Annular nuclear fuel partition-cooled dual-mode space nuclear reactor and spacecraft

Abstract

This invention provides a dual-mode space nuclear reactor with annular nuclear fuel and partitioned cooling, as well as a spacecraft. The reactor is characterized by comprising an outer pressure vessel shell, an inner annular shell (10), and a nozzle (9). The annular nuclear fuel is placed within the inner annular shell (10) to form an independent annular internal flow channel (7) and an annular external space (3) for forming a cooling working fluid circulation loop. In the nuclear thermal propulsion mode, coolant enters the reactor core through the nuclear thermal inlet pipe (5) at the top of the reactor, flows through the annular internal flow channel (7) through the core, and is directly ejected from the nozzle (9) at the bottom of the core to generate thrust. In the nuclear electric propulsion mode, coolant flows in from the nuclear electric inlet pipe (1) at the top of the core. This invention solves the problem of simultaneous or time-sharing operation of both nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear electric propulsion modes. It enables simultaneous operation of both modes within a limited space, or the use of only one mode at a time, improving flexibility and reducing costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the aerospace field, and more particularly to space nuclear reactors and spacecraft. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing frequency of space activities, the demand for various space energy sources, including electricity and propulsion, is becoming increasingly urgent. Traditional chemical energy cannot meet the needs of long-term applications, solar energy and batteries cannot meet the needs of high-power applications, and electric propulsion, although highly efficient, has low thrust and cannot meet the needs of rapid maneuvering. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a dual-mode space energy system that can meet the needs of both electricity and propulsion.

[0003] Space nuclear-powered spacecraft are generally single-mode spacecraft, meaning they either use a nuclear reactor to generate electricity for the spacecraft's payload or for electric propulsion, or they use a nuclear reactor to directly heat and eject propellant to generate thrust. These two modes are not yet perfectly integrated for simultaneous or time-sharing use. Researching dual-mode space nuclear-powered spacecraft would allow them to use nuclear power when high-power electricity is needed, or nuclear electric propulsion for long-term, high-efficiency propulsion, while employing nuclear thermal propulsion for rapid, efficient maneuvers, thus improving efficiency. Such an approach could significantly improve the overall performance of space nuclear-powered spacecraft and reduce costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a dual-mode space nuclear-powered spacecraft with a ring-shaped nuclear fuel partition cooling system. It has a simple structure and low cost, and can help with the supply and application of high-power energy in space.

[0005] The objective of this invention is achieved as follows:

[0006] A dual-mode space nuclear reactor with zoned cooling of annular nuclear fuel is characterized by comprising an outer pressure vessel shell, an inner annular shell 10, and a nozzle 9. The annular nuclear fuel is placed within the inner annular shell 10 to form an independent annular internal flow channel 7 and an annular external space 3 for forming a cooling working fluid circulation loop. The cooling working fluid circulation loop flows independently in the inner and outer layers of the annular nuclear fuel. In the nuclear thermal propulsion mode, the coolant enters the reactor core through the nuclear thermal inlet pipe 5 at the top of the reactor, flows through the annular internal flow channel 7, is heated, and is directly ejected from the nozzle 9 at the bottom of the reactor core to generate thrust. In the nuclear electric propulsion mode, the coolant flows from the nuclear electric inlet pipe 1 at the top of the reactor core into the descending annular space, flows through the lower part of the reactor core, makes a 180° turn, flows through the annular external space 3 of the reactor core, is heated, and then flows out of the reactor through the nuclear electric outlet pipe 4 at the top of the reactor core to enter the power generation system to perform work.

[0007] Furthermore, the outer pressure vessel shell is composed of an upper hemisphere 6, a middle annular column structure 2, and a lower hemisphere 8. The chamber of the upper hemisphere 6, the annular nuclear fuel internal flow channel 7, the chamber of the lower hemisphere 8, and the nozzle 9 are fluidly connected, together forming the coolant flow channel for the nuclear thermal propulsion mode. The nuclear power inlet pipe 1, the descending annular channel, the annular nuclear fuel external space 3, the nuclear power outlet pipe 4, and the nozzle 9 are fluidly connected, together forming the coolant flow channel for the nuclear power propulsion mode. Thus, the coolant for the nuclear thermal propulsion mode and the coolant for the nuclear power mode belong to two independent circulation loops.

