The Nuclear Fission Battery System
Without loss of generality and for the purpose of discussion, it will be assumed that the heat-to-electricity conversion is realized by a steam driven turbo generator, following a disposition similar to those employed in nuclear submarines.
• Cluster M1 consists of a flat-top PWR micro-reactor (MMR) with the high T heat source at the top. Two Nucleanova proprietary heat switches S1 and S2 control heat conductivity to the remainder of the equipment. The cluster also includes the control command center (CCC) and the sat communications equipment.
• Cluster M2 includes the steam generator(SG) with its heat sink, the turbine(s) (T), the condenser and its heat sink C, the electrical generator (G), and the pumping equipment (P). The steam generator SG receives heat from the MMR by means of a high temperature heat pipe, and the condenser C is cooled by means of a low temperature heat pipe. M2 also includes a register (PD) for the harness of the power and data.
• The third island is the most extent, as it accommodates the large deployable air-cooling structures for M3A and M3B. The M3A cools the condenser C by means of a low-temperature heat pipe, using forced air if necessary. The M3B is connected to the MMR using a low-temperature heat pipe and cools the MMR heat when the system is in power-down mode.
• If winds were to exceed 70 knots, the cooling structures are retracted to offer a lower aerodynamic profile, and the controller adjusts the MMR power output accordingly to assure that temperatures do not exceed the red-line limits at the operating load levels.
• The three islands occupy a small size lot that can be selected on a stable flood-free terrain to assure that service is impervious to natural or man-made disasters.
