US3740273A - Miniaturized electric source having a radioactive heat source - Google Patents

Miniaturized electric source having a radioactive heat source Download PDF

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Publication number
US3740273A
US3740273A US00003927A US3740273DA US3740273A US 3740273 A US3740273 A US 3740273A US 00003927 A US00003927 A US 00003927A US 3740273D A US3740273D A US 3740273DA US 3740273 A US3740273 A US 3740273A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
thermoelements
source
electric source
hot
insulating
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00003927A
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English (en)
Inventor
K Adler
G Ducommun
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Biviator AG
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Biviator AG
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Publication date
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Publication of US3740273A publication Critical patent/US3740273A/en
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21H—OBTAINING ENERGY FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES; APPLICATIONS OF RADIATION FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; UTILISING COSMIC RADIATION
    • G21H1/00—Arrangements for obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources, e.g. from radioactive isotopes, nuclear or atomic batteries
    • G21H1/10—Cells in which radiation heats a thermoelectric junction or a thermionic converter
    • G21H1/103—Cells provided with thermo-electric generators
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N10/00—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects
    • H10N10/80—Constructional details
    • H10N10/81—Structural details of the junction
    • H10N10/817—Structural details of the junction the junction being non-separable, e.g. being cemented, sintered or soldered

Definitions

  • thermoelements constituted by thin metallic layers on tape carriers of insulating material, such carriers being wound or folded to form a compact unit comprising a high number of thermoelements.
  • This invention relates to a miniaturized electric source comprising a radioactive material in a hot source and thermoelements enclosed by insulating layers.
  • thermoelements due to screening, this resulting in a low efiiciency.
  • thermoelements in order to increase the temperature difference between the hot and cold connection of the thermoelements.
  • the increase of the internal resistance of the thermoelements due to the increase of the internal resistance of the thermoelements by its increase in length no higher voltage is obtained at the terminals under normal operation.
  • Bi Te -thermoelements with a coeificient of heat conduction of 9 a higher total heat energy is needed in order to obtain a higher temperature drop.
  • thermoelements per unit area of prior electric sources is much too small for obtaining voltages which may directly be used for operating electronic circuits.
  • thermoelements formed of thin-film layers applied to an electrically and thermical- 1y isolating carrier and disposed on said hot source along a curve.
  • the carrier with thermoelements formed thereon may preferably be wound in a spiral curve or folded in a meander line.
  • FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the first embodiment
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the second embodiment
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of a wound unit and folded unit respectively of thermoelements.
  • the electric source illustrated in FIG. 1 has a source 1 of radioactive material enclosed in a sealed metal casing 2.
  • Casing 2 is surrounded by an electrically insulating layer 3 of good heat conductivity. All surfaces of the hot source constituted by parts 1 to 3 are covered by units 4 comprising as many thermoelements as possible with their hot connections in contact with layer 3 and their cold connections covered with another electrical insulation 5 contacting an outer casing 6 serving as a cooler.
  • thermoelements are produced in miniaturized thin-film form by methods usual in microfilm technique. In this way it is possible to accommodate a very high number of elements per unit area, this resulting in a relatively high output voltage in spite of a relatively low temperature drop between the hot and cold ends of the thermoelements.
  • the thermoelements may also be produced of metals by vapour deposits on an insulating carrier in tape form and such tapes may be wound or folded to form units of thermoelements to be applied to the surfaces of the hot source.
  • the tape may be wound in spiral form or folded in meander shape.
  • Such a unit may be connected to the insulating layer 3 or, if a rim portion of the insulating carrier is free of conducting portions of the thermoelements, this rim portion may completely replace the insulating layer 3 and the unit may directly be applied onto the metallic casing 2.
  • the outer insulating layer 5 may also be omitted and heat transfer between the thermoelements and the outer casing 6 may be improved thereby.
  • an extremely small section of the thermoelements is feasible in the order of 10 X a. With an available surface of 6 cm? about 10 thermoelements may be accommodated. An output voltage in the order of 4 v. may be obtained, this being proper for operation of electronic circuits. With prior sources a voltage in the order of 100 mv. was available and this voltage had to be transformed by means of a DC-DC-converter into a higher operating voltage of say 9 v. The appreciable losses of such a converter may thus be avoided.
  • plutonium 238 may be used as a radioactive material, and this source should be enclosed in a casing of tantal or platinum, this casing being covered by an electrically insulating layer with e l0.
  • the thermoelements may be combined of Bi Se PbTe 0r SbBi.
  • Metallic thermoelements have advantages over semiconductor-elements. Metals are more suitable for vapour depositing thin layers and are practically not subject to aging even under radiation, particularly gamma radiation. Therefore, metallic thermoelements are preferred over semiconductor elements.
  • the wound or folded tape carrying the thermoelements may be pasted to the hot source.
  • the hot source 1-3 is of cylindrical shape and the units 4 applied thereto are wound as shown in FIG. 3 or 4.
  • the hot source and units 4 are accommodated in a cylinder 7 of insulating material.
  • the outer casing is composed of end discs 6 and a metal cylinder 6' flanged onto discs 6 to form a strong casing. This casing may be enclosed into a sealed and evacuated glass bulb with the terminals of the source passing through this glass bulb.
  • a space is formed between the insulating cylinder 7 and metal cylinder 6', this space being preferably evacuated for preventing heat convection between insulating cylinder 7 and cylinder 6.
  • the inner surface of cylinder 6' may further be coated with a white paint or metal layer in order to reflect heat radiation. In this way heat losses may be reduced to a minimum and the major portion of heat is conducted through the thermoelements.
  • At least parts 6 of the casings 6, 6 may be made of tantal.
  • thermoelements may have another cross section, for instance as shown in FIG. 4, Whereinthe tape carrier for the thermoelements is folded in meander form.
  • thermoelements should be covered by an insulating film in order to avoid direct contact where the thermoelements are facing each other.
  • Typical characteristics of a practical embodiment as shown in FIG. 2 are as follows:
  • Thermic power mw 200-150 Voltage v 4 Electric power [LW 30-120 Temperature drop in each unit C 20 Diameter of hot source and units mm 15 What We claim is:
  • thermoelements comprising a radioactive material in a hot source and thermoelements separated from each other by insulating layers, said thermoelements being formed of thin-film layers applied to a fiat continuous carrier strip of electrically insulating and thermically conducting material, a compact unit of thermoelements comprising a number of thicknesses of said strip packed in mutually parallel position, said unit being disposed on at least one plane surface of said hot source along a curve with one edge of said strip adjacent said surface of the hot source.
  • thermoelements and carrier respectively form a compact unit, this unit being applied to a surface of said hot source.
  • thermoelements are disposed on all surfaces of said hot source.
  • thermoelements are disposed on a part of the surfaces of said hot source while the other surfaces are covered by isolating means.
  • thermoelements are disposed on opposite surfaces of said hot source.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Measuring Temperature Or Quantity Of Heat (AREA)
  • Thermal Insulation (AREA)
  • Resistance Heating (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
  • Thermotherapy And Cooling Therapy Devices (AREA)
US00003927A 1969-01-31 1970-01-19 Miniaturized electric source having a radioactive heat source Expired - Lifetime US3740273A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH151869A CH502677A (de) 1969-01-31 1969-01-31 Miniaturisierte Vorrichtung zur thermoelektrischen Umwandlung von radioaktiver Strahlungsenergie in elektrische Energie
CH700169A CH512809A (de) 1969-01-31 1969-05-07 Miniaturisierte Vorrichtung zur thermoelektrischen Umwandlung von radioaktiver Strahlungsenergie in elektrische Energie

