Nuclear electric turbojet propulsion system

Abstract

The application provides a nuclear energy electric supercharged jet propulsion system and belongs to the field of aviation power. The nuclear power propulsion system of the traditional turbine engine type solves the problems that the working processes of a compressor and a turbine influence each other, the matching of the compressor and the turbine is relatively difficult, the performance of the propulsion system under variable working conditions is poor, and the arrangement of a heat exchanger in a closed cycle nuclear power system is relatively complex and the flow resistance of the heat exchanger is relatively large. The nuclear energy electric supercharged jet propulsion system comprises a regenerator, a cold end inlet connected with an outlet of a helium-xenon compressor, a cold end outlet connected with a cold end inlet of a heater, a hot end outlet of a first heat exchanger connected with a hot end inlet of a fuel heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a hot end inlet of the second heat exchanger connected with a circulating working medium outlet of a reactor system, a fuel tank, a discharge port of the fuel tank connected with the cold end inlet of the fuel heat exchanger through a fuel valve, and an engine shell, wherein air from the compressor outlet flows through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger in sequence. The nuclear energy electric supercharged jet propulsion system is mainly used for the propulsion system of aviation equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aviation power, and in particular relates to a nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system. Background Technology

[0002] Air-breathing nuclear propulsion systems offer advantages such as high thrust, high specific impulse, long lifespan, and re-startability. They are used in high-altitude, high-speed aircraft and long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), significantly enhancing their flight performance and mission capabilities. Currently, closed-cycle nuclear propulsion systems utilize a coolant to remove heat generated by nuclear fission and transfer it to the propulsion system via a heat exchanger, thus generating thrust. Air intake into the engine is compressed by a compressor, and the compressed air exchanges heat with the heat exchanger, while the reactor exchanges heat with a closed liquid metal loop. Therefore, the reactor core is not directly exposed to outside air, possessing a high radioactivity tolerance and eliminating the risk of nuclear fuel and radioactive material leakage.

[0003] In traditional turbine-driven nuclear propulsion systems, the compressor and turbine interact with each other, making matching difficult and resulting in poor performance under varying operating conditions and low system efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose a nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system to solve the problems of the mutual influence between the compressor and turbine in the operation process of traditional turbine-driven nuclear propulsion systems, the difficulty in matching the two, resulting in poor performance of the propulsion system under varying operating conditions, and the complex heat exchanger arrangement and large flow resistance in closed-cycle nuclear power systems.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system, comprising:

[0006] The regenerator has its cold-end inlet connected to the outlet of the helium-xenon compressor, its cold-end outlet connected to the cold-end inlet of the heater, the cold-end outlet of the heater connected to the inlet of the helium-xenon turbine, the outlet of the helium-xenon turbine connected to the hot-end inlet of the regenerator, the hot-end outlet of the regenerator connected to the hot-end inlet of the first heat exchanger, the hot-end outlet of the first heat exchanger connected to the hot-end inlet of the fuel oil heat exchanger, and the hot-end outlet of the fuel oil heat exchanger connected to the inlet of the helium-xenon compressor.

[0007] The second heat exchanger has a hot end inlet connected to the circulating working fluid outlet of the reactor system, a hot end outlet connected to the hot end inlet of the heater, and the hot end outlet of the heater connected to the circulating working fluid inlet of the reactor system.

[0008] The fuel storage tank has its outlet connected to the cold end inlet of the fuel heat exchanger via a fuel valve, and the cold end outlet of the fuel heat exchanger is connected to the combustion chamber inlet.

[0009] The engine casing has a compressor and a high-speed motor connected to each other on the side near the intake manifold. The first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are both located inside the engine casing on the side away from the intake manifold, and the air from the compressor outlet flows through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger in sequence.

[0010] Furthermore, the helium-xenon compressor, helium-xenon turbine, and generator are arranged coaxially, the generator is electrically connected to a high-speed motor, and the generator has both motor and engine modes.

[0011] Furthermore, the regenerator, heater, and fuel oil heat exchanger are all printed circuit board type microchannel heat exchangers.

[0012] Furthermore, the reactor system includes a reactor that uses highly enriched uranium oxide as fuel and has an energy spectrum of fast neutrons or thermal neutrons, and is located in the aircraft cabin near the center of lift.

[0013] Furthermore, the heat exchange medium of the reactor is a liquid metal with a high thermal conductivity.

