Accession Number:
AD0259880
Title:
RESEARCH ON THERMIONIC CONVERTERS
Descriptive Note:
Corporate Author:
GENERAL ELECTRIC CO SCHENECTADY N Y
Personal Author(s):
Report Date:
1961-06-01
Pagination or Media Count:
1.0
Abstract:
Thermionic conversion involves the generation of electricity from thermal energy utilizing the phenomenon of thermionic emission of electrons, and requires no moving parts. Three basically different types of converters were the subjects of wide study 1 vacuum converters which have now been developed to the product design stage for cathode temperatures in the range of 1100 to 1150 C, anode temperatures 600 to 700 C and electrical power outputs of 0.2 watt sq cm min. at an efficiency o 2.5 2 vapor converters which have been are developed for solar space power with an efficiency of 15 at a cathode temperature of 1800 C and 3 crossed-field converters which utilize a combination of electric and magnetic fields to direct the electron flow from cathode to anode in the converter. This particular line of development did not appear to be fruitful, and further work was not recommended on the crossed-field approach. Author
Descriptors:
- *POWER SUPPLIES
- *THERMIONIC EMISSION
- ANODES
- CATHODES
- CERAMIC MATERIALS
- CESIUM
- ELECTRIC FIELDS
- ELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTION
- ELECTRICITY
- ELECTRONS
- GAS IONIZATION
- GENERATORS
- HEAT ENGINES
- MAGNETIC FIELDS
- MATERIALS
- PLASMAS(PHYSICS)
- SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
- SINGLE CRYSTALS
- SPACE CHARGE
- TANTALUM
- THERMIONIC CONVERTERS
- VACUUM APPARATUS
- VAPORS