Solid state radioisotopic energy converter for space nuclear power

Conference · Sun Jan 10 00:00:00 EST 1993 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43169· OSTI ID:5591774

Brown, P M ^[1]

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1. IsoGen Radioisotopic Research Laboratory, 315 S. McLoughlin Blvd., Oregon City, Oregon 97045 (United States)

Recent developments in materials technology now make it possible to fabricate nonthermal thin-film radioisotopic energy converters (REC) with a specific power of 24 W/kg and a 10 year working life at 5 to 10 watts. This creates applications never before possible, such as placing the power supply directly on integrated circuit chips. The efficiency of the REC is about 25% which is two to three times greater than the 6 to 8% capabilities of current thermoelectric systems. Radioisotopic energy converters have the potential to meet many future space power requirements for a wide variety of applications with less mass, better efficiency, and less total area than other power conversion options. These benefits result in significant dollar savings over the projected mission lifetime.

• OSTI ID: 5591774
• Report Number(s): CONF-930103-; CODEN: APCPCS
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 271:1; Conference: 10. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 10-14 Jan 1993; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES
DIRECT COLLECTION CONVERTERS
BETAVOLTAIC CELLS
RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
CESIUM
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRON-HOLE COUPLING
IONIZATION
LAYERS
PLATINUM
SELENIUM
SERVICE LIFE
THIN FILMS
TRITIUM
WORK FUNCTIONS
ALKALI METALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
COUPLING
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELEMENTS
FILMS
FUNCTIONS
HEAT SOURCES
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIFETIME
LIGHT NUCLEI
METALS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PLATINUM METALS
RADIOISOTOPES
SEMIMETALS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
070300* - Isotopic Power Supplies