A first‐order thermal analysis was performed on the emitter lead region of the Advanced Thermionic Initiative (ATI) Thermionic Fuel Element (TFE) design. The lead region is the candidate location for a metal‐matrix, cesium‐graphite reservoir to supply cesium vapor to the thermionic converter. The cesium pressure developed is dependent upon the temperature and cesium‐carbon equilibrium reaction of the reservoir. Steady‐state, one dimensional conduction, with thermal radiation losses and Joulean heat generation, was used to calculate the temperature distribution in the non‐fueled lead region. This temperature distribution was linked to the ATI reactor core design through the integration of axial emitter temperature distributions for the maximum, minimum, and average power TFE fuel pins. The axial temperature distribution in the emitter lead region was found to be most pronounced for the maximum power fuel element and least pronounced for the minimum power TFE.


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    Title :

    Thermal analysis of the ATI thermionic converter for optimum cesium reservoir location



    Conference:

    10th SymposiumùSpace Nuclear Power and Propulsion ; 1993 ; Albuquerque, NM, USA


    Published in:

    AIP Conference Proceedings ; 271 , 2 ; 839-845


    Publication date :

    1993-01-15


    Size :

    7 pages





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




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