed by scientists at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) in 1957. Following the visit of Soviet scientists to LASL in 1958, they carried out tests on TI systems in 1961, initially developing the single cell ENISY reactor (also known as TOPAZ-II). Work was carried out by the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy and the Central Bureau for Machine Building to de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SNAP-10A
SNAP-10A (Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power, aka Snapshot for Space Nuclear Auxiliary Power Shot, also known as OPS 4682) was a US experimental nuclear powered satellite launched into space in 1965 as part of the SNAPSHOT program.SNAPSHOT NASA Glenn Research Center, March 20, 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2019. Gunther's Space Page. Retrieved 3 April 2019. The test marked both the world's first operation of a nuclear reactor in orbit, [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of Nuclear Power Systems In Space
This list of nuclear power systems in space includes nuclear power systems that were flown to space, or at least launched in an attempt to reach space. Such used nuclear power systems include: * radioisotope heater units (RHU) (usually produce heat by spontaneous decay of ) * radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG) (usually produce heat by spontaneous decay of and convert it to electricity using a thermoelectric generator) * miniaturized fission reactors (usually produce heat by controlled fission of highly enriched and convert it to electricity using a thermionic converter) Systems never launched are not included here, see Nuclear power in space. Initial total power is provided as either electrical power (We) or thermal power (Wt), depending on the intended application. See also * Outer Space Treaty * List of high-altitude nuclear explosions *Nuclear power in space * List of artificial radiation belts * :Nuclear-powered robots References {{DEFAULTSORT:Nucl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Critical Mass
In nuclear engineering, critical mass is the minimum mass of the fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction in a particular setup. The critical mass of a fissionable material depends upon its nuclear properties (specifically, its nuclear fission cross-section), density, shape, enrichment, purity, temperature, and surroundings. It is an important parameter of a nuclear reactor core or nuclear weapon. The concept is important in nuclear weapon design. Critical size is the minimum size of the fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction in a particular setup. If the size of the reactor core is less than a certain minimum, too many fission neutrons escape through its surface and the chain reaction is not sustained. Criticality When a nuclear chain reaction in a mass of fissile material is self-sustaining but not growing, the mass is said to be in a critical state, in which there is no increase or decrease in power, temperature, or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fuel Temperature Coefficient Of Reactivity
Fuel temperature coefficient of reactivity is the change in reactivity of the nuclear fuel per degree change in the fuel temperature. The coefficient quantifies the amount of neutrons that the nuclear fuel (such as uranium-238) absorbs from the fission process as the fuel temperature increases. It is a measure of the stability of the reactor operations. This coefficient is also known as the Doppler coefficient due to the contribution of Doppler broadening, which is the dominant effect in thermal systems. Contributing effects Doppler broadening Increased thermal motion of atoms within the fuel results in a broadening of resonance capture cross-section peaks, resulting in an increased neutron capture rate in the non-fissile portions of the fuel, resulting in an overall reduction of neutron flux.https://www.nuclear-power.com/glossary/doppler-broadening/ Thermal expansion Thermal expansion of the fuel at higher temperatures results in a lower density which reduces the likeliho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World Nuclear Association
World Nuclear Association is the international organization that promotes nuclear power and supports the companies that comprise the global nuclear industry. Its members come from all parts of the nuclear fuel cycle, including uranium mining, uranium conversion, uranium enrichment, nuclear fuel fabrication, plant manufacture, transport, and the disposal of used nuclear fuel, as well as electricity generation itself. Together, World Nuclear Association members are responsible for 70% of the world's nuclear power as well as the vast majority of world uranium, conversion and enrichment production. The Association says it aims to fulfill a dual role for its members: facilitating their interaction on technical, commercial and policy matters, and promoting wider public understanding of nuclear technology. It has a secretariat of around 30 staff. The Association was founded in 2001 on the basis of the Uranium Institute, itself founded in 1975. Membership World Nuclear Association ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beryllium
Beryllium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Be and atomic number 4. It is a steel-gray, hard, strong, lightweight and brittle alkaline earth metal. It is a divalent element that occurs naturally only in combination with other elements to form minerals. Gemstones high in beryllium include beryl (Aquamarine (gemstone), aquamarine, emerald, red beryl) and chrysoberyl. It is a Abundance of the chemical elements#Universe, relatively rare element in the universe, usually occurring as a product of the spallation of larger atomic nuclei that have collided with cosmic rays. Within the cores of stars, beryllium is depleted as it is fused into heavier elements. Beryllium constitutes about 0.0004 percent by mass of Earth's crust. The world's annual beryllium production of 220 tons is usually manufactured by extraction from the mineral beryl, a difficult process because beryllium bonds strongly to oxygen. In structural applications, the combination of high flexural ri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Uranium Carbide
Uranium carbide, a carbide of uranium, is a hard refractory ceramic material. It comes in several stoichiometries (''x'' differs in ), such as uranium methanide (UC, CAS number 12070-09-6), uranium sesquicarbide (U2C3, CAS number 12076-62-9), and uranium acetylide (UC2, CAS number 12071-33-9). Like uranium dioxide and some other uranium compounds, uranium carbide can be used as a nuclear fuel for nuclear reactors, usually in the form of pellets or tablets. Uranium carbide fuel was used in late designs of nuclear thermal rockets. Uranium carbide pellets are used as fuel kernels for the US version of pebble bed reactors; the German version uses uranium dioxide instead. As nuclear fuel, uranium carbide can be used either on its own, or mixed with plutonium carbide (PuC and Pu2C3). The mixture is also labeled as uranium-plutonium carbide ( (U,Pu)C ). Uranium carbide is also a popular target material for particle accelerators. Ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic chemical compo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