[0014] Furthermore, the high-speed motor is installed inside the compressor.

[0015] Furthermore, both the first and second heat exchangers are indirect heat exchangers.

[0016] Furthermore, the side of the engine casing away from the air intake is connected to the nozzle via the combustion chamber.

[0017] Furthermore, the nozzle is a Laval nozzle with adjustable geometry.

[0018] Furthermore, a movable intake center cone is provided inside the intake duct of the engine housing, the intake center cone being constricted along the axial direction and its front body extending outside the engine housing.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0020] 1. This propulsion system eliminates the mutual influence between the compressor and turbine by adopting a closed-loop and electric supercharging design, thereby improving system efficiency. Furthermore, the closed-loop liquid metal circuit avoids the risk of leakage of nuclear fuel and radioactive materials, significantly enhancing the safety of the system.

[0021] 2. This propulsion system integrates a helium-xenon closed-loop Brayton cycle power generation system and a high thermal conductivity liquid metal heat exchanger. Through the design of a multi-stage cooler and a high-efficiency heater, the system achieves efficient heat exchange and energy utilization, significantly improving the system's performance.

[0022] 3. This propulsion system can move back and forth through the central cone of the air intake to adapt to the flight requirements from zero speed on the ground to high Mach number cruise at high altitude. At the same time, the system has high thrust and efficiency when operating at high Mach number at high altitude, making it particularly suitable for high-altitude high-speed aircraft and long-endurance UAVs. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system according to the present invention.

[0025] 1. Regenerator; 2. Helium-xenon compressor; 3. Generator; 4. Helium-xenon turbine; 5. Heater; 6. Fuel tank; 7. Fuel valve; 8. Fuel heat exchanger; 9. Control rod; 10. Reactor; 11. Pressure vessel; 12. Inlet center cone; 13. Engine casing; 14. Compressor; 15. High-speed motor; 16. First heat exchanger; 17. Second heat exchanger; 18. Combustion chamber; 19. Nozzle. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, and the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments.

[0027] It should be noted that the descriptions of "left," "right," "left side," "right side," "upper part," "lower part," "top," and "bottom" in this invention are defined based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are merely for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the described structure must be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0028] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0029] Referring to the accompanying drawings, this embodiment describes a nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system, comprising:

[0030] The cold end inlet of the regenerator 1 is connected to the outlet of the helium-xenon compressor 2, and the cold end outlet is connected to the cold end inlet of the heater 5. The cold end outlet of the heater 5 is connected to the inlet of the helium-xenon turbine 4, and the outlet of the helium-xenon turbine 4 is connected to the hot end inlet of the regenerator 1. The hot end outlet of the regenerator 1 is connected to the hot end inlet of the first heat exchanger 16, and the hot end outlet of the first heat exchanger 16 is connected to the hot end inlet of the fuel oil heat exchanger 8. The hot end outlet of the fuel oil heat exchanger 8 is connected to the inlet of the helium-xenon compressor 2.

[0031] The second heat exchanger 17 has a hot end inlet connected to the circulating working fluid outlet of the reactor system and a hot end outlet connected to the hot end inlet of the heater 5. The hot end outlet of the heater 5 is connected to the circulating working fluid inlet of the reactor system.

[0032] The fuel storage tank 6 has its outlet connected to the cold end inlet of the fuel heat exchanger 8 via a fuel valve 7, and the cold end outlet of the fuel heat exchanger 8 is connected to the inlet of the combustion chamber 18.

[0033] A compressor 14 and a high-speed motor 15 are connected to each other on the engine casing 13 near the intake duct. The first heat exchanger 16 and the second heat exchanger 17 are both located inside the engine casing 13 away from the intake duct, and the air from the compressor 14 outlet flows sequentially through the first heat exchanger 16 and the second heat exchanger 17. The first heat exchanger 16 and the fuel heat exchanger 8 act as coolers for the helium-xenon closed-loop Brayton cycle power generation system. The air from the compressor 14 outlet and the fuel in the fuel tank 6 serve as a cold source to cool the high-temperature helium-xenon cycle working fluid.

[0034] In this embodiment, the helium-xenon compressor 2, the helium-xenon turbine 4, and the generator 3 are arranged coaxially. The generator 3 is electrically connected to the high-speed motor 15 and has both motor and engine modes.

[0035] In this embodiment, the regenerator 1, heater 5 and fuel oil heat exchanger 8 are all printed circuit board type microchannel heat exchangers.