[0008] Furthermore, in the nuclear thermal propulsion mode, the cooling fluid of the coolant enters the chamber of the upper hemisphere 6 from the nuclear thermal inlet pipe 5, then flows into the chamber of the lower hemisphere 8 through the annular nuclear fuel center channel 7, and then flows into the nozzle 9, and is discharged from the reactor core to generate thrust.

[0009] Furthermore, in the nuclear power propulsion mode, the cooling working fluid first enters the descending annular channel through the nuclear power inlet pipe 1, then enters the annular nuclear fuel external space 3, and finally flows out of the reactor core through the upper nuclear power outlet pipe 4, entering the thermoelectric conversion device to generate electricity.

[0010] Furthermore, the annular nuclear fuel central channel 7 is multiple.

[0011] Furthermore, the central channel of the nuclear fuel 11 structure is an annular nuclear fuel central channel 7, which serves as a coolant flow channel for nuclear thermal propulsion. The annular region outside the annular nuclear fuel central channel 7 is the annular nuclear fuel 11, and the outer side of the annular nuclear fuel 11 is the annular nuclear fuel external space 3, which serves as a coolant flow channel for nuclear electric propulsion.

[0012] Furthermore, the fuel rods are arranged in an equilateral triangle pattern throughout the reactor core, filling the entire core, and connected to the outer pressure vessel shell of the reactor at the top and bottom, forming the reactor core structure.

[0013] Furthermore, the central region of its core structure is the core active region, which consists of dozens to hundreds of annular nuclear fuel elements.

[0014] Furthermore, the specific amount of fuel in a toroidal nuclear fuel element depends on the reactor's designed power output.

[0015] A spacecraft is characterized in that it has a ring-shaped nuclear fuel partition-cooled dual-mode space nuclear reactor at the head position according to any one of claims 1 to 9, a shadow-shaped radiation shielding structure 14 is provided behind the reactor and is connected to a long-distance extension mechanism 15 and a space nuclear-powered spacecraft platform 16 through a support truss 13, and an electric propulsion device 17 is installed at the rear of the space nuclear-powered spacecraft platform for the spacecraft to use for nuclear electric propulsion.

[0016] The annular nuclear fuel partition cooling dual-mode nuclear reactor structure design of the present invention solves the problem of nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear electric propulsion working together or in a time-sharing manner. It can realize both modes working simultaneously in a limited space, or use only one mode at a time, which improves flexibility and reduces costs.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: (1) The dual-mode nuclear reactor structure with annular nuclear fuel partition cooling of the present invention can effectively utilize the internal space, and can realize both direct nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear power generation or nuclear electric propulsion, greatly improving the efficiency of space energy utilization and increasing the flexibility of use; (2) The spacecraft platform and the nuclear thermal propulsion nozzle 9 of the present invention are located in opposite directions and do not interfere with each other; (3) The dual-mode nuclear reactor of the present invention can realize nuclear electric mode and nuclear thermal mode at the same time. In the dual mode, the nuclear fuel exchanges heat with different coolants inside and outside at the same time. In the single mode, if one coolant stops working, it will not have a significant impact on the operation of the other coolant; (4) The dual-mode nuclear reactor structure with annular nuclear fuel partition cooling is compact, simple in design, and flexible and convenient in application. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the annular nuclear fuel partition cooling dual-mode space nuclear reactor of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the annular nuclear fuel structure of the annular nuclear fuel partition-cooled dual-mode space nuclear reactor of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the core structure of the annular nuclear fuel partition cooling dual-mode space nuclear reactor of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the annular nuclear fuel partition cooling dual-mode nuclear-powered spacecraft of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0023] This invention provides a novel dual-mode space nuclear-powered spacecraft suitable for the space environment. The spacecraft employs a toroidal nuclear fuel-cooled dual-mode space nuclear reactor. The reactor uses toroidal nuclear fuel rods as the core active zone, with the inner and outer spaces of the toroidal nuclear fuel being isolated and unconnected. The internal flow of the toroidal nuclear fuel serves as the cooling medium for the nuclear thermal propulsion mode (generally liquid hydrogen or other media can be used), while the external flow of the toroidal nuclear fuel serves as the cooling medium for the nuclear electric propulsion mode (generally a He-Xe mixture can be used).

