01-02-2013, 01:00 PM
NUCLEAR BATTERIES
NUCLEAR BATTERIES.pptx (Size: 659.03 KB / Downloads: 144)
The idea of nuclear batteries was given in the beginning of 1950, and was patented in Mar 3, 1959 to TRACER LAB.
Scientific breakthrough in nuclear power by PAUL BROWN (RADIO ISOTOPIC GENERATING SYSTEM) AND HENRY MOSELEY (DEMONSTRATED THE BETA CELL,1913).
SOMETHING ABOUT NUCLEAR BATTERIES
The term “Nuclear battery”.
Nuclear batteries and nuclear reactors.
Conventional batteries (used in day to day life) and nuclear batteries.
TYPES OF CONVERTORS
THERMAL CONVERTORS
THERMIONIC CONVERTOR: These have a hot electrode, emits electrons over a space charge barrier to a cooler electrode producing o/p power. CESIUM VAPOUR : optimize work function & provide an ion supply.
RTG: connects a thermocouple in series, SEEBACK EFFECT
THERMOPHOTOVOLTIC CELLS: Similar to photovoltaic cells, convert infrared radiations to electricity.
ALKALI-METAL THERMAL TO ELECTRIC CONVERTOR: AMTEC Electrochemical system, based on electrolyte used in sodium sulfur battery. SODIUM CONCENTRATION CELL which uses ceramic, polycrystalline beta –alumina solid electrolyte(base) separator between the high pressure region containing sodium vapors and low pressure region containing liquid sodium.
STIRLING RADIOISOTOPE GENERATOR: Sterling engine driven by temperature difference produced by radioisotope.
APPLICATIONS
Space applications: space probing
Medical applications: cardiac pacemaker
Laptop batteries: xcell-N laptop batteries
Automobiles: Ford-atomic
Military applications: to empower the war fighter.
Under water probes and sea sensors: microelectronic mechanical systems(MEMS) and smart dust sensors
CONCLUSION
The world of tomorrow that science fiction & dreams of and technology manifests might be a very small one. It would reason that small devices would need small batteries to power them. So we can use microelectronics and nano particle science in collaboration with these nuclear technologies.
The use of power as heat and electricity from radioisotope will continue to be indispensable.