3 ms·
No. That should be just a gas turbine where the gas is heated through a heat exchanger and where the heat source happens to be a nuclear reactor. Normally suc
by adrian_b 2y ago
No.
That should be just a gas turbine where the gas is heated through a heat exchanger and where the heat source happens to be a nuclear reactor.
Normally such gas turbines with external heating use their gas in a closed cycle, because air is not a suitable working gas (one of the reasons is that it is too oxidizing at high temperatures, which can damage the turbine; another reason is that it is preferable if the working gas can be transformed into a supercritical fluid at a low enough temperature and low enough pressure, like carbon dioxide).
In a place where the atmosphere would be an acceptable working gas, the cost of the turbine could be reduced by using the atmosphere as the working gas in an open cycle.
- pfdietz 2y agoThe big reason for this cycle on Titan is that at a given pressure ratio, the necessary absolute temperature in the hot part of the engine is proportional to the absolute inlet temperature. So, if the absolute inlet temperature is 1/3rd that of Earth's atmosphere, the peak temperature is also drastically reduced. All the hot parts could be made from cheap materials. The turbine blades wouldn't have to be cooled. Lower temperature also reduces the speed of sound in the gases, which reduces the velocity (and therefore stress) of the compressor and turbine blades.