[0036] In this embodiment, the reactor system includes a reactor 10, wherein the reactor 10 uses highly enriched uranium oxide as fuel, and the energy spectrum is fast neutrons or thermal neutrons, and is arranged in the aircraft cabin near the lift center.

[0037] In this embodiment, the heat exchange medium of the reactor 10 is a liquid metal with high thermal conductivity. It can be a lithium or lead-bismuth alloy.

[0038] In this embodiment, the high-speed motor 15 is installed inside the compressor 14. When powered externally, the high-speed motor 15 drives the compressor 14, providing different power outputs to the compressor 14 under different operating conditions to achieve the corresponding objectives.

[0039] In this embodiment, both the first heat exchanger 16 and the second heat exchanger 17 are indirect heat exchangers. The internal heat exchange tubes can be either serpentine or involute, and any structure that facilitates a smooth heat exchange process can be used in this application.

[0040] In this embodiment, the side of the engine housing 13 away from the air intake is connected to the nozzle 19 via the combustion chamber 18.

[0041] In this embodiment, the nozzle 19 is a Laval nozzle with adjustable geometry. This allows for changes in the nozzle's structure to suit different usage scenarios, thereby achieving maximum thrust in the appropriate conditions.

[0042] In this embodiment, a movable intake duct center cone 12 is provided inside the intake duct of the engine housing 13. The intake duct center cone 12 is constricted axially and its front end extends outside the engine housing 13. The front end of the engine housing 13 serves as a lip. The movable intake duct center cone 12 can effectively compress the incoming airflow while ensuring that the engine's air mass flow rate meets a preset value. The movement of the intake duct center cone 12 can be achieved using commercially available existing moving mechanisms that can reliably move within a typical engine.

[0043] Reactor 10 is a high-temperature liquid metal reactor, using high-boiling-point liquid lithium metal or lead-bismuth alloy as the circulating working fluid. The working fluid temperature at the reactor 10 outlet is greater than 1500K. The high-temperature circulating working fluid enters the second heat exchanger 17, which is a serpentine tube bundle or involute heat exchanger. The high-temperature circulating working fluid flows inside the tubes, while air flows across the tube bundle outside the tubes for heat exchange. The air forms turbulence when flowing across the tube bundle, increasing the heat transfer coefficient and enhancing the heat transfer effect, thus raising the air temperature at the outlet of the second heat exchanger 17. The high-temperature circulating working fluid at the hot end outlet of the second heat exchanger 17 enters heater 5, where it heats the helium-xenon mixture. Finally, the fluid at the hot end outlet of heater 5 enters reactor 10.

[0044] The helium-xenon closed-loop Brayton power generation system consists of a regenerator 1, a helium-xenon compressor 2, a generator 3, a helium-xenon turbine 4, a heater 5, and a first heat exchanger 16. The helium-xenon mixture is pressurized by the helium-xenon compressor 2 and then introduced into the cold end inlet of the regenerator 1. After being preheated by the regenerator 1, the helium-xenon mixture enters the heater 5 for further heat absorption. The high-temperature, high-pressure helium-xenon mixture then enters the helium-xenon turbine 4 to expand and perform work. The helium-xenon turbine 4 is coaxially arranged with the helium-xenon compressor 2 and the generator 3 to achieve power transmission. The helium-xenon turbine 4 drives the helium-xenon compressor... Engine 2 performs work and generator 3 generates electricity. The gas from the outlet of helium-xenon turbine 4 enters the hot side of regenerator 1 to heat the gas on the cold side, and then enters the hot side inlet of the first heat exchanger 16. The first heat exchanger 16 is arranged inside the engine and serves as a cooler for the helium-xenon closed Brayton power generation system. The air from the outlet of compressor 14 serves as a cold source to cool the helium-xenon mixture and can also perform preliminary heating of the air. Finally, the helium-xenon mixture from the outlet of the first heat exchanger 16 enters the helium-xenon compressor 2 after passing through the fuel heat exchanger 8 to complete the cycle.

