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US3161786A - System for the direct production of electricity in atomic reactors - Google Patents

System for the direct production of electricity in atomic reactors Download PDF

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Publication number
US3161786A
US3161786A US102621A US10262161A US3161786A US 3161786 A US3161786 A US 3161786A US 102621 A US102621 A US 102621A US 10262161 A US10262161 A US 10262161A US 3161786 A US3161786 A US 3161786A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
base
current
electricity
conductor
emitting electrode
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Expired - Lifetime
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US102621A
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English (en)
Inventor
Gunther Rainer
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Individual
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
    • G21C3/40—Structural combination of fuel element with thermoelectric element for direct production of electric energy from fission heat or with another arrangement for direct production of electric energy, e.g. a thermionic device
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21D—NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
    • G21D7/00—Arrangements for direct production of electric energy from fusion or fission reactions
    • G21D7/04—Arrangements for direct production of electric energy from fusion or fission reactions using thermoelectric elements or thermoionic converters
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors

Definitions

  • the heat source that is, the fissionable material such as uranium
  • the density of the emitted electron stream at the available voltage of about 1 volt, of the order of a few amperes per square centimeter.
  • the length of the current path through the highly heated (and therefore highly resistant) portion of the apparatus should be kept as low as possible.
  • the primary object of the present invention is to provide a system which avoids the disadvantages discussed above, thus increasing substantially the eificiency of a thermionic reactor.
  • theinvention contemplates a base carrier in contact with the emitter for holding fissionable material, this base beingformed of a material which has good electrical conductivity at high temperatures and serving as a current conductor.
  • the base is provided on the side opposite the transmitter with current conductors, which may be formed of stacks of pieces separated transversely to i 4, the direction of current flow, the layers of the stacks which may, for example, be U0 uranium dioxide.
  • FIG. 1 shows, in vertical section, a reactor embodying the invention on the line 11 of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 2 is a horizontal section through the device of FIG. 1.
  • the emitter 1 which can be of tungsten or zirconium carbide, is secured on a base carrier 2 of graphite, molybdenum 92 or tungsten 184. These substances have high melting points and low neutron absorption cross-section as well as a relatively good electrical conductivity at high temperatures.
  • the base 2 is provided with openings for the radio-active fissionable material (atomic fuel) 3, which The crosspieces between the bodies 3 serve to conduct the electric current from the emitter 1 to the conductor 5.
  • the conductors 5, as shown in FIG. 2, lie directly below the cross-pieces, so that the current path through the hot carrier 2 is kept short.
  • Each conductor is formed of several layers divided transversely to the direction of current flow.
  • three layers, 6, 7 and 8, are shown.
  • the layer 6 next to the hot base 2 is of a material which is quite heat-resistant, for instance one of those named above for the base 2, such as, graphite.
  • materials of the other layers 7 and 8 because of their lower operating temperature, substances of high melting and boiling points are not necessarily needed. They can therefore be of a material which is desirable because of a satisfactory Wiedemann-Franz number.
  • the material of layer 7, for example, can be tungsten and that of layer 8, molybdenum.
  • the conductors 5 are connected with a plate 9, for example, of aluminum, which has, on the surface facing the base 2, a high optical reflection. Thus heat loss from the hot base is reduced.
  • the surface can be of polished metal, such as aluminum, or of a white material such as magnesium oxide. Because of its substantially lower operating temperature, its current conducting crosssection can be substantially less than that of the conductor 5. It can be joined directly to the lead wire 10.
  • the emission plate 1 is arranged opposite the collector plate 12, for example, of aluminum. This latter and the base 2 are enclosed in an annular ceramic body 13 of generally C-shaped cross-section and form with it a vacuum housing.
  • the conductor 14 of the collector 12. may, if desired, also be formed of layers of different materials and constructed as thermal elements which also generate current.
  • the different layers of conductor 14 can for example be p-conducting and n-conducting bismuth-telluride.
  • the conduction to lead 15 is by plate 16.
  • the additional therm'o-electric current generation is present if for some reason a temperature drop from the collector plate 12 to the plate 16, for example of aluminum, must exist, for example if the surface of the collector plate is of a material used for oxide cathodes.
  • All the plates, especially plates 1 and 12, can be arched or bent.
  • the electric current produced has to traverse only a short path in a hot material of relatively poor electrical conductivity. This is very important considering that the operating temperatures are above 1000 C. and the current density around 1 to 100 amperes per square centimeter of surface.
  • a thermionic reactor comprising an emitting electrode heated by fission and a cold collecting electrode opposite to and electrically insulated from the emitting electrode, a base of a material which is a good conductor of electricity at high temperatures enclosing radio-active fissionable material and in electrical contact with the emitting electrode on the side thereof opposite from the collecting electrodes, a current conductor in contact With the side of the base opposite to the emitting electrode, said current conductor being formed of at least two contacting layers separated transversely to the direction of current flow, the layer next to the base being formed of a material highly resistant to heat and the other layer of a less heat-resistant material having a higher ratio of electrical to thermal conductivity than the layer next to the base.
  • a plate of conductive material engaging the layer remote from the base, said plate having a reflective surface directed towards the base.
  • a device as claimed in claim 1 consisting of materials purified from atomic nuclei with high neutron capture cross sections by isotopic separation.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Thermistors And Varistors (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)
  • Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)
US102621A 1960-03-19 1961-03-20 System for the direct production of electricity in atomic reactors Expired - Lifetime US3161786A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DEG29264A DE1112213B (de) 1960-03-19 1960-03-19 Einrichtung zur unmittelbaren Umwandlung von durch Kernprozesse erzeugter Waermeenergie in elektrische Energie

