Publications Details
A computer program for engineering simulations of space reactor system performance
Nuclear thermal propulsion systems are envisioned as a fast and efficient form of transportation for the exploration of space. Several nuclear reactor concepts have been proposed. This document discusses SAFSIM (System Analysis Flow SIMulator) which is an engineering computer program that allows the fluid mechanic, heat transfer, and reactor dynamic simulation of the entire propulsion system. SAFSIM currently contains three basic physics modules: (1) fluid mechanics, (2) heat transfer, and (3) reactor dynamics. All three modules are coupled to allow the prediction of system performance. The analyst can employ any or all of the physics modules as the problem dictates.