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Fusion Science and Technology
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A year in orbit: ISS deployment tests radiation detectors for future space missions
The predawn darkness on a cool Florida night was shattered by the ignition of nine Merlin engines on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The thrust of the engines shook the ground miles away. From a distance, the rocket appeared to slowly rise above the horizon. For the cargo onboard, the launch was anything but gentle, as the ignition of liquid oxygen generated more than 1.5 million pounds of force. After the rocket had been out of sight for several minutes, the booster dramatically returned to Earth with several sonic booms in a captivating show of engineering designed to make space travel less expensive and more sustainable.
J. Northall, E. H. Norris, J. P. Knowles, J. R. Petherbridge
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 80 | Number 3 | April-May 2024 | Pages 495-503
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2023.2223710
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The reaction of uranium deuteride with nitrogen has been investigated at room temperature followed by a thermal ramp to a furnace temperature of 230°C. This work utilized about 100 g of uranium deuteride that underwent seven absorption/desorption cycles with deuterium to provide a higher surface area on which to observe the reaction. Reactions were performed by flowing a mixture of N2 and 3He (95:5) through the UD3 sample. The reaction was monitored via mass spectrometry and pressure measurement. Evidence of partial consumption of N2 to form D2 and U2N3 was indicated at room temperature with the reaction limited to the sample surface. Increasing the sample furnace temperature to 230°C resulted in the full consumption of N2 and the associated generation of lower stoichiometry nitrides and D2. These results highlight that the reaction between nitrogen and uranium deuteride can occur at room temperature and that uranium beds are susceptible to a small loss in capacity when exposed to nitrogen.