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An evaluation of alternate production methods for Pu-238 general purpose heat source pellets

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: For the past half century, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has used Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTG) to power deep space satellites. Fabricating heat sources for RTGs, specifically General Purpose Heat Sources (GPHSs), has remained essentially unchanged since their development in the 1970s. Meanwhile, 30 years of technological advancements have been made in the applicable fields of chemistry, manufacturing and control systems. This paper evaluates alternative processes that could be used to produce Pu 238 fueled heat sources. Specifically, this paper discusses the production of the plutonium-oxide granules, which are the input stream to the ceramic pressing and sintering processes. Alternate chemical processes are compared to current methods to determine if alternative fabrication processes could reduce the hazards, especially the production of respirable fines, while producing an equivalent GPHS product.

Source: OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information)

Authors: Mark Borland, Steven J. Frank

Language: English

Topic: Nuclear Materials and Properties

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: green

Funders: U.S. Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office, U.S. Department of Energy, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Savannah River National Laboratory

Award: G127156130

OpenAlex ID: W1558661030

FWCI:

Cites:

Cited by: 2

Related to: 10