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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Thermionic gas switch

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5232928
This patent describes a thermionic switch responsive to temperature and including an emitter electrode, a collector electrode positioned around the emitter electrode, means for electrically insulating the emitter electrode from the collector electrode, and a quantity of thermionic material located within the collector electrodes. The improvement consists of the emitter electrode being constructed so as to have surfaces, the surfaces being positioned with respect to the collector electrode such that during an ''off'' mode thereof only a portion of the surface of the emitter electrode is effective, and during an ''on'' mode all of the surfaces of the emitter electrode are effective.
Assignee:
Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC
Patent Number(s):
US 4611147
OSTI ID:
5232928
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English