Nuclear radiation thermoelectron engine

Abstract

Techniques are provided for the absorption of energy carried by nuclear radiation by an emitter electrode and converting the energy to useful electrical work. An emitter electrode is provided which absorbs energy from nuclear radiation and emits a thermoelectron current, configured such that parasitic energy loss via direct thermal transport and thermal photon emission is minimized. A thermoelectron energy converter is provided which includes an emitter electrode, a nuclear source in the vicinity of the emitter electrode, a collector electrode, an enclosure, and electrical leads. Nuclear events within the nuclear source causes electron emission from the emitter electrode. The electrons emitted from the emitter electrode travel to the collector electrode and can be driven through an external circuit, outputting electrical power.

Claims

1. A thermoelectron energy converter (TEC) comprising: an emitter electrode a collector electrode an enclosure surrounding the emitter electrode and collector electrode The mechanical components required to position and stabilize the emitter and collector within the container an electrical lead making electrical contact with the emitter electrode, penetrating the enclosure and terminating at an electrical terminal outside the enclosure an electrical lead making electrical contact with the collector electrode, penetrating the enclosure and terminating at an electrical terminal outside the enclosure one or more sources of nuclear radiation in the vicinity of the emitter electrode.

2. The TEC from claim 1 in which the nuclear source emits nuclear radiation in the form of one or a combination of , , , neutron, or other radiation.

3. The TEC from claim 2 in which the nuclear radiation is incident on the emitter electrode and thereby transfers energy from the nuclear events of the nuclear source to the emitter electrode.

4. The TEC from claim 3 in which both the electrical leads connecting the emitter electrode to an external electrical circuit and the mechanical components connecting the emitter electrode to the container for the purposes of positioning and stabilization are chosen, designed, and engineered to minimize direct thermal transport of energy from the emitter electrode to the ambient environment.

5. The TEC from claim 4 in which the emitter material and structure is chosen, designed, and engineered using techniques in the field of photonic engineering such as two- and three-dimensional photonic crystals, thin film resonances, metamaterial patterning, and etc. to minimize the energy flux (energy carried by thermal photon radiation per unit area per unit time) from the emitter structure in the form of thermal photon emission.

6. The TEC from claim 5 in which the source of nuclear radiation is a fission reaction or a fusion reaction.

7. The TEC from claim 5 in which the source of nuclear radiation is a radioisotope experiencing nuclear decay.

8. The TEC from claim 7 in which the dimensions of the radioisotope are chosen to minimize self-absorption of nuclear radiation and to maximize the energy flux (energy carried by nuclear radiation per unit area per unit time) of nuclear radiation per the specific activity (number of events per unit mass per unit time) of the nuclear source.

9. The TEC of claim 8 in which the emitter electrode material and its dimensions are optimized such that all, or a majority of, the energy of the incident nuclear radiation is absorbed by the emitter electrode.

10. The TEC of claim 9 in which repeating cells of radioisotope source, emitter electrode, and collector electrode are arranged in a repeating fashion to optimize the conversion of energy released by nuclear decay to useful electrical work delivered to the external electrical load.

11. The TEC of claim 7, claim 9, or claim 10 in which the temperature of the emitter may be pre-set to its equilibrium temperature via any number of mechanisms including, but not limited to, resistive heating using the emitter's electrical lead(s), electron-beam heating, radiative heating via a blackbody filament or laser, or placing the entire assembly in a furnace to mitigate the case in which radiation from the source may be relatively low and require an unacceptably long time before sufficient energy has been added to the emitter to reach equilibrium temperature.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 depicts an emitter structure in proximity to a nuclear source and the processes by which energy enters and exits the emitter structure, namely, the nuclear radiation of the source, the direct thermal conduction through mechanical and electrical supporting components of the emitter, thermal photon radiation from the emitter, and thermoelectron emission from the emitter;

[0034] FIG. 2 depicts the general configuration of the components comprising a TEC claimed in this disclosure; and

[0035] FIG. 3 depicts a repeating cell configuration of a TEC.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. Such embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the disclosed subject matter, and the embodiments are not intended to be limiting. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate upon reading the specification and viewing the drawings that various modifications and variations can be made.

[0037] Before explaining at least one embodiment of the disclosed subject matter in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosed subject matter is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosed subject matter can be manifested in other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Numerous embodiments are described in this patent application, and are presented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments are not intended to be limiting in any sense. The disclosed subject matter is widely applicable to numerous embodiments, as is readily apparent from the disclosure herein. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosed subject matter can be practiced with various modifications and alterations. Although particular features of the disclosed subject matter can be described with reference to one or more particular embodiments or figures, it should be understood that such features are not limited to usage in the one or more particular embodiments or figures with reference to which they are described.

