Nuclear powered drone

• US 4,786,008 A
• Filed: 04/24/1986
• Issued: 11/22/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Corbett, Marshall J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Basinger, Sherman D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fiorito, Lynn M.
• Application Number:
  US06/855,238
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 244/62, 244/53 R, 244/57, 244/60, 244/73 R, 244/117 A, 244/137 B, 60/644
• US Class Current: 244/53.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/22 using atomic energy
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/90 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/12 using turbine engines, e.g. turbojets or turbofans
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

An unmanned aircraft is equipped with a helium-cooled Brayton cycle nuclear reactor. Heated helium gas drives turbines which in turn rotate propellers to maintain the aircraft aloft for a protracted period of time. After the helium gas expands in the turbines, it is passed through a closed loop including radiator tubes which radiate waste heat from the helium gas to space. The cooled helium gas is returned through the closed loop for repeat of the Brayton cycle.

Claims

1. An aircraft for extended flights comprising:

a nuclear reactor cooled by a gas which includes a helium component;

at leat one turbine which receives expanding heated gas from the reactor;

a propeller driven by the turbine;

heat-radiating tubes located within wings of the aircraft and connected in a closed loop with the turbine for radiating waste heat from the gas to space;

the tubes extending along substantially the entire length of the aircraft wings and directly attached to an inner surface of the upper portions of the wings, covering almost the entire inner surface thereof, to facilitate heat radiation to space without intermediary radiating fins.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the reactor is cooled by helium gas.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the reactor is cooled by a gas mixture including helium and argon.