Thermodynamic Cycle Calculations for a Pumped Gaseous Core Fission Reactor

Abstract

Finite and ‘infinitesimal’ thermodynamical cycle calculations have been performed for a ‘solid piston’ model of a pumped Gaseous Core Fission Reactor with dissociating reactor gas, consisting of Uranium, Carbon and Fluorine (‘UCF’). In the finite cycle calculations the influence has been investigated of several parameters on the thermodynamics of the system, especially on the attainable direct (nuclear to electrical) energy conversion efficiency. In order to facilitate the investigation of the influence of dissociation, a model gas, ‘Modelium’, was developed, which approximates, in a simplified, analytical way, the dissociation behaviour of the ‘real’ reactor gas. Comparison of the finite cycle calculation results with those of a so-called infinitesimal Otto cycle calculation leads to the conclusion that the conversion efficiency of a finite cycle can be predicted, without actually performing the finite cycle calculation, with reasonable accuracy, from the so-called ‘infinitesimal efficiency factorrsquo;, which is determined only by the thermodynamic properties of the reactor gas used.

KEYWORDS:

• gaseous core fission reactors
• gaseous fuels
• thermodynamic cycle calculation
• Otto cycle
• direct energy conversion
• conversion efficiency
• uranium
• carbon
• fluorine dissociating gases
• dissociation
• equations of state
• thermodynamics
• internal energy