[0038] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, can readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the disclosed subject matter. It is important, therefore, that the disclosed subject matter be regarded as including equivalent constructions to those described herein insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter.

[0039] In addition, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on other embodiments to yield a still further embodiment. Additionally, certain features can be interchanged with similar devices or features not mentioned yet which perform the same or similar functions. It is therefore intended that such modifications and variations are included within the totality of the disclosed subject matter.

[0040] Reference is now made to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 depicts the key mechanisms by which energy is transferred from the nuclear source [1] to the emitter electrode [2] and beyond. nuclear events [3] within the nuclear source [1] occur and emit a nuclear radiation flux [4] comprising nuclear radiation particles [5] such as one or a combination of , , , neutron, or other radiation. This nuclear radiation flux [4] carries energy and is incident on the emitter electrode [2] where it is absorbed and manifest chiefly as heat in the emitter electrode [2]. This heat results in an increase in the temperature of the emitter electrode [2] above the ambient temperature of the emitter electrode [2]. Energy leaves the emitter electrode [2] via direct thermal transport [6] through one or more mechanical connections [7] to the ambient environment [8]. Any direct mechanical connections [7], even, for example, those serving the purpose of an electrical conductor, result in parasitic heat loss from the emitter electrode [2] via direct thermal transport [6]. Energy also exits the emitter electrode [2] via thermal photons [9] comprising a flux of thermal photon emission [10] which is a parasitic energy loss. A thermoelectron current [11] of thermoelectrons [12] emanates from the emitter electrode [2] as a result of the elevated temperature of the emitter electrode [2] above the ambient temperature of the emitter electrode [2].

[0041] Reference is now made to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 depicts a TEC [13] comprising an emitter electrode [2], a collector electrode [14] separated from the emitter electrode [2] by an interelectrode gap [15], a nuclear source [1] in the vicinity of the emitter electrode [2], an emitter lead [16] in electrical contact [17] to the emitter electrode [2] which penetrates the enclosure [22] and terminates outside the enclosure [22] at a positive electrical terminal [18], a collector lead [19] in electrical contact [20] to the collector electrode [14] which penetrates the enclosure [22] and terminates outside the enclosure [22] at a negative electrical terminal [21], and an enclosure [22] surrounding the emitter electrode [2], the collector electrode [14], and the nuclear source [1]. The enclosure [22] may be evacuated, partially evacuated, or contain some atmosphere of a gas or mixture of gases. The nuclear source [1] experiences nuclear events [3] resulting in emission of a nuclear radiation flux [4] comprising one or a combination of , , , neutron, or other radiation. The nuclear radiation flux [4] strikes the emitter electrode [2], transferring its energy to the emitter electrode [2] and raising the temperature of the emitter electrode [2]. A thermoelectron current [11] emanates from the emitter electrode [2] as a result of the increased temperature. The thermoelectron current [11] traverses the interelectrode gap [15] and arrives at the collector electrode [14] where it is absorbed. The electrical current will travel through an external electrical load [23] connected between the positive electrical terminal [18] and negative electrical terminal [21] and perform electrical work.

[0042] Reference is now made to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 depicts the internal components and general configuration of a repeated cellular configuration of the invention. FIG. 3 depicts a cell [24] comprising a radioisotope nuclear source [25], an emitter electrode [2], and a collector electrode [14]. Cells are arranged in a repeating fashion (linearly repeating shown). The cellular components of radioisotope nuclear source [25], emitter electrode [2], and collector electrode [14] may be shared by one or more cell [24] as the application of the device dictates. nuclear decay events [26] within a radioisotope nuclear source [25] emits nuclear radiation flux [4] in the form of one or a combination of , , , neutron, or other radiation. The nuclear radiation flux [4] is incident on a proximate emitter electrode [2], thereby transferring the energy of the nuclear radiation flux [4] to the proximate emitter electrode [2] in the form of heat and resulting in an increase of the temperature of the emitter electrode [2] above the ambient temperature of the emitter electrode [2]. As a result of the elevated temperature of an emitter electrode [2], thermoelectrons [12] are emitted as a thermoelectron current [11] from the emitter electrode [2] and traverse an interelectrode gap [15] to a proximate collector electrode [14]. Collector electrodes from different cells can share the collector lead [19] in parallel (shown), series, or a combination as the application of the device dictates. Emitter electrodes from different cells can share the emitter lead [16] in parallel (shown), series, or a combination as the application of the device dictates.

[0043] Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this disclosed subject matter, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.