Linked in seminar

A Seminar Presentation On

Nuclear Battery

Presented By:Pravinsinh Parmar

Content• Introduction• Historical Development• Energy Conversion Techniques• Thermal Conversion Techniques• Non-Thermal Conversion Techniques• Radioisotopes used & Selection• Advantages & Disadvantages• Application• Conclusion• References

Introduction

• In recent advancement of technology , there is a great need of small , light-weighted and reliable power source.

• Chemical batteries require frequent replacement and bulky also solar cells and fuel cells are require sun light and expensive respectively.

• Solution of above difficulties of different cells is nuclear batteries.

Introduction (Cont.)

• Nuclear battery convert energy from radioactive decay to electricity.

• Nuclear Batteries have life span up to decades.

Historical Development

• Nuclear battery technology began in 1913, when Henry Moseley first demonstrated the beta cell.

• The field received considerable in-depth research attention for applications requiring long-life power sources for space application during the 1950 to1960.

• In 1954 RCA researched a small atomic battery for small radio receivers and hearing aids.

• A radio isotope electric power system was developed by inventor Paul Brown which was scientific break through in nuclear power.

Energy Conversion Techniques

• Conversion techniques can be grouped into two types which are in following manner

1) Thermal Converters : Whose output power is function of temperature differential.

2) Non-Thermal Converters : Whose output power is not a function of a temperature difference.

Thermal Conversion

• Thermionic converter

• Radioisotope thermoelectric generator

• Thermo photovoltaic cells

• Alkali-metal thermal to electric converter

• Stirling radioisotope generator

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator

• They generate electricity by utilizing the heat released from radioactive decay.

• This converter uses thermocouples which are made up of silicon and germanium

• Each thermocouple produces only small voltage( milli volt).

• Number of Thermocouples are connected in series to produce larger voltage.

• It generated 216W for 11 year in appolo-12 mission of NASA

 Fig 1. RTG , Image from Bionic 3d Technology 

Non-Thermal Conversion

• Direct charging generators

• Betavoltaics

• Alphavoltaics

• Optoelectric

• Reciprocating Electromechanical Atomic Batteries

Betavoltaics

• Betavoltaics are generators of electric current, in effect a form of battery, which use energy from a radioactive source emitting beta particles (electrons).

• Betavoltaics use a non-thermal conversion process, using a semiconductor p-n junction.

FIg.2 Betavoltaic battery , Image from EVBud.com

Betavoltaics (cont.)

• Betavoltaics are particularly well-suited to low-power electrical applications where long life of the energy source is needed, such as implantable medical devices or military and space applications.

Radioisotopes used & Selection

• Atomic batteries uses radio isotopes producing low energy beta particles and sometimes alpha of varying energies. Tritium , Nickel-63 , Promethium-147 , Technetium-99 , Plutonium-238 , Curium-242 , Curium-244 , Strontium-90

• The major criterions considered in the selection of fuels are:

• Avoidance of gamma in the decay chain • Half life( Should be more)• Cost should be less.

Advantages

• Life span- minimum of 10 years.

• Reliable electricity.

• Amount of energy obtained is very high.

• Lighter with high energy density.

• Reduces green house and associated effects

Disadvantages

• High initial cost of production as its in the experimental state.

• Regional and country-specific laws regarding use and disposal of radioactive fuels.

• To gain social acceptance.

Application

1) Space Application• Unaffected by long period of

darkness• Used in long duration

missions where fuel cells, batteries and solar arrays would be too large and heavy.

• High power for long time independent of the atmospheric conditions.

Fig.3 A photograph of the RTG that NASA's Apollo 12 mission carried to the Moon. The RTG is the gray colored device with cooling fins. 

2) Medical Application

• In Cardiac pacemakers where Batteries should have reliability and long life to avoid frequent replacements.

Fig.4 Pacemakers from betavoltaic.co.uk

3) Automobile Application

• It is on initial stages of development• Nuclear batteries could replace conventional fuels

then there will be no case of running out of fuel

4) Military Application

• Radioisotope power sources to provide very high density battery power to radio frequency equipments, sensors and ultra wide-band communication.

Conclusion

• Clearly the current research of nuclear batteries shows promise in future applications for sure to improve feasibility and life of devices.

• Until final disposal of all Radiation Protection Standards must be met. These are the batteries of the near future.

References

1) A Modular Design for Nuclear Battery Technology ,BY Randy Lao june 2011,California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo , U.S.A

2) Nuclear Microbatteries , sudheesh.s , university of calicut , april 2016

3) Radioisotope Batteries for MEMS , Jake Blanchard University of Wisconsin , January 2005

4) Nuclear batteries with tritium and promethium-147 radioactive sources , g n yakubova, university of illinois at urbana-champaign, 2010

5) Atomic battery , Wikipedia

THANK YOU