[0045] The nuclear-powered propulsion system adopts a turbineless configuration with a high exhaust velocity at the nozzle exit. The system has high operating efficiency at around Mach 2. The intake center cone 12 can move back and forth to adapt to the entire flight process of the propulsion system from zero-speed takeoff on the ground to high-altitude high-Mach number cruise. When cruising at Mach 2 at high altitude, the supersonic intake formed by the intake center cone 12 and the front end of the engine casing 13 initially compresses the incoming air. The air then enters the compressor 14 for further compression. The compressor 14 is driven by the high-speed motor 15, and the generator 3 is electrically connected to the high-speed motor 15. The air at the compressor 13 exit enters the first heat exchanger 16 for initial heating and then enters the second heat exchanger 17 for further heating. At this time, the combustion chamber is closed, and the high-temperature, high-pressure air... After being accelerated by nozzle 19, the gas is discharged to generate thrust. During takeoff and climb, when high thrust is required, the power consumption of compressor 14 increases, and the power generation demand of the helium-xenon closed-loop Brayton power generation system increases. At this time, fuel valve 7 opens, and aviation kerosene in fuel tank 6 is introduced into the cold side inlet of fuel heat exchanger 8. In fuel heat exchanger 8, the helium-xenon mixture at the hot end outlet of the first heat exchanger 16 is further cooled and then introduced into combustion chamber 18. The fuel is mixed and burned in combustion chamber 18 and then sprayed out from nozzle 19. At the same time, the working fluid inlet temperature of helium-xenon compressor 2 in helium-xenon closed-loop Brayton power generation system decreases, the power generation power and efficiency increase, and more electrical energy is used to drive compressor 14 to do work for high-speed motor 15. The pressure ratio and temperature ratio of the propulsion system both increase, and the thrust increases significantly.

[0046] The embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are merely illustrative of the invention. These embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementations described. Many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments to better explain the principles and practical applications of the invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the invention.

Claims

1. A nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system, characterized in that, include: The cold end inlet of the regenerator (1) is connected to the outlet of the helium-xenon compressor (2), the cold end outlet is connected to the cold end inlet of the heater (5), the cold end outlet of the heater (5) is connected to the inlet of the helium-xenon turbine (4), the outlet of the helium-xenon turbine (4) is connected to the hot end inlet of the regenerator (1), the hot end outlet of the regenerator (1) is connected to the hot end inlet of the first heat exchanger (16), the hot end outlet of the first heat exchanger (16) is connected to the hot end inlet of the fuel oil heat exchanger (8), and the hot end outlet of the fuel oil heat exchanger (8) is connected to the inlet of the helium-xenon compressor (2). The second heat exchanger (17) has its hot end inlet connected to the circulating working fluid outlet of the reactor system and its hot end outlet connected to the hot end inlet of the heater (5), and the hot end outlet of the heater (5) is connected to the circulating working fluid inlet of the reactor system. The fuel storage tank (6) has its outlet connected to the cold end inlet of the fuel heat exchanger (8) via a fuel valve (7), and the cold end outlet of the fuel heat exchanger (8) is connected to the inlet of the combustion chamber (18). The engine housing (13) has a compressor (14) and a high-speed motor (15) connected to each other on the side near the air intake. The first heat exchanger (16) and the second heat exchanger (17) are both located inside the engine housing (13) away from the air intake, and the air from the outlet of the compressor (14) flows through the first heat exchanger (16) and the second heat exchanger (17) in sequence.

2. The nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The helium-xenon compressor (2), helium-xenon turbine (4) and generator (3) are arranged coaxially. The generator (3) is electrically connected to the high-speed motor (15). The generator (3) has two modes: electric motor and engine.

3. The nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The regenerator (1), heater (5) and fuel oil heat exchanger (8) are all printed circuit board type microchannel heat exchangers.

4. The nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reactor system includes a reactor (10), wherein the reactor (10) uses highly enriched uranium oxide as fuel and has an energy spectrum of fast neutrons or thermal neutrons, and is located in the aircraft cabin near the center of lift.

5. A nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The heat exchange medium of the reactor (10) is a liquid metal with a high thermal conductivity.

6. The nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high-speed motor (15) is installed inside the compressor (14).

7. A nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the first heat exchanger (16) and the second heat exchanger (17) are indirect heat exchangers.

8. A nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: The engine casing (13) on the side away from the air intake is connected to the nozzle (19) via the combustion chamber (18).

9. A nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The nozzle (19) is a Laval nozzle with adjustable geometry.

10. A nuclear-powered electric pressurized jet propulsion system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The engine housing (13) has a movable intake center cone (12) inside its intake duct. The intake center cone (12) is constricted along the axial direction and its front extends out of the engine housing (13).

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