N93-26953

ENGINE MANAGEMENT
DURING NTRE START UP
Mel Bulman
Dave Saltzman
Aerojet Propulsion Division
NP-TIM-92
NASA Lewis Research Center
Plum Brook Station

October

22, 1992

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"Energopool Babcock & Wilcox

TOTAL
CRITICAL

ENGINE SYSTEM
TO SUCCESSFUL

MANAGEMENT
NTRE START

UP

Reactor Power Control

- Hydrogen Reactivity Insertion
- Moderator Effectiveness (Reactor Spectrum)

Reactor Cooling
-

Moderator Cooling Loop

Fuel Assembly Thermal Shock

Propellant Feed System Dynamics

-

Pump Characteristics

Feed System Pressurization

Engine Performance

Propellant Expended at Low I,p

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NP-TIM-92
573

NTP: Systems Modellnz

NERVA Type Engines Have A Narrow Start Window

100
gO

l_ eo

so

4O

P;

3o

=-

10

lO

20

30

40

50

60

Chlmbo Prellure

6aMcogp
A_=IOJ=--'I"

70

80

0o

lOO

% ol Full Power

Energopool Babcock & Wilcox

U,JB

Recuperated

Toppina

10416/1_

Cycle Selected

ime

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AERI3JET "Energopool
sys_ ModeUns

Babcock

& Wilcox
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REACTOR POWER CONTROL SUPERIOR

HETEROGENEOUS
MODERATOR

More Efficient

Fuel Design

More Efficient

Moderator

Less Sensitive
Insertion

Reactor Time Constants

Thermalized
Neutrons

r_BNEiZRP
_Ei_CU=--'r "Energopool

Babcock

Design

to Hydrogen

reactivity

Longer With

more

& Wilcox

HETEROGENEOUS
REACTOR
MORE EFFECTIVE

WITH

COOLING

ModeratorCooledby SeparateLoop
FuelAssembliesCan BeCooled upto Low Power
LevelswithModeratorCoolingLoop

FuelAssemblyInletTemperatureControlledby ModeratorLoop
PropellantPreheatedin ModeratorLoop
Recuperator

Prevents

or Inlet Temperature
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AeRc_m"
NP-'IIM-92

' Energopool

Babcock

Large
(Avoids

Swings
Thermal

in Propellant

Flow

Shock)

& Wilcox
575

NTP:

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OUR PROPELLANT
FEED SYSTEM DYNAMICS
EFFICIENTLY
CONTROLLED
II

I I

III

II

ARE

Engine Prestart Conditioning

- Pumps Chilled in
Reactor Warmed
- Feed System Pressurized
( Reduces Inrush Dynamics)

Aerojet Pumps are Designed with Greater Stall Margin

Our Recuperated Cycle Grl)atly Aids The Start up

- Ample Thermal Power Accelerates Bootstrap
- Provides Thermal and Hydraulic damping
- Isolates Fuel Assembly from Feed System
Our Integrated Controller can Choose the Optimun path
to Full Power, Balancing:
- Isp Loss
- Fuel Element Thermal Shock

I_E_lrnRp

AeRcu,;--r "Energopool Babcock & Wilcox

INTEGRATED
I

II

I|

NTRE START SEQUENCE

I

II

IIII

II

II

Engine Prestart Conditioning

Pump Chili In
Moderator Loop Pressurization with TPA Chill H2
(First Start Only)

Closed Loop Engine Warm Up

(First Start Only)

Engine Now on Standby Mode for Starting

Start
Spin Start TPAs with Warm Praaurlzed H,
From Moderator Loop
TPA Acceleration Dominated by Engine
Thermal Mass (Power for Approx. 10 Starts In
Recuperator Alone)

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NTP: SyCen. Mo_.nt

576

NP-TIM-92

Moderator

Cooling

i,._,0,..d=o.,,o,.
I

LOOP Key to Efficient

Engine Prestart

NTRE Startina

Conditioning
Main Loop

Turbopump

Pump Chill in
Recuperator

Moderator

Loop

Loop
Pressurization

I_ENPrlRP
AEROJET

Energopool

Babcock

& Wilcox

Moderator Cooling

Loop Key to Efficient NTRE _tarting

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EngineStart

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AEROJET
NP-'I]M-92

"Energopool

Babcock

& Wilcox
577

II'P:

Sy,,tem= Modeling

Our Inteqrated

Enoine Starts More Reliably

And With Less Impulse Loss than Nerva Type Engines

T-, 30 se

Hi'RE Start,

100

io

F. lo0%

90
T = 50sec
F = 100%

80

O.

70

Loll Impulse : 712,000 Lb-seo.

6O

40

20
10

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

8O

9O

100

Chamber Pressure % of Full Power

Energopool Babcock & Wilcox

MJB 10/15/92

We Are in the Process

Constructing

of Upgrading

New Modules

NETAP

for:

Recuperator
Moderator

PBR and CIS Fuel Elements

Twin 4-Stage
Auxiliary

GE_.OnP

TPAs

Turbo Circulation

System

Energopool Babcock & Wilcox

NT]P: Systems Mode]in_

.,_'7_

NP-T'J[M-92

ANALYTICAL
SIMULATION
IS CRUCIAL TO PROVIDING
A LOW RISK ENGINE DEVELOPMENT

Determine Start Sequence and Operating Limits

-

Valve Phasing
Reflector Positioning
Thermal Requirements

Verify Adequate Component Operating Margins Throughout

Transient Operation
Avoid Pump Stall or Cavitation
Reactor Overheating
Nozzle Flow Choking
Satisfactory Power Balance for Bootstrap

Establish Control Feedback Requirements

6ENCaRP
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ACCURATE SIMULATION
IS ACHIEVED
THROUGH DYNAMIC COUPLING OF
PHYSICAL PROCESSES

TPA Power Balance

TPA Inertia

Flow Dynamics and Resistance

- Method of Charactoristics
- Volume Filling
Heat Transfer to Propellant and Components

Fission Heat Generation / Decay Heat

- Deposted in Fuel
- Deposted in moderator
Momentum, Energy, and Flow Conservation

Feedback

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,qERC_L_'r"Energopool
NP-TIM.92

Control

Loop

Babcock & Wilcox

579

NTP: Svsleml

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Integrated

NTRE

k
Yam Wlm

)'"

Mission

Benefits

of Inteareled

HTRE

Robust, Low Loss Start

High Perlormanco,Light
Weight Engine
Safe, Efficient Shut Down
- Five Core Cooling Systeml
- Closed Cycle Decay Heal Removal Saves 100,00041.bm
Dual Mode Option
- 100kW (o) 8vldleble shy time during Mission
No Deep Reactor Thermal
Refrigeration
Option
OMS & RCS Thrust Available @ High lap

IMLEO

BB rnRp
.4ERO,lc-r "Energopool

NTP: Systems

Modelin I

Babcock

& Wllcox

580

NP-_..92