Performance of a thermionic converter module utilizing emitter and collector heat pipes

Technical Report · Thu Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6405256

Kroeger, E; Morris, J; Miskolczy, G; Lieb, D P; Goodale, D B

A thermionic converter module simulating a configuration for an out-of-core thermionic nuclear reactor was designed, fabricated, and tested. The module consists of three cylindrical thermionic converters. The tungsten emitter of the converter is heated by a tungsten, lithium heat pipe. The emitter heat pipes are immersed in a furnace, insulated by MULTI-FOIL thermal insulation, and heated by tungsten radiation filaments. The performance of each thermionic converter was characterized before assembly into the module. Dynamic voltage, current curves were taken using a 60 Hz sweep and computerized data acquisition over a range of emitter, collector, and cesium-reservoir temperatures. An output power of 215 W was observed at an emitter temperature of 1750 K and a collector temperature of 855 K for a two diode module. With a three diode module, an output power of 270 W was observed at an average emitter temperature of 1800 K and a collector temperature of 875 K.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (USA). Lewis Research Center
• OSTI ID: 6405256
• Report Number(s): N-78-27174
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300402* -- Thermionic Converters-- Performance & Testing
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELEMENTS
HEAT PIPES
METALS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
PERFORMANCE
POWER REACTORS
REACTORS
REFRACTORY METALS
SIMULATION
THERMIONIC COLLECTORS
THERMIONIC CONVERTERS
THERMIONIC EMITTERS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TUNGSTEN