[0024] The reactor core coolant nuclear thermal inlet pipe 5 is an independent pipe, with separate pipes for both nuclear power mode and nuclear thermal propulsion mode. In nuclear thermal propulsion mode, coolant enters the reactor core through the nuclear thermal inlet pipe 5 at the top of the reactor, flows through the annular nuclear fuel internal flow channel 7, and after being heated, is directly ejected from the nozzle 9 at the bottom of the reactor core to generate thrust. In nuclear power propulsion mode, coolant flows into the descending annular space from the nuclear power inlet pipe 1 at the top of the reactor core, flows through the lower part of the reactor core, makes a 180° turn, then flows through the annular nuclear fuel external space 3, is heated, and exits the reactor through the nuclear power outlet pipe 4 at the top of the reactor core to enter the power generation system to perform work.

[0025] This invention achieves a perfect combination of the dual-mode use and time-sharing of nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear electric propulsion, and can be used in the design of dual-mode nuclear-powered spacecraft. It mainly involves the technical fields of nuclear reactor physics, thermal hydraulics, structure, and mechanical engineering.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the annular nuclear fuel partition-cooled dual-mode space nuclear reactor of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, the annular nuclear fuel partitioned cooling dual-mode space nuclear reactor (dual-mode core structure) of the present invention includes two independently flowing cooling working fluid circulation loops, inner and outer. Its main structure includes an outer pressure vessel shell, an inner annular shell 10, a nozzle 9, annular nuclear fuel, and upper and lower end support plates. The outer pressure vessel shell is composed of an upper hemisphere 6, a middle annular column structure 2, and a lower hemisphere 8. A nuclear heat inlet pipe 5 is provided on the upper hemisphere 6, and a nuclear power inlet pipe 1 and a nuclear power outlet pipe 4 are provided on the upper side of the middle annular column structure 2. The present invention uses annular nuclear fuel, which is placed inside the inner annular shell 10 to form an independent annular internal flow channel 7 and an annular external space 3. A descending annular channel is formed between the middle annular column structure 2 and the inner annular shell 10.

[0027] The upper structure of the outer pressure vessel shell is connected to the internal space of the annular nuclear fuel, together forming the coolant flow channel for the nuclear thermal propulsion mode. The outer pressure vessel shell and the inner annular shell 10 together form the coolant flow channel for the nuclear electric propulsion mode.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the toroidal nuclear fuel structure in the toroidal nuclear fuel partition-cooled dual-mode space nuclear reactor of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, the central channel of the annular nuclear fuel 11 structure of the dual-mode space reactor of the present invention is the annular nuclear fuel central channel 7, which can be used as a coolant flow channel for nuclear thermal propulsion. The annular region outside the annular nuclear fuel central channel 7 is the annular nuclear fuel 11, and the outer side of the annular nuclear fuel 11 is the annular nuclear fuel external space 3, which can be used as a coolant flow channel for nuclear electric propulsion.

[0029] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the core structure of the annular nuclear fuel partition-cooled dual-mode space nuclear reactor of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, in the dual-mode space reactor of this invention, the core fuel rods are arranged in an equilateral triangular pattern throughout the entire reactor core, filling the core completely. They are connected to the outer pressure vessel shell at the top and bottom, forming the reactor core structure. The central region of the reactor core structure is the core active zone, composed of dozens to hundreds of annular nuclear fuel elements. The annular nuclear fuel central channel 7 and the outer annular nuclear fuel external space 3 are independently isolated. The specific number of fuel elements depends on the reactor's design power. The core fuel rods are arranged in an equilateral triangular pattern, filling the core completely. The fuel rods are connected to the outer pressure vessel shell in the upper and lower directions.

[0030] The nuclear thermal inlet pipe 5, the chamber of the upper hemisphere 6, the annular nuclear fuel internal flow channel 7, the chamber of the lower hemisphere 8, and the nozzle 9 are fluidly connected, together forming the coolant flow channel for the nuclear thermal propulsion mode. The cooling fluid for the nuclear thermal propulsion mode enters the chamber of the upper hemisphere 6 from the nuclear thermal inlet pipe 5, and then flows through the annular nuclear fuel central channel 7 (Note: Figure 2 Only one central channel is clearly shown in the diagram, but it actually contains multiple annular channels. The fluid flows into the chamber of the lower hemisphere 8 of the reactor core, then into the nozzle 9, and is discharged from the reactor core to generate thrust. This loop is an open loop, directly connected to the external space, and can generally use liquid hydrogen or other working fluids.

