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Heat Pipe Emitters for Thermionic Fuel Elements
Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Missile Defense Agency
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 18178
Amount:
$68,895.00
Phase:
Phase I
Program:
SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A
Solicitation Number:
N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year:
N/A
Award Year:
1992
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date):
N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date):
N/A
Small Business Information
780 Eden Road
Lancaster, PA
17601
United States
DUNS:
N/A
HUBZone Owned:
No
Woman Owned:
No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged:
No
Principal Investigator
Name: Kevin Horner-richardson
Phone: (717) 569-6551
Phone: (717) 569-6551
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract
Isothermalizing a Thermionic Fuel Element (TFE) may increase efficiency from 8.78% to 10.8%. Phase I will design an isothermal heat pipe for the thin emitter wall of a long TFE. Recently demonstrated two-phase flow in sintered power metal wick structures will be used to achieve isothermal conditions in heat pipes. Hardware will be tested to demonstrate the principle. A successful design will also permit out-of-core thermionic reactors whereby a heat pipe delivers heat from the core to the thermionic unit, circumventing current problems of fuel swelling, neutron damage and life expectancy and allowing simplification of future designs.
* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *