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3740273A true US3740273A (en) 1973-06-19

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ID=25687874

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US00003927A Expired - Lifetime US3740273A (en) 1969-01-31 1970-01-19 Miniaturized electric source having a radioactive heat source

Country Status (11)

Country Link
US (1) US3740273A (fr)
AT (1) AT292089B (fr)
BE (1) BE745120A (fr)
CH (2) CH502677A (fr)
DE (1) DE2002197B2 (fr)
ES (1) ES376043A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR2030215A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB1290655A (fr)
IL (1) IL33751A (fr)
LU (1) LU60270A1 (fr)
NL (1) NL7001105A (fr)

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3951692A (en) * 1974-07-18 1976-04-20 Nuclear Battery Corporation Microwatt thermoelectric generator
US3980503A (en) * 1974-07-18 1976-09-14 Nuclear Battery Corporation Microwatt thermoelectric generator
US4018625A (en) * 1975-03-25 1977-04-19 Pietro Tinti Thermo-electric assemblies
FR2620573A1 (fr) * 1987-09-16 1989-03-17 Orquera Henri Panneau transducteur chaleur/electricite a nombreux thermocouples en forme de film mince plie en accordeon
WO1990010938A1 (fr) * 1989-03-03 1990-09-20 E.F. Johnson Company Source d'energie electrique polymere emettant de la lumiere
FR2658363A1 (fr) * 1990-02-15 1991-08-16 Delmas Jean Convertisseur d'energie thermo-electrique et son mode de realisation.
US5124610A (en) * 1989-03-03 1992-06-23 E. F. Johnson Company Tritiated light emitting polymer electrical energy source
US5235232A (en) * 1989-03-03 1993-08-10 E. F. Johnson Company Adjustable-output electrical energy source using light-emitting polymer
US5280213A (en) * 1992-11-23 1994-01-18 Day John J Electric power cell energized by particle and electromagnetic radiation
FR2732162A1 (fr) * 1995-03-21 1996-09-27 Edouard Serras Convertisseur thermo-electrique
US5620464A (en) * 1992-12-18 1997-04-15 Angeion Corporation System and method for delivering multiple closely spaced defibrillation pulses
US5674248A (en) * 1995-01-23 1997-10-07 Angeion Corporation Staged energy concentration for an implantable biomedical device
WO2000049664A1 (fr) * 1999-02-19 2000-08-24 Peltech S.R.L. Dispositif thermoelectrique a solide
WO2002013282A1 (fr) * 2000-08-09 2002-02-14 Peltech S.R.L. Pompe a chaleur thermoelectrique
FR2822295A1 (fr) * 2001-03-16 2002-09-20 Edouard Serras Generateur thermoelectrique a semi-conducteurs et ses procedes de fabrication
US9660167B2 (en) 2012-06-13 2017-05-23 Karlsruher Institut Fuer Technologie Wound and folded thermoelectric systems and method for producing same
US11832518B2 (en) 2021-02-04 2023-11-28 Purdue Research Foundation Woven thermoelectric ribbon

