Nuclear Powered Aircraft

[1969912 0]

Thought you might like this...

In the 50's development work was done on nuclear powered aircraft. One engine system, the HTRE-3, that was tested used a reactor to heat air which was then used to run two GE J-47 turbojet engines (first photo). The reactor is above the two engines with ducting in between. The engine was only tested on the ground, but a B-36 was actually flown with a reactor inside for shielding tests.

The engine test facility (second photo) still exists in Idaho with the engine from the first photo installed.

"In 1955, the X-39 was run on this ground test stand in what was called the Heat Transfer Reactor Experiment No l (HTRE-l). Engineers tested a complete aircraft power plant consisting of this reactor, a radiation shield, two X-39 engines, ducting, control parts and instrumentation. In January 1956, the engines were operated successfully but, because there had been no attempt to restrict the weight of the shielding, they would not have been flyable. Later in 1957, other cores that were tested, HTRE-2 and 3, did reduce the weight somewhat. The HTRE-3 assembly produced enough thrust to theoretically sustain a flight at 460 mph for about 30,000 miles [using ~100 pounds of fuel]. However radiation levels were still a problem; at one point in the tests, controls failed and released enough radioactivity to contaminate 1,500 acres."

http://members.tripod.com/airfields_freeman/ID/Airfields_ID_N.htm

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[377 22]

I thought the NB36 was as far as it went in nuke plane propulsion research. I had NO IDEA that a propulsion engine was actually made, regardless of size or weight. Not too related to skydiving history, but damned interesting. I read that due to the lead shielding and super thick windows that the NB 36 cockpit was dead quiet even with six 4360 radials running at cruise power.

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[1969912 0]

It's cool that they preserved the HTRE-3 test stand/engine. It's at the INEL site near Idaho Falls.

Some more pics/info at the page below. Scroll ~3/4 down. Warning: The page has a zillion pics of cool aircraft and takes a minute to load.

http://www.combatreform.com/aircraftphotos.htm


The NERVA nuke rocket engine program was also interesting. There is a video showing a test at Jackass Flats, NV, where the reactor core melted/failed and most of the core was blown out all over the desert. A guy I used to work with was there when it happened. He said there were Pu fuel pellets sprayed over a huge area. Because the fuel hadn't been run in the reactor for very long, it was mostly plutonium without a high quantity of fission products, so cleanup wasn't as difficult as one might think

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[darkwing 5]

Dang, I was already worried enough about the extra cosmic ray dose I was getting, and now I have to get a dosimeter and geiger counter mounted inside my helmet too. They can warn me if my dose gets too high, or if the activity at the time is high, necessitating a bail out due to core breach.

So, how much will a jump ticket cost in this petroleum free aircraft?

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[virgin-burner 1]

jumptickets about 4 zillion $.. in todays value.

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[jimp 1]

This is a bit off topic, but since the subject of "nuclear" and "B-36", some of you may find this interesting.

At the start of the Cold War, on 13 Feb 1950, a B-36 crashed in the mountains just north of where I now live, the story full of intrigue and mystery.

Have a look here for links: www.cowtown.net/proweb/B36_Home.htm

Read the co-pilot interview by Don Pyeatt for the story of the bail-out and rescue.

Scroll down to NB-36H for some on-topic stuff.



www.cowtown.net/proweb/B36_Home.htm