Nuclear Thermal Electric Propulsion (NTEP) is a theoretical concept that involves using a nuclear thermal reactor to produce high-temperature propellant to generate electricity for an electric propulsion system, such as an ion thruster. The thrust force in an NTEP system can be described using a modified version of the rocket thrust equation. The specific equations involved can be complex and may depend on the details of the nuclear reactor and electric propulsion system.
The thrust equation for a turbojet engine using control volume analysis is expressed as:
where,
- is the thrust force,
- ṁe is the mass flow rate of exhaust gases in kilograms per second (kg/s).
- is the Exhaust velocity at the nozzle exit in meters per second (m/s).
- ṁ0 is the mass flow rate of inlet gases in kilograms per second (kg/s).
- is the Exhaust velocity at the nozzle Inlet in meters per second (m/s).
- is the Pressure at the nozzle exit in pascals (Pa).
- is the Pressure at the nozzle inlet in pascals (Pa).
- is the Area of the nozzle exit in square meters (m²).