EDN: BBYSFA
Authors & Affiliations
Ivanov A.S., Alekseev P.A., Ruzhnikov V.A.
A.I. Leypunsky Institute of Physics and Power Engineering, Obninsk, Russia/em>
Ivanov A.S. – Research Engineer. Contacts: 1, pl. Bondarenko, Obninsk, Kaluga region, Russia, 249033. Tel.: +7 (484) 399-70-00 (add. 43-88); e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Alekseev P.A. – Senior Researcher, Cand. Sci (Tech.).
Ruzhnikov V.A. – Leading Researcher, Cand. Sci. (Tech.).
Abstract
The article describes methods for automating the calculation of electrical characteristics of thermionic reactor-converters, aimed at enhancing the accuracy, efficiency, and reliability of designing complex energy systems. Calculations are performed using an upgraded version of the TFEDM22 program, developed to analyze the thermoelectrophysical characteristics of the electrogenerating channel (EGC) in a thermionic reactor-converter. The uniqueness of TFEDM22 lies in its implementation of heat transfer modeling due to thermionic current, complementing traditional heat transfer tasks, which ensures high accuracy and reliability of results. The need for automation arises from the increased complexity of detailed electrical characteristic calculations, driven by the integration of data from a neutron-physical calculation program. The developed algorithm, written in Python, automates data processing, minimizing manual effort, reducing error risks, and significantly accelerating the design process. The algorithm reads neutron-physical calculation results, converts them into a format compatible with TFEDM22, and generates a detailed volt-ampere characteristic for each EGC. Considering the geometry and properties of each channel, it automatically performs the commutation of elements within the reactor-converter, determining the optimal operating mode of the entire system. Using Python ensures flexibility, scalability, and ease of algorithm adaptation to various reactor configurations. The proposed approach simplifies the design of complex systems, enables rapid identification of optimal reactor operating modes, minimizes time costs, and reduces design error risks. It opens prospects for optimizing thermionic reactors in space power systems and other high-tech fields requiring stable, efficient, and safe operation of energy systems, ensuring their durability and performance.
Keywords
thermoelectrophysical characteristics, electrogenerating channel (EGC), thermionic emission, thermionic reactor-converter, calculation automation, algorithm, commutation of electrogenerating channels, current-voltage characteristic (I—V curve)
Article Text (PDF, in Russian)
References
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UDC 621.039.578:629.7
Problems of Atomic Science and Technology. Series: Nuclear and Reactor Constants, 2026, no. 2, 2:11
