Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Rocketry
Faculty Mentor Name
Darrel Smith, Hayden West
Format Preference
Poster
Abstract
The purpose of this project is to research and develop a viable means of Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP), by creating a simulation that models heat transfer in the fuel element. Nuclear Thermal Propulsion has many benefits, namely that it is nearly twice as efficient as traditional chemical propulsion systems and will deliver astronauts and supplies to Mars 20-25 percent faster than chemical propulsion systems. This will save time but also lives in the developing martian colonies if critical supplies and personnel can be delivered to Mars 30 to 60 days sooner than normal. Despite these benefits there are many technical challenges that need to be overcome in order to develop a NTP engine, but the purpose of this project is to investigate the viability of a Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (CNTP) system which (will be safer and simpler than traditional NTP). This is because, CNTP uses passively storable propellants such as ammonia, hydrazine or methane, and also uses liquid fuel contained in rotating cylinders (instead of traditional solid fuel elements). The initial stage of this project will use a one-dimensional computer simulation in either Python or MATLAB to create a heat transfer model for hydrogen and ammonia inside the combustion chamber of the CNTP engine.
Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Rocketry
The purpose of this project is to research and develop a viable means of Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP), by creating a simulation that models heat transfer in the fuel element. Nuclear Thermal Propulsion has many benefits, namely that it is nearly twice as efficient as traditional chemical propulsion systems and will deliver astronauts and supplies to Mars 20-25 percent faster than chemical propulsion systems. This will save time but also lives in the developing martian colonies if critical supplies and personnel can be delivered to Mars 30 to 60 days sooner than normal. Despite these benefits there are many technical challenges that need to be overcome in order to develop a NTP engine, but the purpose of this project is to investigate the viability of a Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (CNTP) system which (will be safer and simpler than traditional NTP). This is because, CNTP uses passively storable propellants such as ammonia, hydrazine or methane, and also uses liquid fuel contained in rotating cylinders (instead of traditional solid fuel elements). The initial stage of this project will use a one-dimensional computer simulation in either Python or MATLAB to create a heat transfer model for hydrogen and ammonia inside the combustion chamber of the CNTP engine.