Convair NX2 CAMAL Nuclear Bomber

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Read the article from the link and you will find its written by the illustrator Gordon C. Davies for the Eagle comic, and is purely speculative.

 

[Orionblamblam]

Until something better comes our way...

Is that a subtle hint? My copy of this illustration is quite a bit bigger and entirely legible. I can dig it up if interested.

 

[Steve Pace]

I'm interested. -SP

 

[Stargazer]

Is that a subtle hint? My copy of this illustration is quite a bit bigger and entirely legible. I can dig it up if interested.

It was not! Of course it would be very interesting to see a blown-up quality version of this image, thanks.

 

[hesham]

As in Flightglobal,here is a same artist drawing to a hypothetically,how the NX-2
would be looking.

OK my dears,I explained it already,"hypothetically" or speculative design.

 

[Orionblamblam]

A clearer version of the illustration. Larger version available here.

 

[Steve Pace]

Thanks so much, Scott! -SP

 

[archipeppe]

A clearer version of the illustration. Larger version available here.

Great Scott (as usual)!!!!

 

[Michel Van]

Big THX to Scott and Skyblazer for scann


interesting is there no HEF but JP-4 fuel who serve as Radiation Shield for crew

 

[PlanesPictures]

What type of missile is under external store?

 

[hesham]

A clearer version of the illustration. Larger version available here.

Amazing work my dear Scott.

 

[Stargazer]

A clearer version of the illustration. Larger version available here.

Splendid!! Thank you so much for sharing this great document.
I'm removing my "temporary" image right away!

 

[blackkite]

XMA-1 engine specification may be as follows.
1.One nuclear reactor with two X211(J87) turbo machinary.
2.Overall length : 13m
3.Each X211 air intake diameter : 1.4m
4.Each X211 exhaust nozzle diameter : 2.0m
5.Total compression ratio : 14
6.X211 turbine inlet temperature : 1800°F(982°C)
7. Thrust : 12.3ton(With after burning : 15.7ton(34,613lbs))
Source :　未完の計画機(Unfinished planned aircraft), Ikaros publication, ISBN978-4-8022-0014-1, 2015

General Electric Direct-Air-Cycle Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Program

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,20764.msg204242.html#msg204242

XMA-1 drawing and picture.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=20764.0;attach=206541;image

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=20764.0;attach=206543;image

NX-2(Model 54) with two XMA-1 engines.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=134.0;attach=538197;image

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=134.0;attach=206589;image

 

[blackkite]

Perhaps these picture shows NX-2 alternate design with P&W indirect cycle nuclear turbojet engine.
I can see nuclear reactor at middle of the rear fuselage in the second picture.
Do I make a mistake? ;D

 

[blackkite]

Hi! XNJ140 engine.
XNJ140 was a nuclear engine with single X211 turbo machinary.
XNJ140 was a nuclear/chemical hybrid engine.
Perhaps XNJ140 thrust by only nuclear reactor is almost same as XMA-1 engine, nevertheless using only one X211 turbo machinary.
(Or XMA-1 Engine thrust estimation ; "12.3ton(With after burning : 15.7ton(34,613lbs))" is too large?)
XNJ140 cutaway drawing.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=20764.0;attach=206539;image

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=20764.0;attach=206545;image

 

[blackkite]

Hi! NX-2 with XNJ140 engine.
Three XNJ140E’s to provide cruise propulsion; but for takeoff, two additional chemically fueled turbojets were provided in underwing pods.

 

[blackkite]

What is this? Designed plane NX-227E 2-1?

