3 ms·
The article mentions the pebble can handle 1600 C, and then they say it's meltdown proof. How is it meltdown proof? I assume if the rocket core runs nominally
by Gravityloss 5y ago
The article mentions the pebble can handle 1600 C, and then they say it's meltdown proof. How is it meltdown proof?
I assume if the rocket core runs nominally at 1000 C, if for some reason the propellant flow is lessened, it would heat up to 2000 C and just melt? Also, melting changes geometry, potentially to the direction of more nuclear reactions, meaning runaway. This has always been a problem with gas cooled particle bed reactors.
Now, maybe there is a mechanism that prevents meltdown, it just isn't mentioned in the article.