INTERPRETATION OF EXPERIMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CESIUM THERMIONIC CONVERTERS

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1961 · Journal of Applied Physics (U.S.)

OSTI ID:4052301

Pezaris, S D; Hatsopoulos, G N; Carabateas, E N

Experimental V-I curves were obtained from a 150-w cesium thermionic converter. Two different kinds of V-I curves can be clearly distinguished. One, corresponding to a collision-free type operation, is obtained when the cesium mean free path is of the order of three or more times the interelectrode spacing. The other, corresponding to a sheath-type operation, is obtained when the spacing is of the order of 30 cesium mean free paths. In the first case the log I vs V plot has the familiar shape observed by Hernqvist et al. STAK. G. Hernqvist, M. Kaneisky, and F. H. Norman, RCA Rev. 19, 244 (1958)!; it consists of two straight lines meeting at the breakoff point. From such an experimental curve the difference in emitter and collector work functions and the emitter temperature can be readily obtained. In the second case the V-I curve has the standard shape of a sheath curve which is smooth without breakoff point and which shows saturation in the current for both the high positive and high negative values of the voltage. In the present work a method is outlined by means of which the difference in emitter and collector work functions, as well as the emitter temperature, can be determined from an experimental V-I curve of the second kind. With this method experimental data from the above-mentioned converter in the sheath-type operation have been successfully analyzed, and good agreement has been obtained between experimentaL results and theoretical predictions. (auth)

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge
• NSA Number: NSA-15-014473
• OSTI ID: 4052301
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics (U.S.), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics (U.S.) Vol. Vol: 32; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CESIUM
COLLISIONS
CONTROL
CONVERSION
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRICITY
ELECTRODES
ELECTRON TUBES
ENGINEERING AND EQUIPMENT
IONS
MATHEMATICS
MEAN FREE PATH
MEASURED VALUES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
SATURATION
STANDARDS
TEMPERATURE