Netradičné druhy pohonu - Part 2

"In October 1959 Convair received permission to establish two pilot studies of developmental subsonic aircraft that would be able to virtually test different types of powerplants with direct and indirect cycle. Designed plane NX-227E 2-1 was in many ways similar to the original model 54 bomber from the program CAMAL. Where the drive system XMA-1 should be installed, only one unit, two of the three XNJ140 using a reactor with indirect bypass NJ-18A operated by only two of the four power operated.(??) Power loss especially at the start and landing be offset by six additional jet engines for Pratt & Whitney J75 chemical fuel under the wings. With a length of 40.9 meters and 21.9 span metro fully loaded plane weighed 260 tons and it also covers the use of reduced drive. Spared the mass was compensated by pumping large quantities of chemical fuel. "

Is this Convair's WS-125 proposal?

 

[hesham]

It's also NX-2,from Convair,

please mention the source;

http://www.strange-mecha.com/aircraft/APA/APA.html

 

[blackkite]

Thanks a lot. But your source is little strange? ;D

This top one is Lockheed design GL 232 of 1958 which was planed to use Pratt & Whitney indirect-type engine which was never finallized. This design lost out to the Convair design what was called the CAMAL « Continuously Airborne Missile Launcher » competition

http://modelarchives.free.fr/archives_P/Aplane/Aplane_tech.html

 

[blackkite]

Hi!

 

[blackkite]

NACA/NASA Langley: Celebrating 100 Years

NASA.gov brings you the latest images, videos and news from America's space agency. Get the latest updates on NASA missions, watch NASA TV live, and learn about our quest to reveal the unknown and benefit all humankind.

crgis.ndc.nasa.gov

 

[blackkite]

Hi! GE X211 power unit with two J87 engines. Power source was XMA-1 direct cycle nuclear reactor.
J87 engine had chemical fuel(JP4) afterburner for take off and supersonic dash. Clever design.(Afterburner operating in oxygen-rich environment)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Electric_J87

 

[blackkite]

Hi! GE's direct cycle XNJ140E engine.

 

[blackkite]

Hi my guess.
GE's NX-2 direct cycle engine design changed from X211 power unit with two XMA-1 reactors and four J87 engines to three XNJ140E engines.

 

[blackkite]

So final NX-2 candidates were
(1) With three GE XNJ104E direct cycle nucler engines and two J75 engines.
(2) With one P&W indirect cycle reactor and four jet engines which driven by nuclear reactor.

 

[blackkite]

Hi! NX-2 with P&W indirect cycle engine.

 

[Archibald]

This book has a pretty clear explanation about NAP

The Tender Ship

Unsurprisingly, Arthur Squires presents us with a remarkable book. Unsurprisingly because this is a remarkable man - accomplished engineer, gifted musician, sensitive humanist, talented teacher, analytical observer, felicitous writer - altogether a man with the kind of breadth and depth that we...

books.google.fr

General Electric did some good progress on the direct cycle, but it was batshit insane

Pratt changed its reactor design three times during the indirect cycle (see attached).
- they started from a Rickover submarine reactor (also Shippingport later on... a PWR / BWR)
- they shifted to a Molten Salt Reactor (also known as "fireball" and also CFR - Circulating Fuel Reactor. Also ARE and ART.) that was canned in 1957 as too slow for later supersonic flight.
And thus Pratt changed a third time...
- they ended with a sodium-cooled reactor until 1961
(a bit like EBR-1 or Clinch River or Superphenix or Clancy Alpha -class ultrafast submarines).

WS-125A lasted only 1955-1956 before supersonic flight proved unachievable. Hence the subsonic CAMAL was pitched instead.
With the "workable" direct cycle.

I understand better why JFK stopped that insanity.
- direct cycle would spread radioactivity all over the place
- indirect cycle was slightly better - but SODIUM LIQUID METAL ?? run away ! That coolant is a ruthless bastard. Even on the ground.

 

[TomS]

- they ended with a sodium-cooled reactor until 1961
(a bit like EBR-1 or Clinch River or Superphenix or Clancy Alpha -class ultrafast submarines

It's funny. Clancy actually suggested in Hunt for Red October that the Alfas ran with an ultra-high-pressure water-cooled reactor. Which was completely wrong. OTOH, we have learned that they actually used lead-bismuth as the coolant, not sodium. The US, however, did try sodium in the Seawolf (SSN-575) and was very unhappy with the result.

Apologies for the naval digression.

 

[Archibald]

D'oh !!!

 

[Zoo Tycoon]

Liquid Sodium has been used quite a number of times albeit with few dramas ;- check out SRE Simi Valley or Monju Japan (in its first accident it filled a room with molten Sodium, bless it, only took 15 years to fix)
There’s a few still operating, the two biggest of which are in Russia.

 

[Archibald]

France very own Monju was SuperPhoenix and it seems to have run into never-ending issues with sodium, too. Seriously: breeders were to have thousands of tons of sodium surrounding (equally nasty) plutonium. There is nothing worse than a sodium fire, except a sodium fire burning plutonium.

While the green lobby certainly over-exagerated the "terror", I'm pretty glad the "plutonium breeder economy" didn't pan out.

Review of the Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Program

books.google.fr

 

[blackkite]

Sodium is very dangerous. I used to see sodium/water reaction test simulated Liquid Metal(sodium) Fast Breeder Reactor Monju steam genarator heat transfer tube water leak. Sodium/water reaction generate Hydrogen. In the test, when ignited Hydrogen, sound and fire were like inverse Rocket.
Also sodium react with concrete and air, because cocrete and air include water.

 

[Sherman Tank]

Now imagine a fully-armed A-plane powered by a sodium-cooled reactor crashing. It brings to mind what John D. Clark wrote about metal-fluorine fires: "For dealing with this situation, I have always recommended a good pair of running shoes."

 

[Zoo Tycoon]

The attraction is the power density;- 800MW can be generated from a reactor the size of domestic washing machine...... this doesn’t include the cooling system. But the Sodium coolant seems to be an accident waiting to happen;- Monju after 24 years and over a billion dollars spent had delivered just 1hour of electric at full power, & one of the current Russian sodium cooled reactors has suffered 12 Sodium leaks in 15 years.
A flying Sodium cooled reactor, what could possibly go wrong?

 

[blackkite]

Hi! NX-2 span based on 1/30 scale wind tunnel test model is 172.86 feet (52.69m).

 

[Archibald]

Now imagine a fully-armed A-plane powered by a sodium-cooled reactor crashing. It brings to mind what John D. Clark wrote about metal-fluorine fires: "For dealing with this situation, I have always recommended a good pair of running shoes."

ROTFL

A flying Sodium cooled reactor, what could possibly go wrong?

See above. Maybe - the sodium leaks out of the aircraft and set fire to the ground. Yet when the nuclear aircraft finally crash, just enough sodium is left to fuel a plutonium bonfire.

Otherwise you can try SLAM / Pluto, the ultimate nightmare weapon.

If it doesn't make you deaf, or poison you with highly radioactive *direct cycle* radioactive exhaust - then the shockwave of the thundering crowbar just kill you, before the thing pops a handful of H-bombs on your head, and finish the job (not you: you already dead twice or thrice) crashing itself into the already smoldering crater that once was your city.

In the immortal words of sociopath Scary Cold Warrior General Thomas Power "we will nuke bomb the Soviet Union into rubble and then nuke bomb the rubble into dust"

I've read somewhere, they wanted to fly test PLUTO by flying it in 8 patterns around a remote pacific island, before droppping the red-hot thing 5000 ft deep into an undersea trench, Mariana for example.

What could possibly go wrong, really... ??!!!

 

[blackkite]

Hi! Convair model 54. The title of this drawing is tactical airplane!? Perhaps the engine was not a final design.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WeirdWings/comments/bmi0ko

 

[blackkite]

Hi! I feel that Convair model 54 is not NX-2.

 

[iverson]

Now imagine a fully-armed A-plane powered by a sodium-cooled reactor crashing. It brings to mind what John D. Clark wrote about metal-fluorine fires: "For dealing with this situation, I have always recommended a good pair of running shoes."

