During MAKS -2013, the cooperation of domestic firms from the structures of Roscosmos and Rosatom presented an updated model of a transport and energy module (TEM) with a space nuclear power propulsion unit (NPP) of a megawatt class (NK No. 10, 2013, p. 4). This project was presented publicly exactly four years ago, in October 2009 (Tax Code No. 12, 2009, p. 40). What has changed during this time?
Chronicle of the project
Recall that the goal of the project is to create an energy propulsion base and, on its basis, new space vehicles with a high power-to-weight ratio for the implementation of ambitious programs for the study and exploration of outer space. These means make it possible to carry out expeditions to deep space, more than 20-fold increase in the economic efficiency of space transport operations and more than 10-fold increase in electrical power on board the spacecraft.
The nuclear power plant is based on a nuclear reactor with a long-life turbomachine converter. The development of TEM is carried out by order of the President of Russia dated June 22, 2010 No. 419-rp. Its creation is envisaged by the state program "Space activities of Russia for 2013 - 2020", and the President's program for the modernization of the economy. The work under the contract is financed from the federal budget within the framework of the special program “Implementation of the projects of the Commission under the President of the Russian Federation for the modernization and technological development of the Russian economy” *.
More than 17 billion rubles are allocated for the implementation of this advanced project in the period from 2010 to 2018. The exact distribution of funds is as follows: 7.245 billion rubles are allocated to the state corporation Rosatom for the development of the reactor, 3.955 billion rubles - for the MV Keldysh Research Center for the creation of a nuclear power plant, and about 5.8 billion rubles - for RSC Energia for the manufacture of TEM. The head organization responsible for the development of the nuclear reactor itself is the Research and Development Institute of Energy Technologies (NIKIET), which is part of the Rosatom system. The cooperation also includes the Podolsk Scientific Research Technological Institute, the RRC Kurchatov Institute, the Physics and Power Engineering Institute in Obninsk, the Scientific Research Institute NPO Luch, the Scientific Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (NIIAR) and a number of other enterprises and organizations. The Keldysh Center, the Chemical Engineering Design Bureau and the Chemical Automation Design Bureau have done a lot in terms of the working fluid circulation circuit. The Institute of Electromechanics was connected to the development of the generator.
The project implements innovative technologies for the first time, which in many respects have no analogues in the world:
highly efficient conversion circuit;
high-temperature compact fast neutron reactor with gas cooling systems, ensuring nuclear and radiation safety at all stages of operation;
high-density fuel-based fuel elements;
cruise propulsion system based on a block of powerful high-performance electric rocket engines (EJE);
high-temperature turbines and compact heat exchangers with a ten-year design life;
high-speed electrical generators-converters of high power;
deployment of large-sized structures in space, etc.
In the proposed scheme, a nuclear reactor generates electricity: a gas coolant, driven through the core, turns a turbine, which rotates an electric generator and a compressor, which circulates the working fluid in a closed loop. The substance from the reactor does not go out into the environment, that is, radioactive contamination is excluded. Electricity is consumed for the operation of an electric propulsion engine, which is more than 20 times more economical than chemical analogs in terms of the consumption of the working fluid. The mass and dimensions of the basic elements of the nuclear power plant should ensure their placement in space warheads of existing and prospective Russian launch vehicles "Proton" and "Angara".
The chronicle of the project shows its rapid development in modern times. On April 30, 2010, Deputy General Director of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, Director of the Directorate for the Nuclear Weapons Complex I. M. Kamenskikh approved the terms of reference for the development of a reactor facility and TEM within the framework of the project “Creation of a transport and power module based on a megawatt nuclear power plant”. The document was agreed upon and approved by Roskosmos. On June 22, 2010, Russian President Dmitry A. Medvedev signed an Order on the determination of the sole contractors for the project.
On February 9, 2011 in Moscow on the basis of the Keldysh Center a video conference of enterprises - TEM developers was held. It was attended by the head of Roscosmos A. N. Perminov, President and General Designer (RSC) Energia V. A. Lopota, Director of the Keldysh Center A. S. Koroteev, Director General Designer NIKIET ** Yu. G. Dragunov and Chief VP Smetannikov, designer of space power plants at NIKIET. Particular attention was paid to the need to create a "Resource" stand for testing a reactor installation with an energy conversion unit.
On April 25, 2011, Roskosmos announced an open tender for the development of a nuclear power plant, a multifunctional platform in geostationary orbit and interplanetary spacecraft. As a result of the competition (the winner of which was NIKIET on May 25 of the same year), a state contract was signed for a period of validity until 2015 worth 805 million rubles for the creation of a bench sample of the installation.
