GB899361A - Conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy - Google Patents
Conversion of thermal energy into electrical energyInfo
- Publication number
- GB899361A GB899361A GB3675358A GB3675358A GB899361A GB 899361 A GB899361 A GB 899361A GB 3675358 A GB3675358 A GB 3675358A GB 3675358 A GB3675358 A GB 3675358A GB 899361 A GB899361 A GB 899361A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- hot
- plates
- anodes
- housing
- anode
- 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
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J45/00—Discharge tubes functioning as thermionic generators
Landscapes
- Plasma Technology (AREA)
Abstract
899,361. Thermionic converters. THERMO ELECTRON ENGINEERING CORPORATION. Nov. 14, 1958, No. 36753/58. Class 39(1). In a process of converting thermal energy into electrical energy, one of two electronemissive surfaces 10, 12, Fig. I, maintained in closely-spaced side-by-side relation, under a vacuum of at least 10<SP>-5</SP> mm. of Hg, e.g. in steel container 17, is heated to a temperature of at least 600‹C. while the other is maintained at a temperature at least 300‹C. below, so that under the influence of crossed magnetic and electrostatic fields, set up by use of magnet 22. and an anode 16 parallel to the emissive surfaces, electrons flow from heated surface 10 to surface 12. A small portion of the power output of the device, obtained across load 26, may be used to create both the electrostatic and magnetic fields. In a further embodiment a plurality of hot plates 31-33, Fig. 2, of increasing width are arranged adjacent cold plates 36-38 of decreasing width. Associated with each plate is an anode of corresponding dimensions, positive potentials of increasing magnitude being applied to anodes of increasing width. Any number of hot plates and an equal number of cold plates may be used, depending on the power output required. Heat may be obtained from nuclear or solar sources or by burning oil, coal or natural gas or from A.C. or D.C. current. Suitable electron emissive materials are oxides of barium, strontium, calcium or lanthanum; thoriated tungsten thoria; a mixture of barium and strontium oxides covered by a sintered tungsten layer; pure tungsten; a molybdenum housing filled with granules of a fused barium oxide and aluminium oxide mixture; or a perforated molybdenum housing containing sintered thorium oxide. The hot plates are maintained at temperatures between 600‹C. and 1600‹C. depending on the materials used. The anodes may be of steel, copper or silver. To eliminate end-loss anode current due to electrons collected by anode 48 hot plates 171-176, Fig. 5, and cold plates 181-186 may be arranged in a circle, corresponding anodes 177, 188 being arranged concentrically therewith. The circuit connections are similar to those shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 5, three banks A, B, C of electrodes are arranged between heat insulators 191 within a cylindrical housing 161. Two groups of heat conducting rods 187, traversing the hot and cold plates respectively, communicate with headers at the ends of the housing, heating and cooling fluids being circulated through the respective headers. A coil 192 surrounds the housing to provide an axial magnetic field. In a further modification the hot and cold plates are in the form of cylinders surrounded by their associated anodes.
Priority Applications (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US578948A US2915652A (en) | 1956-04-18 | 1956-04-18 | Conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy |
GB3675358A GB899361A (en) | 1958-11-14 | 1958-11-14 | Conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy |
FR779989A FR1215381A (en) | 1958-11-14 | 1958-11-25 | Method and apparatus for converting thermal energy into electrical energy |
DET15959A DE1080643B (en) | 1958-11-14 | 1958-12-02 | Methods and devices for converting thermal energy into electrical energy |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB3675358A GB899361A (en) | 1958-11-14 | 1958-11-14 | Conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB899361A true GB899361A (en) | 1962-06-20 |
Family
ID=10390926
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB3675358A Expired GB899361A (en) | 1956-04-18 | 1958-11-14 | Conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (1) | GB899361A (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2467111A (en) * | 2007-09-24 | 2010-07-28 | Borealis Tech Ltd | Monolithic thermionic convertor |
-
1958
- 1958-11-14 GB GB3675358A patent/GB899361A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2467111A (en) * | 2007-09-24 | 2010-07-28 | Borealis Tech Ltd | Monolithic thermionic convertor |
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