RADIOACTIVE BATTERY
Abstract
A radioactive battery which includes a capsule containing the active material and a thermopile associated therewith is presented. The capsule is both a shield to stop the radiations and thereby make the battery safe to use, and an energy conventer. The intense radioactive decay taking place inside is converted to useful heat at the capsule surface. The heat is conducted to the hot thermojunctions of a thermopile. The cold junctions of the thermopile are thermally insulated from the heat source, so that a temperature difference occurs between the hot and cold junctions, causing an electrical current of a constant magnitude to flow.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- OSTI Identifier:
- 4184062
- Patent Number(s):
- 2913510
- Assignee:
- U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21H - OBTAINING ENERGY FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-007973
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-60
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- PHYSICS; BATTERIES; CAPSULES; CONVERSION; CURRENTS; DECAY; ENERGY; HEAT GENERATION; RADIOACTIVITY; SHIELDING; SURFACES; TEMPERATURE; THERMOCOUPLES
Citation Formats
Birden, J H, and Jordan, K C. RADIOACTIVE BATTERY. United States: N. p., 1959.
Web.
Birden, J H, & Jordan, K C. RADIOACTIVE BATTERY. United States.
Birden, J H, and Jordan, K C. Tue .
"RADIOACTIVE BATTERY". United States.
@article{osti_4184062,
title = {RADIOACTIVE BATTERY},
author = {Birden, J H and Jordan, K C},
abstractNote = {A radioactive battery which includes a capsule containing the active material and a thermopile associated therewith is presented. The capsule is both a shield to stop the radiations and thereby make the battery safe to use, and an energy conventer. The intense radioactive decay taking place inside is converted to useful heat at the capsule surface. The heat is conducted to the hot thermojunctions of a thermopile. The cold junctions of the thermopile are thermally insulated from the heat source, so that a temperature difference occurs between the hot and cold junctions, causing an electrical current of a constant magnitude to flow.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1959},
month = {11}
}
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