[0031] The nuclear power inlet pipe 1, the descending annular channel, the annular nuclear fuel external space 3, the nuclear power outlet pipe 4, and the nozzle 9 are fluidly connected, together forming the coolant flow channel for the nuclear power propulsion mode. The coolant for the nuclear power propulsion mode first enters the descending annular channel through the nuclear power inlet pipe 1, then enters the annular nuclear fuel external space 3, and finally flows out of the reactor core through the upper nuclear power outlet pipe 4, entering the thermoelectric conversion unit to generate electricity. This loop is a closed-loop loop, not directly connected to the external space, and generally uses a He-Xe mixture.

[0032] The coolant for nuclear thermal propulsion mode and the coolant for nuclear power mode belong to two independent circulation loops. Only heat transfer occurs between them. They can work independently or in parallel, which improves the overall efficiency of nuclear-powered spacecraft and reduces the system mass.

[0033] The reactor core of this invention employs annular nuclear fuel elements, which are neatly arranged in an equilateral triangle pattern inside the core. The internal space of the annular nuclear fuel elements serves as a heat exchange channel for coolant flow in the nuclear thermal propulsion mode, while the external space 3 of the annular nuclear fuel elements serves as a heat exchange channel for coolant flow in the nuclear power mode. The upper and lower parts of the fuel elements are respectively connected to the upper and lower hemispherical spaces of the reactor core, forming two independent circulation loops for use in both nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear power modes.

[0034] The structure of the dual-mode space nuclear-powered spacecraft with annular nuclear fuel partition cooling according to the present invention mainly consists of three parts: nuclear reactor, extension mechanism, and spacecraft platform. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a spacecraft using the toroidal nuclear fuel partition cooling dual-mode space nuclear reactor of the present invention. Figure 4 As shown, a frustum-shaped radiation shielding structure 14 (as shown in the shaded area, trapezoidal in the side view and circular in the top view) is located behind the nuclear reactor. It is connected to the long-distance extension mechanism 15 and the space nuclear-powered spacecraft platform 16 via a supporting truss 13. An electric propulsion system 17 is installed behind the space nuclear-powered spacecraft platform for nuclear-electric propulsion. The nuclear reactor, the energy source of the nuclear-powered spacecraft, consists of a reactor core, the shaded shielding structure 14, and the supporting truss 13. The nuclear reactor and the long-distance extension mechanism 15 are connected via the supporting truss 13, and the long-distance extension mechanism 15 is connected to the spacecraft platform 16; together, they constitute the space nuclear-powered spacecraft. The propulsion system 17 is located on the spacecraft platform, responsible for providing propulsion power to the nuclear-powered spacecraft using the electrical energy generated by the nuclear reactor. It also includes a power system, a control system, and a communication system.

[0035] Furthermore, the nuclear thermal propulsion nozzle 9 is positioned directly below the reactor in the center, while the spacecraft is positioned above the reactor in the opposite direction to the nozzle, thus avoiding any impact on propulsion. When the nuclear-powered spacecraft is flying below the reactor, switching to nuclear thermal propulsion mode requires rotating the spacecraft 180° using the attitude control system, after which nuclear thermal propulsion can be activated.

[0036] Nuclear-powered spacecraft possess both electric and nuclear thermal propulsion capabilities. Since these two methods are positioned at opposite ends of the spacecraft, switching propulsion modes requires a 180° attitude control system rotation. When a nuclear-powered spacecraft has both high power supply and propulsion requirements, it can enter a dual-mode operation, generating electricity while simultaneously utilizing nuclear thermal propulsion for maneuvering.

[0037] Since the nuclear thermal propulsion engine and the nuclear electric propulsion equipment are located on opposite sides of the dual-mode space nuclear-powered spacecraft, they do not affect each other, and the two use independent circulation loops. Therefore, it has three working modes: nuclear thermal propulsion, nuclear electric propulsion, and power generation and nuclear thermal propulsion.

[0038] In summary, the annular nuclear fuel partitioned cooling dual-mode nuclear-powered spacecraft of this invention can achieve energy-efficient utilization, possessing four operating modes: nuclear thermal propulsion, nuclear electric propulsion, power generation, and a dual mode of power generation and nuclear thermal propulsion. It can perform flexible and varied space missions, fully utilizing the advantages of space nuclear power energy, significantly improving the efficiency of space nuclear-powered missions, and combining economy with high efficiency. Through a special core structure design, this invention enables simultaneous nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear power generation, and also has the capability to operate independently, significantly improving the utilization efficiency and effectiveness of space nuclear-powered spacecraft. The reactor design is simple, applicable to a wide range of missions, and has a large power range.

