2. Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi
Jain College of Engineering, Belagavi
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Seminar on: Nuclear Battery
Under the guidance: Prof. Vireshkumar Mathad
Submitted by: Shruti Sawant
USN:2JI12EE050
3. CONTENT
Introduction
Historical Development
Conversion techniques
Types of nuclear batteries
Radioisotope used
Advantages
Disadvantages
Applications
Conclusion
References
4. Introduction
In recent advancement of technology, there is a great need of
small, compact, light weighted and reliable power supplies.
Nuclear Battery: These are devices which uses energy from the
decay of radio isotopes to generate electricity.
Unlike nuclear reactor there is no nuclear chain reaction taking
place inside the battery therefore no radioactive waste
produced.
They are mainly used as power sources for equipment that
must operate unattended for long period of time.
5. Historical Development
Nuclear battery technology began in 1913, when Henry
Moseley first demonstrated the beta cell.
A radio isotope electric power system was developed by
inventor Paul Brown which was scientific break through
The field received considerable in-depth research attention for
applications requiring long-life power sources for space needs
during the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1954 RCA researched a small atomic battery for small radio
receivers and hearing aids.
6. Conversion techniques
Thermal conversion
The thermal converters (whose output power is a function of a
temperature differential) include thermoelectric and thermionic
generators.
Non-thermal conversion
The non-thermal converters (whose output power is not a
function of a temperature difference) extract a fraction of the
incident energy as it is being degraded into heat rather than
using thermal energy to run electrons in a cycle.
8. Thermionic converter
A thermionic converter consists of a hot electrode which
thermionically emits electrons over a space charge
barrier to a cooler electrode, producing a useful power
output.
Caesium vapor is used to optimize the electrode work
functions and provide an ion supply (by surface
ionization) to neutralize the electron space charge
9.
10. RADIOISOTOPE
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR
This converter uses
thermocouples
Each thermocouple produces
only small
voltage(millivolt).Number of
Thermocouples are connected
in series to produce larger
voltage
11.
12. BETAVOLTAIC
These are generators of electric current, using energy
from a radioactive source emitting beta
particles (electrons)
use a non-thermal conversion process.
Converts the electron-hole pairs produced by the ionization
trail of beta particles traversing a semiconductor
13.
14. RECIPROCATING ELECTROMECHANICAL
ATOMIC BATTERIES
Electromechanical atomic batteries use the buildup of charge
between two plates to pull one bendable plate towards the
other, until the two plates touch, discharge, equalizing the
electrostatic buildup, and spring back.
The mechanical motion produced can be used to produce
electricity through flexing of a piezoelectric material or through
a linear generator
15.
16. RADIOISOTOPES USED
Atomic batteries uses radio isotopes producing low energy beta
particles and sometimes alpha of varying energies
Tritium
Nickel-63
Promethium-147 tested
Technetium-99
Plutonium-238
Curium-242
Curium-244 used
Strontium-90
17. Advantages…
Reliable
Lighter with high energy density
Life span : minimum of decades
Efficient use of end-product obtained post nuclear fission
and nuclear fusion process as fuel in nuclear batteries
Energy obtained is high
Reduces green house effect and related effects.
18. Disadvantages…
High initial cost of production
Energy conversion methodologies not much advanced
To gain social acceptance
Regional and country specific laws regarding the use and
disposal of radioactive materials
20. Space Applications
Unaffected by long period of
darkness and radiation belt like
Van-belt
High power for long time
independent of the atmospheric
conditions
Used in long duration missions
where fuel cells, batteries and solar
arrays would be too large and
heavy
21. Automobiles
It is on initial stages of
development
Nuclear batteries could
replace conventional
fuels then there will be
no case of running out
of fuel
22. Medical Application
Due to increased longevity and better reliability it is used in
pacemakers ,implanted deep fibrillators and other implanted
devices
23. Underwater sea probes and
sea sensors
Provides power in inaccessible
places like deep sea that
should keep working for long
time or under extreme
condition like earthquake and
tsunami
24. Military application
Radioisotope power sources to
provide very high density battery
power to radio frequency
equipment tags, sensors and ultra
wide-band communication
25. Conclusion
The current research of nuclear batteries shows
promise in future applications
Implementation of this new technology, feasibility
of the device will be available for wide range of
application
Nuclear cells are going to be the next best thing
ever invented in human history
26. References
1. Brown, Paul: "Resonant Nuclear Battery Supply", Raum&Zeit, 1(3)
(August-September, 1989).
2. “Nuclear and radiochemistry”, Gerhardt Friedlander,
Joseph.W.Kennedy and Julian Malcolm Miller,A Wiley-Interscience
publication.
3. “Atomic Batteries: Energy from Radioactivity”,Suhas Kumar, Stanford
University, Stanford, CA 94305.
4. “Nuclear batteries with tritium and promethium-147 radioactive
sources”,Galina N. Yakubova, University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign, 2010.
