Thermo-Magnetic Systems for Space Nuclear Reactors: An Introduction

60 Pages·2014·3.815 MB·English

by  Carlos O. Maidana (auth.)

SPRINGER BRIEFS IN
APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
Carlos O. Maidana
Thermo-Magnetic
Systems for Space
Nuclear Reactors
An Introduction
SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences
and Technology
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/8884
Carlos O. Maidana
Thermo-Magnetic Systems
for Space Nuclear Reactors
An Introduction
1 3
Carlos O. Maidana
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Chiang Mai University
Chiang Mai
Thailand
ISSN 2191-530X ISSN 2191-5318 (electronic)
ISBN 978-3-319-09029-0 ISBN 978-3-319-09030-6 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-09030-6
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014950400
Springer Cham Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London
© The Author(s) 2014
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Acknowledgments
The author wishes to acknowledge and thanks the collaboration and support given
by Dr. Hee Reyoung Kim (currently at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and
Technology—UNIST), James Werner (Technical Manager/Project Leader at the
Idaho National Laboratory—Space Nuclear Systems and Technology Division),
Dr. Daniel Wachs (Idaho National Laboratory—Nuclear Fuels and Materials
Division, Fuels Performance Department), Jennifer Satten (Editor at Springer
Publishing, Physics and Astronomy), to the faculty of the Idaho State University
(United States) and Chiang Mai University (Thailand), to Maliwan Boonma,
Andrei Chvetsov, Jordi Serrano-Pons, Elaine Kwan and to the indirect contribution
of many other people. To all of them, thanks.
Carlos O. Maidana
v
Contents
1 Introduction ................................................ 1
Motivation .................................................. 1
Content .................................................... 2
2 Overview on Space Nuclear Systems ............................ 5
Introduction ................................................. 6
Radioisotope Power Generators ................................. 7
Fission Surface Power ......................................... 10
Nuclear Thermal Propulsion .................................... 12
Nuclear Electric Propulsion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Bibliography ................................................ 14
3 Introduction to Engineering Magnetohydrodynamics ............. 15
Fundamentals of Electromagnetic Fields and Waves ................. 15
Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics ............................... 18
Solenoid Dynamics ........................................... 20
Fundamentals of Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer ................ 21
Bibliography ................................................ 22
4 Computational Methods ...................................... 23
Finite Elements .............................................. 23
Finite Differences ............................................ 25
Finite Difference Time Domain ................................. 27
Monte Carlo Method .......................................... 29
Optimization ................................................ 30
Bibliography ................................................ 31
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viii Contents
5 Design of Annular Linear Induction Pumps
for Space Nuclear Reactors ................................... 33
MHD Equations and Working Fundamentals ....................... 33
The Electric Circuit Design Approach ............................ 37
The Electric Circuit Model ..................................... 38
Three Phase Power System ..................................... 40
Solenoidal Fields and End Effects ................................ 44
Instabilities and Flow ......................................... 46
Bibliography ................................................ 47
6 Assembly and Fabrication Considerations of Annular
Linear Induction Pumps for Space Nuclear Reactors .............. 49
Basic Materials and Heat Transfer Considerations ................... 49
Test Loops and Instrumentation ................................. 52
Bibliography ................................................ 53
About the Author
Dr. Carlos O. Maidana is a Physicist and Research Engineer with 13 years
+
of experience in research, design and development, as well as in consulting and
project management with a vast experience in international and cross disciplinary
projects. He is a trade expert, entrepreneur, educator and navy reserve officer off-
duty as well. He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering and Applied Science from Idaho State
University (USA), a M.Sc. in Physics from Michigan State University (USA), and a
B.Sc. in Physics and Applied Physics from the UTN-INSPT (Argentina). He holds
a post-doctoral certificate in Space Nuclear Systems Engineering from Washington
State University (USA) and the Idaho National Laboratory (USA) as well as several
other graduate level certificates (USA, Italy, and Argentina), including studies in
research commercialization, government contracting and small business adminis-
tration. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and resided in countries such as the
United States, Switzerland, France and Thailand.
Dr. Maidana was a Research Designer in projects for the U.S. Department of Energy
(DoE), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U.S. Depart-
ment Homeland Security (DHS), the U.S. Department of Defense, the International
Committee for Future Accelerators (ICFA), for the U.S. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative
(AFCI), for the Measurements and Control Engineering Research Center (MCERC) and
a senior research fellow at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). He
has 20 papers and technical articles published internationally. Dr. Maidana is currently
+
a Lecturer of Mechanical Engineering at Chiang Mai University (Thailand), an Aflfii-
ate Research Faculty at Idaho State University (USA) and the founder of a technical
consulting and scienticfi research start-up. Dr. Maidana currently works doing design,
modeling, simulation, and optimization of engineering systems and industrial compo-
nents; in magnetohydrodynamics studies for space nuclear systems and nuclear fusion
devices; in the development of compact linear accelerators and associated technology
for industrial, security and medical applications; as well as in international cooperation,
business development, grant writing, and university level education.
His outreach and community service activities include the development of
science, technology and international cooperation at universities in developing
countries; advice, counseling and public speaking related to STEM education,
ix
x About the Author
career opportunities and curriculum development; He works to educate the pub-
lic, the media, and government of the benefits of exploring the red planet and
outer space advising in questions related to space science and technology with
emphasis in space nuclear systems, advanced propulsion systems, and mission
planning. Dr. Maidana is a referee for international scientific journals and gov-
ernment organizations as well as for funding bodies besides being a contributor,
author, and consultant for the scientific-technical media.
Dr. Maidana is a senior member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and As-
tronautics (AIAA), serving at the Future and Nuclear Flight Propulsion Technical
Committee, and as a scienticfi ofcfi er for the Mars Society Switzerland. He is also a
member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)—Nuclear and
Plasma Sciences Society, the American Physical Society (APS)—Forum of Industrial
and Applied Physics, and the Project Management Institute (PMI). He is a registered
expert before the European Commission and a CERN external user as well.