[0039] It should be noted that the above description is merely illustrative and explanatory of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that any modifications and substitutions to the present invention fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A toroidal nuclear fuel partitioned-cooled dual-mode space nuclear reactor characterized by, It includes an outer pressure vessel shell, an inner annular shell (10), and a nozzle (9). The annular nuclear fuel is placed in the inner annular shell (10) to form an independent annular nuclear fuel internal flow channel (7) and an annular nuclear fuel external space (3) to form a cooling working fluid circulation loop. The cooling working fluid circulation loop flows independently in the inner and outer layers of the annular nuclear fuel. In the nuclear thermal propulsion mode, the coolant enters the reactor core through the nuclear thermal inlet pipe (5) at the top of the reactor, flows through the annular nuclear fuel internal flow channel (7) through the reactor core and is heated, and is directly ejected from the nozzle (9) at the bottom of the reactor core to generate thrust. In the nuclear electric propulsion mode, the coolant flows into the descending ring space from the nuclear electric inlet pipe (1) at the top of the reactor core, flows through the lower part of the reactor core and makes a 180° turn, then flows through the annular nuclear fuel external space (3) of the reactor core and is heated, and flows out of the reactor from the nuclear electric outlet pipe (4) at the top of the reactor core to enter the power generation system to do work. The outer pressure vessel shell is composed of an upper hemisphere (6), a middle annular column structure (2), and a lower hemisphere (8). The chamber of the upper hemisphere (6), the annular nuclear fuel internal flow channel (7), the chamber of the lower hemisphere (8), and the nozzle (9) are fluidly connected and together constitute the coolant flow channel for the nuclear thermal propulsion mode. The nuclear power inlet pipe (1), the descending annular channel, the annular nuclear fuel external space (3), the nuclear power outlet pipe (4), and the nozzle (9) are fluidly connected and together constitute the coolant flow channel for the nuclear power propulsion mode. Thus, the coolant for the nuclear thermal propulsion mode and the coolant for the nuclear power mode belong to two independent circulation loops. In the nuclear thermal propulsion mode, the cooling fluid of the coolant enters the chamber of the upper hemisphere (6) from the nuclear thermal inlet pipe (5), then flows into the chamber of the lower hemisphere (8) through the annular nuclear fuel internal flow channel (7) and then flows into the nozzle (9) to be discharged from the reactor core to generate thrust. In the nuclear power propulsion mode, the cooling working fluid first enters the descending annular channel through the nuclear power inlet pipe (1), then enters the annular nuclear fuel external space (3), and finally flows out of the reactor core through the upper nuclear power outlet pipe (4) and enters the thermoelectric conversion device to generate electricity; The annular nuclear fuel internal flow channel (7) is multiple; The central channel of the nuclear fuel (11) structure is an annular internal flow channel (7), which serves as a flow channel for the coolant used in nuclear thermal propulsion. The annular region outside the annular internal flow channel (7) is the annular nuclear fuel (11), and the outer side of the annular nuclear fuel (11) is the annular external space (3), which serves as a flow channel for the coolant used in nuclear electric propulsion.

2. The toroidal nuclear fuel partitioned-cooled dual-mode spatial nuclear reactor of claim 1, wherein, The fuel rods are arranged in an equilateral triangle pattern inside the entire reactor core, filling the core completely. They are connected to the outer pressure vessel shell of the reactor at the top and bottom, forming the reactor core structure.

3. The annular nuclear fuel partition-cooled dual-mode space nuclear reactor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central region of its core structure is the core active region, which consists of dozens to hundreds of annular nuclear fuel elements.

4. The annular nuclear fuel partitioned cooling dual-mode space nuclear reactor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The specific amount of fuel in a toroidal nuclear fuel element depends on the reactor's designed power output.

5. A spacecraft, characterized in that, It has a ring-shaped nuclear fuel partition cooling dual-mode space nuclear reactor at the head position according to any one of claims 1 to 4, a shadow-shaped radiation shielding structure (14) is provided behind the reactor, and is connected to the long-distance extension mechanism (15) and the space nuclear-powered spacecraft platform (16) through the support truss (13). An electric propulsion device (17) is installed at the rear of the space nuclear-powered spacecraft platform for the spacecraft to use for nuclear electric propulsion.

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