N. N. Ponomarev-Stepnoi

Nuclear-Hydrogen Power

Methods for obtaining hydrogen and using hydrogen in power engineering, transportation, and industry, and methods for handling hydrogen (storage and safety) are examined.The concept of nuclear-hydrogen power – using the energy generated by nuclear reactors to produce hydrogen and using this hydrogen in power engineering and industry – is presented. The development of nuclear-hydrogen power will contribute to global energy security and decrease the demand for fuels which affect climate change on our planet.The technologies needed for nuclear-hydrogen power to become a reality – high-temperature nuclear reactors, apparatus for the efficient production of hydrogen from water, hydrogen fuel cells, chemothermal converters, and hydrogen storage and shipment technology – are analyzed.

“Yennisei” space nuclear power system

March 1, 2000 is the 25th anniversary of the power start-up of a prototype of the “Yenisei” space nuclear power watem, which is to supply power to the spacecraft for a direct television roadcasting system, on the stand “1” at the Russian Science Center “Kurchatov Institute.” During the nuclear power tests, which continued for 5000 hours, the, subsequent finishing work, and a study of the state of individual components, it was demonstrated that the unit functions, properly under standard conditions. and the technology for preparing the unit for power tests and a procedure for starting up the unit and for performing power tests and the subsequent final adjustments together with an investigation of the critical component that determine the service life were developed. The results of the final adjustments and the investigations pointed the way to making the required improvements to the power-generating chanels in order to quarantee a service life of at least 15 years and then to increase it to 3 years at subsequent stages of the development work.The history of the development of the “Yenisei” nuclear power system is presented, the basic parameters and the results of comprehensive tests are described, and the international collaboration with the US is discussed. 7 figures, 1 table.

Modular High-Temperature Helium-Cooled Nuclear Reactor with Spherical Fuel Elements for Electricity and Hydrogen Production

The results of optimizational neutron-physical and thermohydrulic calculations of the core of a modular high-temperature helium-cooled reactor with mobile spherical fuel elements are presented. A special structural feature of such fuel elements is that they contain fuel microelements with multilayered ceramic coatings capable of confining radioactive fission products at high temperatures with deep burnup of nuclear fuel. The thermal power of the reactor is 850 MW(t) with average power density 30 MW/m3 and helium temperature 1000°C at the core exit. This makes it possible to use such reactors to produce hydrogen by a cost-effective high-temperature process using steam conversion of methane and to generate electricity in a one-loop helium turbosystem with efficiency >45%.

The Future of Nuclear Power: Energy, Ecology, and Safety

The results are presented of a bilateral meeting of Russian and US experts on “The future of nuclear power: energy, ecology, and safety” held on July 22–24, 2002 in Moscow. The subject of discussion was the question of how the US and Russia can provide for a future where nuclear energy will support economic growth, improve living conditions, protect the environment, and ensure nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. Several positive points concerning nuclear fuel cycle which emerged and which encourage a reexamination of the future of nuclear power are noted. It is suggested that a four- or fivefold increase by the middle of this century in the production of nuclear energy be considered and discussed as a problem which is important enough to have a global effect on electricity production, energy safety, and mitigation of the greenhouse effect. A prediction is made for the development of global nuclear power in the 21st century. Specific directions of Russian–American collaboration are proposed without setting priorities. The factors that could effectuate successful collaboration are determined.

Thermoemission reactor-converters for nuclear power units in outer space

ConclusionThermoemission nuclear power units with built-in generators in the nuclear reactor core can be regarded as a promising source of electric power for supplying the needs of space equipment for various purposes with a wide range of electric power demands over a long service life and with acceptable mass-limit characteristics.

Comparative analysis of concepts of single‐cell and multi‐cell TFE of thermionic NPS

The results of comparative analysis of energy parameters and reliability of single‐cell and multi‐cell thermionic fuel elements are given.

The role and place of gas-cooled reactors in the structure of nuclear power provision

The possibilities are considered of using high-temperature gas-cooled reactors to generate heat with various temperature potentials for supplying energy to industrial production, supplying heat, and generating electrical power. Brief information is given on the characteristics and design of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor schemes developed in Russia and also on the GT-MHR project being developed as part of international cooperation. An account is given of research on high-temperature gas-cooled reactors for the purposes of power technology and the generation of electrical power. The basic criteria and safety principles are described. An estimate is made of the possible fraction of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors in the structure of power provision in Russia, taking account of the specific consumption of natural uranium and the accumulation of radioactive waste if there is no reprocessing of the depleted fuel.

Work on domestically produced nuclear rocket motors

The history and basic results of work on nuclear rocket motors (NRMs) in Russia are presented. S.P. Korolev, I.V. Kurchatov, M. V. Keldysh, A. P. Aleksandrov et al. stood at the source of the work in this direction. Our NRM reactors used a heterogeneous scheme with a modular core. This enable component-by-component debugging of the reactor experimentally to the required degree of reliability. Ultimately, the costs of the complex tests were minimized, and technical characteristics obtained exceeded those obtained abroad. The energy-release density in the fuel elements reached 30 kW/cm3, and the temperature and rate of heating of the working body (hydrogen) reached 3100 K and 1000 K/sec, respectively.

A single‐cell TFE mock‐up of the thermionic nuclear power system ‘‘Space‐R’’

The results of calculation and design developments of a single‐cell thermionic fuel element (TFE) for the thermionic nuclear power system (NPS) ‘‘Space‐R’’ of 40 kW power are given in this paper. Calculation characteristics of the TFE: thermal, electrical, strength, life‐time and also results of preliminary tests, are discussed.

Materials Balance Comparison of Growth Paths for Nuclear Power in the Twenty-First Century

The results of comparative calculations of material balances are presented for two concepts for the growth of nuclear power in the 21st century. The concepts of growth on the basis of fast reactors without expanded breeding of fuel and the conventional concept with a two-component structure of nuclear power growth are examined. The advantages of the conventional concept, capable of producing substantial savings of natural uranium and/or making it possible to increase substantially the installed capacities of nuclear power plants, are demonstrated.