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3161786A true US3161786A (en) 1964-12-15

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Family Applications (1)

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US102621A Expired - Lifetime US3161786A (en) 1960-03-19 1961-03-20 System for the direct production of electricity in atomic reactors

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US (1) US3161786A (de)
DE (1) DE1112213B (de)
GB (1) GB909989A (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3330974A (en) * 1964-02-03 1967-07-11 Gen Electric Power generation apparatus
US3400015A (en) * 1963-03-22 1968-09-03 Texas Instruments Inc Energy converter
US3483037A (en) * 1965-12-16 1969-12-09 Gen Motors Corp Isotope powered photovoltaic device
US4368416A (en) * 1981-02-19 1983-01-11 James Laboratories, Inc. Thermionic-thermoelectric generator system and apparatus

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1282200B (de) * 1964-07-03 1968-11-07 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie Thermionischer Energiewandler

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2527945A (en) * 1946-06-25 1950-10-31 Rca Corp Method of and apparatus for generation of electrical energy from nuclear reactions
US2552050A (en) * 1946-06-25 1951-05-08 Rca Corp Method of and means for generating electrical energy
US2728867A (en) * 1945-07-03 1955-12-27 Volney C Wilson Generation of power
GB797872A (en) * 1954-09-30 1958-07-09 Harry Hurst Improvements in or relating to apparatus for generating electricity by thermionic emission
US2859361A (en) * 1951-07-05 1958-11-04 Radiation Res Corp Method and means for collecting electrical energy of nuclear reactions
US3005766A (en) * 1957-09-27 1961-10-24 Westinghouse Electric Corp Thermoelectric systems

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1021062B (de) * 1955-12-29 1957-12-19 Siemens Ag Isolierhuelse fuer die Hochspannungswicklung elektrischer Maschinen

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2728867A (en) * 1945-07-03 1955-12-27 Volney C Wilson Generation of power
US2527945A (en) * 1946-06-25 1950-10-31 Rca Corp Method of and apparatus for generation of electrical energy from nuclear reactions
US2552050A (en) * 1946-06-25 1951-05-08 Rca Corp Method of and means for generating electrical energy
US2859361A (en) * 1951-07-05 1958-11-04 Radiation Res Corp Method and means for collecting electrical energy of nuclear reactions
GB797872A (en) * 1954-09-30 1958-07-09 Harry Hurst Improvements in or relating to apparatus for generating electricity by thermionic emission
US3005766A (en) * 1957-09-27 1961-10-24 Westinghouse Electric Corp Thermoelectric systems

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3400015A (en) * 1963-03-22 1968-09-03 Texas Instruments Inc Energy converter
US3330974A (en) * 1964-02-03 1967-07-11 Gen Electric Power generation apparatus
US3483037A (en) * 1965-12-16 1969-12-09 Gen Motors Corp Isotope powered photovoltaic device
US4368416A (en) * 1981-02-19 1983-01-11 James Laboratories, Inc. Thermionic-thermoelectric generator system and apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1112213B (de) 1961-08-03
GB909989A (en) 1962-11-07

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