ROTFL

A flying Sodium cooled reactor, what could possibly go wrong?

...
What could possibly go wrong, really... ??!!!

I have read that sodium cooling actually has at least some major safety advantages over water-cooling:

* It does not need to be pressurized, so it won't explode the pressure vessel and empty the entire coolant system in the event of a leak.

* It won't react with reactor metals, so there is less risk of corrosion and no risk of high-temperature hydrolysis (H2O->H2+O2->BOOM!).

* As it cools, it solidifies instead of flowing away, entombing the reactor components.

High pressure steam leaks are extremely dangerous in and of themselves. But in a pressurized water reactor, a leak that causes pressure to drop suddenly can cause the water to flash over to steam more or less at once, resulting in explosion and total coolant loss. In a crash, the steam blast would probably throw radioactive debris. Worse, you'd have an uncontained core meltdown soon after.

Of course sodium will burn in air (spectacularly). But that doesn't make it inherently unsafe (think sodium cooled exhaust valves). Leaking might also be limited in a crash. The sodium wouldn't be pressurized, so there would be no catastrophic, steam-style explosion--more likely slow leaks. Sodium is a solid at room temperature, so I'd expect that the sodium would start to solidify wherever temperature dropped, impeding leaking and containing reactor components, at least to some degree.

So, on the whole, I don't see anything particularly foolish about choosing sodium cooling, especially if pressurized water and open-cycle air cooling are the alternatives.

It's the choice of nuclear fission power that was foolish. No matter what you choose for cooling, you have a large or, at best, slightly less large radiation disaster with every crash and, in the open-cycle case, with every engine start.

 

[blackkite]

Passive decay heat removal system for LMFBR is very important. Especially in case of the loss of power accident same as Fukushima.
Due to the earthquake and tsunami, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station lost the external power source and the emergency power source from the emergency diesel generator, and the decay heat could not be removed.
TEPCO injected seawater into the reactor with a fire engine, but most of the seawater did not reach the reactor and flowed into the condenser. They missed the line leading to the condenser. Of course, seawater cannot be injected into the liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactor.

https://www.researchgate.net/public..._pool_type_fast_reactor_using_passive_systems

"Post shutdown decay heat removal in a fast reactor is one of the most important safety functions which must be accomplished with a very high reliability. To achieve high reliability, the fast breeder reactor design has emphasized on passive or near passive decay heat removal systems utilizing the natural convection(no need electric power) in the heat removal path. A typical passive decay heat removal system used in recent designs of fast breeder reactors consists of a sodium to sodium heat exchanger and sodium to air heat exchanger which together remove heat directly from the hot pool to the final heat sink, which is air. Since these are safety systems, it is necessary to confirm the design with detailed numerical analysis. The numerical studies include pool hydraulics, natural convection phenomena in closed loops, flow through narrow gaps between SA, multi-scale modeling, etc. Toward understanding the evolution of thermal hydraulic parameters during natural convection decay heat removal, a three-dimensional CFD model for the primary system coupled with an appropriate one-dimensional model for the secondary system is proposed. The model has been validated against the results of natural convection test conducted in PHENIX reactor. Adopting the model for the Indian PFBR, six different decay heat removal cases have been studied which bring out the effect of safety grade decay heat removal system (SGDHRS) capacity, secondary sodium inventory and inter-wrapper flow heat transfer on the subassembly outlet temperatures that are important for safety evaluation of the reactor. From the results, it is concluded that the delay in initiation of SGDHRS, replacement of intermediate sodium in SGDHRS with NaK and a decrease in the AHX air inlet temperature do not change the temperatures of the primary circuit significantly. The secondary sodium inventory plays an important role in reducing the temperatures in the primary coolant. The beneficial effect of inter-wrapper flow heat transfer on primary temperatures is limited to about 20 K in the fissile zone and 50 K in the blanket zone. These results are very important and give direction for future designs of fast breeder reactors."

Sorry for off topic.