HIGH TEMPERATURE SOLAR THERMIONIC GENERATORS. First Quarterly Technical Progress Report, April 15, 1963-July 31, 1963

Technical Report · Thu Aug 15 04:00:00 EDT 1963

OSTI ID:4661796

Progress is reported on work accomplished on applied research initiated on cesium-vapor thermionic converters. The two major goals of the program are: to demonstrate that cesium-vapor thermionic converters operating above 1600 deg C can have a satisfactory life of at least one year at efficiencies greater than 15% and at power densities greater than 12 watts/cm/sup 2/; and to demonstrate that such high-temperature converters can be incorporated into a cavity generator capable of sustained operation at the focal point of a solar concentrator. Toward these goals, a cavity type generator was extensively tested under a solar flux range of 80 to 100 watts/ft/sup 2/ during the first quarter of the program and good correlation of the generator solar performance with previous laboratory performance has been obtained. Further, an advanced thermionic converter de sign, fabrication and performance evaluation was successfully accomplished and an additional three converters of this configuration are undergoing fabrication. These converters will be subjected to sustained and cyclic life evaluations during the second and third quarter of the program. (auth)

• Research Organization: TAPCO. Div. of Thomson Ramo Wooldreidge Inc., Cleveland
• NSA Number: NSA-17-036455
• OSTI ID: 4661796
• Report Number(s): TRW-ER-5464
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CESIUM
CONFIGURATION
CONVERSION
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY
FABRICATION
GENERATORS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
MEASURED VALUES
OPERATION
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICS
PLANNING
SUN
TESTING
THERMIONICS
VAPORS