Mohit Bhandari

SEMINAR ON + NUCLEAR BATTERY -

Presented ByMohit Singh Bhandari

3rd year (EEE)

Guided ByProf. Mohit Tyagi

Assistant Professor

Vidya College Of Engineering Meerut

CONTENTS Why Nuclear Battery ??? Historical Developments Energy Production Mechanism Fuel Considerations Advantages Disadvantages Applications Conclusion

Q. Why Nuclear Battery ???

ANSWERS : Need for compact reliable light weight and self-

contained power supplies. Chemical batteries require frequent

replacements and are bulky. Fuel and Solar cells are expensive and requires

sunlight respectively. Can be used in inaccessible and extreme

conditions.

Nuclear batteries have lifespan upto decades and nearly 200 times more efficient.

Do not rely on nuclear reaction , so no radioactive wastes.

Uses emissions from radioactive isotope to generate electricity.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS Idea was introduced in 1950 and patented to

Tracer Lab. Radioisotope electric power system developed by

Paul Brown. He organized an approach to harness energy from

the magnetic field of alpha and beta particles using Radium-226.

Low efficiency due to loss of electrons.

ENERGY PRODUCTION MECHANISMS Betavoltaics :

Uses energy from beta particles. Provides extended battery life and power

density. Beta particles from radioactive gas captured in

Si wafer coated with diode material. Absorbed radiation creates electron-hole pair. Results in the generation of electric current

Representation of basic beta voltaic conversion

• Electrode A (P-region) has a positive potential while electrode B (N-region) is negative.

Before the radioactive source is introduced , no current flows as the electrical forces are in equilibrium.

As a beta emitter is introduced , electrons are knocked out by its energy.

Generates electron-hole pairs in the junction. When beta particle imparts more than ionization

potential the electron rises to a higher level. Potential difference drives electrons from electrode

A through the load where they give up the energy.

Direct Charging Generators:• This method makes use of kinetic energy as well

as the magnetic property of Alpha particles to generate current.

• It consists of a core composed of radioactive elements.

• Primary generator consists of a LC tank circuit.• LC circuit produces the oscillations required for

transformer operation.

Schematic Diagram of an LC resonant circuit

1 – Capacitor

2 – Inductor

3 – Core with radioactive elements

4 – Transformer T primary winding

5 – Resistance

6 _ Secondary winding

7 _ Load

WORKING Oscillations induced in LCR circuit damp out due to loss of

energy. Here energy is imparted to the alpha particles during the

decay of elements in the core. This energy is introduced to circuit when alpha particles are

absorbed by the inductor. Oscillations sustain until amount of energy

absorbed=amount of energy dissipated in ohmic resistance.

This excess energy is delivered to the load connected across transformer T secondary winding.

FUEL CONSIDERATIONSThe 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.

Any radioisotope in the form of a solid that gives off alpha or beta particles can be utilized in the nuclear battery.

The most powerful source of energy known is radium-226.

However Strontium-90 may also be used in this Battery

ADVANTAGES Life span- minimum of 10 years. Reliable electricity. Amount of energy highest. Lighter with high energy density. Efficient Reduces green house and associated effects. Fuel used is the nuclear waste from nuclear

fission.

DISADVANTAGES High initial cost of production Energy conversion methodologies are not much

advanced. Regional and country-specific laws regarding use

and disposal of radioactive fuels. To gain social acceptance.

APPLICATIONS• Space applications: Unaffected by long period of darkness and radiation Compact and lighter in weight. Can avoid heating equipments required for storage

batteries. High power for long time independent of atmospheric

conditions. NASA is trying to harness this technology in space

applications.

Medical applications: In Cardiac pacemakers Batteries should have reliability and longevity to

avoid frequent replacements.

• Mobile devices:

Nuclear powered laptop battery Xcell-N has 7000 - 8000 times more life.

No need for charging, battery replacing.

Automobiles: No need for frequent recharging as in case of

present electric vehicles.• Military applications Safe, longer life• Under-water sea probes and sea sensors: In sensors working for long time. At inaccessible and extreme conditions. Use in coal mines and polar sensor applications

too.

CONCLUSION Small compact devices of future require small

batteries. Nuclear batteries increase functionality, reliability

and longevity. Batteries of the near future. With several features being added to this, nuclear

cells are going to be next best thing ever invented in the human history.

THANK YOU

REFERENCES Brown Paul: "Resonant Nuclear Battery Supply",

Raum & Zeit, 1(3) (August-September, 1989) Galina N. Yakubova, Ph.D. Department of Nuclear,

Plasma and Radiological Engineering University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2010 J. F. Stubbins, Advisor, “NUCLEAR BATTERIES”

www.ieeeexplorer.com www.technologyreview.com www.wikipedia.com/atomic_battery