DOE/JPL Advanced Thermionic Technology Program. Progress report No. 44, July-August-September 1980

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6528061· OSTI ID:6528061

The primary long-term goal of the DOE effort is to improve TEC performance to the level that thermionic topping of fossil fuel powerplants becomes technically possible and economically attractive. The focus of the JPL program is to develop thermionic conversion technology appropriate for nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) missions. DOE program accomplishments include: (1) continuing combustion life test of the one-inch diameter hemispherical silicon carbide diode (Converter No. 239) at an emitter temperature of 1730/sup 0/K for a period of over 2200 hours; (2) thermal shock tests of a composite CVD hot shell-emitter structure by heating to 1875/sup 0/K and quenching with water (10 times) and liquid nitrogen (10 times); (3) thermal cycle tests of a composite CVD hot shell-emitter structure with heating and cooling periods less than 30 seconds; and (4) successful pressure test of composite CVD hot shell-emitter structure to 500 psi for three hours. JPL program accomplishments include: (1) the average minimum barrier index of the last five research diodes built with sublimed molybdenum oxide collectors was 2.0 eV; and (2) the converters constructed with sublimed molybdenum oxide collectors have activated in a rapid and well defined manner and given favorable output characteristics which are reproducible after a change in operating point. (WHK)

• Research Organization: Thermo Electron Corp., Waltham, MA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ET11292
• OSTI ID: 6528061
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/11292-T4; COO-3056-59
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
THERMIONIC CONVERTERS
MATERIALS TESTING
PERFORMANCE TESTING
CARBON MONOXIDE
HEAT TREATMENTS
MOLYBDENUM OXIDES
NICKEL
SILICON CARBIDES
THERMAL CYCLING
THERMAL SHOCK
THERMIONIC COLLECTORS
THERMIONIC EMITTERS
TUNGSTEN
WORK FUNCTIONS
ZIRCONIUM
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELEMENTS
FUNCTIONS
METALS
MOLYBDENUM COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REFRACTORY METALS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
300401* - Thermionic Converters- Design & Development
300402 - Thermionic Converters- Performance & Testing
300403 - Thermionic Converters- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries