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Thermionics Quo Vadis? An Assessment of the DTRA's Advanced Thermionics Research and Development Program (2001) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Pages 1-5

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From page 1...
... . The main thrust of the combined program was a cooperative U.S.-Russian project called the TOPAZ International Program, which was based on the Russian TOPAZ nuclear thermionic power system.
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From page 2...
... Oxygenated thermionic converters High-creep strength fuel clad development Advanced thermionic converter: close-spaced converter Advanced thermionic converter: low emissivity converter development Trilayer insulation design, development, and device testing Oxygenated electrode testing Oxygen mass transport Single-crystal alloy domestic fabrication and creep testing; closed chemical vapor deposition process Device development and testing Design and proof of concept General Atomics in collaboration with Russian research facilities General Atomics in collaboration with Russian research facilities Russian research facilities Auburn University in collaboration with Russian research facilities Russian research facilities Russian research facilities Microminiature thermionic Proof of performance and theory Low work function coating Sandia National Laboratories converter (MTC) validation development device testing with New Mexico Engineering Research Institute test support Thermionic theory and model Thermionic space reactor system RSMASS-T system model DTRA staff validation mass model upgrade Thermionic theory and theory validation Vacuum converter theory development and surface effects modeling DTRA staff and consultants
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From page 3...
... However, potential applications may be defined beyond the next decade. The committee believes that the system performance advantages offered by thermionic energy conversion are attractive for future high power space missions employing solar concentrating heat sources or, in the longer term, nuclear reactor heat sources.
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From page 4...
... These issues include nuclear fuel swelling, which causes structural deformation and electrical short circuits in the thermionic converter, and radiation damage to converter insulator materials. At present, any thermionic fuel element using nuclear fuel would be life limited due to nuclear fuel swelling.
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From page 5...
... The sponsoring agency should reestablish an adjunct basic research program on electrode surface physics, plasma, and materials processes relevant to thermionic energy conversion. This program should be funded separately from the thermionics research program.
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Key Terms

  • thermionic technology
  • thermionic converter
  • solar thermionic
  • sponsoring agency
  • thermionics research

  • nuclear thermionic
  • space nuclear
  • dtra thermionics
  • thermionic energy
  • microminiature thermionic

  • energy conversion
  • thermionic power
  • fuel swelling
  • advanced thermionic
  • major elements

  • thermionic fuel
  • russian research
  • thermionic converters
  • advanced space
  • nuclear fuel

  • thermionic development
  • performance advantages
  • transfer vehicle
  • topaz international
  • mexico engineering

  • solar orbital
  • advanced thermionics
  • future space
  • heat sources
  • oxygenated thermionic


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