HIGH-TEMPERATURE VAPOR-FILLED THERMIONIC CONVERTER. Quarterly Technical Progress Report for the Period October 1-December 31, 1962

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1963

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4661937· OSTI ID:4661937

Godsin, W.

Cell F was operated at power for 484 hours. Cell F is the first cell in which the expected current emission density was observed from a carbide emitter in an engineered thermionic generator. Short-circuit currents of 120 amp were observed from the emitter in the cell. A maximum power output of 50 watts (5 w/ sq cm) was obtained at an emitter temperature of 2440 deg K. During steady state operation power was in the range from 10 to 30 watts. The cell was not optimized for maximum power. The contact potential in the cell agrees with that expected from a low work function carbide emitter and a fully cesiated collector. For a nominal contact potential of 1 volt and a short-circuit current of 120 amp, the optimum power should have been 120 watts, assuming no transport defects in the cell. Actually the maximum power output corresponding to a short-circuit current of 120 amp was more nearly 40 watts, indicating transport defects in the cell. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Atomic Div., General Dynamics Corp., San Diego, Calif.
• NSA Number: NSA-17-036377
• OSTI ID: 4661937
• Report Number(s): GA-3798; AD-295907
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CARBIDES
CESIUM
CONVERSION
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
EMISSION
ENERGY
GENERATORS
MEASURED VALUES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
OPERATION
PHYSICS
TEMPERATURE
THERMIONICS
TRANSPORT
VAPORS