| Summary: | This thesis document was issued under the authority of another institution, not NPS. At the time it was written, a copy was added to the NPS Library collection for reasons not now known. It has been included in the digital archive for its historical value to NPS. Not believed to be a CIVINS (Civilian Institutions) title. === The feasibility of utilizing a gaseous core nuclear reactor to provide high enthalpy, high pressure gas flow for simulating atmospheric re-entry conditions was investigated. The test facility uses a mixture of nitrogen and uranium in a closed cycle with no attempt to contain the uranium fuel within the core. The primary purpose of the facility is to provide high enthalpy, high shear flows for testing re-entry materials and shapes.
Investigated in this study were the effects of the nitrogen-uranium mixture on reactor criticality, nuclear contamination of the test model, protection of the reactor core and nozzle structure from imposed heat loads and operating limitations of the test facility.
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