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE794038A (fr) * 1972-01-20 1973-07-16 Cit Alcatel Structure de microgenerateur thermoelectrique

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH413018A (de) * 1963-04-30 1966-05-15 Du Pont Thermoelektrischer Generator
US3515875A (en) * 1965-06-17 1970-06-02 North American Rockwell Alpha-particle-emitting radioisotope generator
FR1476074A (fr) * 1966-04-07 1967-04-07 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Générateur thermoélectrique actionné par isotope radio-actif

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3951692A (en) * 1974-07-18 1976-04-20 Nuclear Battery Corporation Microwatt thermoelectric generator
US3980503A (en) * 1974-07-18 1976-09-14 Nuclear Battery Corporation Microwatt thermoelectric generator
US4018625A (en) * 1975-03-25 1977-04-19 Pietro Tinti Thermo-electric assemblies
FR2620573A1 (fr) * 1987-09-16 1989-03-17 Orquera Henri Panneau transducteur chaleur/electricite a nombreux thermocouples en forme de film mince plie en accordeon
WO1990010938A1 (fr) * 1989-03-03 1990-09-20 E.F. Johnson Company Source d'energie electrique polymere emettant de la lumiere
US5008579A (en) * 1989-03-03 1991-04-16 E. F. Johnson Co. Light emitting polymer electrical energy source
US5124610A (en) * 1989-03-03 1992-06-23 E. F. Johnson Company Tritiated light emitting polymer electrical energy source
US5235232A (en) * 1989-03-03 1993-08-10 E. F. Johnson Company Adjustable-output electrical energy source using light-emitting polymer
FR2658363A1 (fr) * 1990-02-15 1991-08-16 Delmas Jean Convertisseur d'energie thermo-electrique et son mode de realisation.
WO1994012985A1 (fr) * 1992-11-23 1994-06-09 John Joseph Day Pile electrique excitee par un rayonnement ionisant et electromagnetique
US5280213A (en) * 1992-11-23 1994-01-18 Day John J Electric power cell energized by particle and electromagnetic radiation
US5620464A (en) * 1992-12-18 1997-04-15 Angeion Corporation System and method for delivering multiple closely spaced defibrillation pulses
US5674248A (en) * 1995-01-23 1997-10-07 Angeion Corporation Staged energy concentration for an implantable biomedical device
FR2732162A1 (fr) * 1995-03-21 1996-09-27 Edouard Serras Convertisseur thermo-electrique
WO2000049664A1 (fr) * 1999-02-19 2000-08-24 Peltech S.R.L. Dispositif thermoelectrique a solide
US6548750B1 (en) 1999-02-19 2003-04-15 Peltech S.R.L. Solid state thermoelectric device
WO2002013282A1 (fr) * 2000-08-09 2002-02-14 Peltech S.R.L. Pompe a chaleur thermoelectrique
FR2822295A1 (fr) * 2001-03-16 2002-09-20 Edouard Serras Generateur thermoelectrique a semi-conducteurs et ses procedes de fabrication
WO2002075822A1 (fr) * 2001-03-16 2002-09-26 Institut Francais Du Petrole Generateur thermoelectrique et ses procedes de fabrication
US6872879B1 (en) 2001-03-16 2005-03-29 Edouard Serras Thermoelectric generator
US9660167B2 (en) 2012-06-13 2017-05-23 Karlsruher Institut Fuer Technologie Wound and folded thermoelectric systems and method for producing same
US11832518B2 (en) 2021-02-04 2023-11-28 Purdue Research Foundation Woven thermoelectric ribbon

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL7001105A (fr) 1970-08-04
DE2002197A1 (de) 1970-08-13
GB1290655A (fr) 1972-09-27
LU60270A1 (fr) 1970-04-01
AT292089B (de) 1971-08-10
DE2002197B2 (de) 1971-08-15
CH512809A (de) 1971-09-15
BE745120A (fr) 1970-07-01
ES376043A1 (es) 1973-04-16
IL33751A0 (en) 1970-03-22
CH502677A (de) 1971-01-31
FR2030215A1 (fr) 1970-10-30
IL33751A (en) 1974-01-14

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