Thermionic Converters in a Large Nuclear Electric Powerplant in Space

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1962 · ARS Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2514/8.6260· OSTI ID:4792859

Bernatowicz, Daniel T.

A parametric analysis of thermionic converter systems for large space powerplants is presented, and the thermionic systems are compared to the Rankine- cycle turbogenerator on the basis of radiator area per unit of output power. Thermionic performance is computed with the height of the potential barrier above the Fermi levels in the cathode and anode as parameters. The minimum possible radiator area is determined for several configurations as a function of cathode and radiator temperatures. In comparing the thermionic and turbogenerator systems, it is assumed that radiator area is a physically significant index of the powerplant mass, that corrosion limits the liquid metal temperature, and that this limit is the same in both systems. If the liquid metal is used to heat the cathodes, the thermionic system is restricted to peak temperatures the same as those for a turbogenerator, and the thermionic system requires a larger radiator. Incorporating the thermionic diodes into a reactor fuel element and using a liquid metal to cool the anodes allows them to operate at a higher peak temperature for the same corrosion limit. This scheme permits substantial savings in radiator area, up to 50% at a cathode temperature of 1700 deg K and up to 80% at 2300 deg K.

• Research Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-16-028626
• OSTI ID: 4792859
• Journal Information: ARS Journal, Journal Name: ARS Journal Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 32; ISSN 1936-9972
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ANODES
CATHODES
COMPUTERS
CONVERSION
CORROSION
DIODES
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRON TUBES
FERMI LEVEL
FLUID FLOW
FUEL ELEMENTS
GENERATORS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT TRANSFER
HEATING
HIGH TEMPERATURE
LIQUID METAL COOLANT
LIQUID METALS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
PERFORMANCE
POWER
RANKINE CYCLE
SPACE APPLICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY
SPACE VEHICLES
STEAM
SURFACES
TEMPERATURE
THERMIONICS
THERMOELECTRIC CELLS
TURBINES
WEIGHT