The contract provides for the development of: a technical proposal for the creation of a bench (with a thermal simulator of a nuclear reactor) sample of a nuclear power plant; his draft design; design and technological documentation for prototypes of components of a bench product and basic elements of a nuclear power plant; technological processes, as well as preparation of production for the manufacture of prototypes of the components of the bench product and the basic elements of the installation; making a bench sample and carrying out its experimental development.
The composition of the bench model of the nuclear power plant should include the basic elements of a standard installation, designed to ensure the subsequent creation of installations of various capacities on the basis of a modular principle. The bench sample should generate a given power - thermal and electrical, as well as create thrust impulses that are typical for all stages of the operation of the nuclear power plant as part of the spacecraft. A high-temperature gas-cooled fast neutron reactor with a thermal power of up to 4 MW was selected for the project.
On August 23, 2012, a meeting of representatives of Rosatom and Roskosmos was held, dedicated to the organization of work on the creation of a testing complex for endurance tests required for the implementation of the TEM project. It took place at the A. P. Aleksandrov Scientific Research Technological Institute in Sosnovy Bor near St. Petersburg, where it is planned to create the specified complex.
The preliminary design of the TEM was completed in March this year. The results obtained made it possible to move in 2013 to the stage of detailed design and manufacture of equipment and samples for autonomous tests. Testing and development of coolant technologies began this year at the MIR research reactor at NIIAR (Dimitrovgrad), where a loop for testing the helium-xenon coolant at temperatures above 1000 ° C was installed.
A ground-based prototype of the reactor plant is planned to be created by 2015, and by 2018 a reactor plant should be manufactured to complete the nuclear power propulsion system and its tests have begun in Sosnovy Bor. The first TEM for flight tests may appear by 2020.
The next meeting on the project was held on September 10, 2013 at the state corporation Rosatom. The head of NIKIET Yu. G. Dragunov presented information on the state of work and the main problems in the implementation of the program. He emphasized that at present the Institute's specialists have developed the documentation for the technical design of the nuclear power plant, identified the main design solutions and carry out the work in accordance with the "roadmap" of the project. Following the meeting, the head of Rosatom corporation S. V. Kirienko instructed NIKIET to prepare proposals for optimizing the road map.
Some details of the design and design features of the nuclear power plant were found out during a conversation with representatives of the Keldysh Center at the MAKS-2013 air show. In particular, the developers reported that the installation will be done immediately in a full-size version, without making a reduced prototype.
The nuclear power plant has extremely high (for its type) characteristics: with a reactor thermal power of 4 MW, the electric power on the generator will be 1 MW, that is, the efficiency will reach 25%, which is considered a very good indicator.
The turbomachine converter is a two-circuit one. In the first circuit, a plate heat exchanger is used - a recuperator and a tubular heat exchanger-refrigerator. The latter separates the main (first) heat removal circuit and the second heat return circuit.
Regarding one of the most interesting solutions being developed within the framework of the project (the choice of the type of refrigerators-radiators of the second circuit), the answer was given that both drip and panel heat exchangers are being considered, and so far the choice has not been made. On the demonstrated mock-up and posters, the preferred option was presented with a drip fridge-radiator. In parallel, work is underway on the panel heat exchanger. Note that the entire structure of the TEM is transformable: at launch, the module fits under the LV head fairing, and in orbit it “spreads its wings” - the rods expand, spreading the reactor, engines and payload over a long distance.
The TEM will use a whole bunch of improved extremely powerful EPEs - four "petals" of six main engines with a diameter of 500 mm, plus eight smaller engines for roll control and course correction. At the MAKS-2013 showroom, a working engine was shown, which is already undergoing testing (so far at partial thrust, with an electric power of up to 5 kW). EJEs work on xenon. This is the best, but also the most expensive working fluid. Other options were considered: in particular, metals - lithium and sodium. However, engines based on such a working medium are less economical, and it is very difficult to carry out ground tests on such EJEs.
The estimated resource of the nuclear power plant, included in the project, is ten years. Resource tests are supposed to be performed directly on the complete installation, and the units will be operated autonomously on the bench base of cooperation enterprises. In particular, the turbocharger developed at KBHM has already been manufactured and is being tested in a vacuum chamber at the Keldysh Center. A thermal simulator of a 1 MW electric power reactor was also made.
