Design and Stress Analysis of Extraterrestrial ... - The Black Vault

This task appears frequently in planning as the result. 9Pf the modification
of designs already built. The parameters of a motor, its characteristics
- thrust and power - are connected with its overall size and
mass.
The specific mass of a motor is one of the important quality
criteria in engine design. In proportion to the perfection of the
design its specific mass is decreased.
Extraterrestrial electric rocket motors are not produced in
serial production; they have not acquired final forms. This is why
their specific mass fluctuates within a wide range and depends upon
the -type of design, purpose, and power of this system.
Table 1.1 and Fig. 1.1 show the specific mass of various power
units for space engines and their power.
Table 1.1.
NAME OF SYSTEM N kW y kg/kW
Turbogenerator with nuclear reactor 10,000
5
3
100
Thermoemission with nuclear reactor 2500
8
4
8o
Thermoelectric with nuclear reactor 5 200
and protection 0.3 1000
Thermoemission with solar power 3 50
concentrator 0.1 45
Thermoelectric on radioactive ,1 120
isotopes 0.1 300
As can be seen from the table'and Fig. 1.1, the specific mass
of power units depends upon electrical power. A particularly noticeable
reduction in specific mass is seen with an increase in the power of
the power plant with nuclear reactors.
This is explained by the fact
that specific mass is defined as the ratio of the ERE's mass to the
4