Xenon/Argon Ullage gases for a bimodal NTR NEP system
greetings to Mr Borowski,
I always enjoy when I see your NTRS papers in the NTR server or the FISO telecom, here is an idea based on the theme
Xenon/Argon Ullage gasses for the LH2 tanks
After LH2 depletion the LH2 Drop tank is not discarded but is retained in order for a Bimodal NTR to provide current for a ION engine that uses the Noble ullage gasses as propellant!
perhaps the LH2 is used to keep tanks of cryogenic Xenon/Argon cold so to save volume and the weight of the Xenon tank? So the question is if the NTR propellent tank is designed for say 40 PSI of LH2 then using ideal gas law how much Argon/Xenon would this represent? Its weight? the weight of the tank that has not been discarded? the additional weight of the ion engines?
Edit
13 April 2015
Found a bimodal duel fuel paper by Borowski et al our idea differs from theirs in that we use ion propellants as ullage gases
Their variant has 15 Tons of Xenon in a tank that feeds into lines directly to outboard ion engines, Our variant has liquid Xenon in a smaller tank that is cooled by liquid hydrogen.The Xenon is gasified and is used as ullage gas in the hydrogen propellent drop tank.This tank it is believed would hold far more than 16 tons of Xenon
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