Thermo-electric generator

Claim 1

A THERMO-ELECTRIC GENERATOR WHEREIN HEAT ENERGY IS CONVERTED TO ELECTRICAL ENERGY WHICH COMPRISES: (1) ENCLOSURE MEANS FOR A FIRST REACTION ZONE, (2) ENCLOSURE MEANS FOR A SECOND REACTION ZONE, (3) A REACTION ZONE SEPARATOR WHICH (A) SEPARATES AND ESSENTIALLY COMPLETES ENCLOSURE OF SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AND SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE AND (B) COMPRISES A CATIONICALLY-CONDUCTIVE SOLID ELECTROLYTE THAT IS ESSENTIALLY IMPERMEABLE TO SAID ALKALI METAL AND IONICALLY CONDUCTIVE WITH RESPECT TO SAID CATIONS, (4) MOLTEN ALKALI METAL WITHIN SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AND IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SIAD SOLID ELECTROLYTE, (5) AN ELECTRODE WITHIN SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE IN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION WITH SAID SOLID ELECTROLYTE, (6) CONDUCTION MEANS FOR ELECTRON FLOW BETWEEN SAID ALKALI METAL WITHIN SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AND SAID ELECTRODE IN EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO SAID SOLID ELECTROLYTE, (7) INLET MEANS FOR INTRODUCING SAID ALKALI METAL INTO SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE, AND (8) TEMPERATURE CONTROL MEANS ADAPTED TO MAINTAIN A TEMPERATURE IN SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AT LEAST 100* C. IN EXCESS OF THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE IN SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE.

Claim 3

A METHOD FOR GENERATING ELECTRICAL ENERGY, WHEREIN CATIONS OF AN ALKALI METAL ARE PASSED FROM A ZONE OF HIGHER TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE THROUGH A SOLID ELECTROLYTE INTO A ZONE OF LOWER TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE AND THEREIN CONVERTED TO ELEMENTAL METAL, WHICH COMPRISES: (1) POSITIONING BETWEEN A FIRST REACTION ZONE AND A SECOND REACTION ZONE SEPARATION MEANS WHICH (A) SEPARATE AND ESSENTIALLY COMPLETE ENCLOSURE OF SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AND SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE, AND (B) COMPRISES A CATIONICALLY-CONDUCTIVE SOLID ELECTR/ LYTE THAT IS ESSENTIALLY IMPERMEABLE TO SAID ALKALI METAL AND IONICALLY CONDUCTIVE WITH RESPECT TO SAID CATIONS, SAID SOLID ELECTROLYTE COMPRISING ONE PORTION OF AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, (2) POSITIONING AN ELECTRODE IN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION WITH SAID SOLID ELECTROLYTE WITHIN SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE, (3) INTRODUCING ALKALI METAL INTO CONTACT WITH SAID SOLID ELECTROLYTE WITHIN SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE, (4) COMPLETING SAID ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BY PROVIDING CONDUCTION MEANS FOR ELECTRON FLOW BETWEEN SAID ALKALI METAL AND SAID ELECTRODE, (5) MAINTAINING SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN SAID ALKALI METAL THEREIN IN MOLTEN STATE, AND (6) MAINTAINING SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE AT LEAST 100*C. BELOW THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE WITH SAID MOLTEM ALKALI METAL THEREIN TO PROVIDE A DIFFERENCE OF ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL ACROSS SAID ELECTROLYTE WITH RESULTANT IONIC CONDUCTANCE OF SAID CATIONS THROUGH SAID SOLID ELECTROLYTE AND ELECTRON FLOW THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF SAID CIRCUIT.

Claim 4

A METHOD FOR GENERATING ELECTRICAL ENERGY, WHEREIN CATIONS OF AN ALKALI METAL ARE PASSED FROM A ZONE OF HIGHER TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE THROUGH A SOLID ELECTROLYTE INTO A ZONE OF LOWER TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE AND THEREIN CONVERTED TO ELEMENTAL METAL, WHICH COMPRISES: (1) POSITIONING BETWEEN A FIRST REACTION ZONE AND A SECOND REACTION ZONE SEPARATION MEANS WHICH (A) SEPARATE AND ESSENTIALLY COMPLETE ENCLOSURE OF SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AND SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE, AND (B) COMPRISES A CATIONICALLY-CONDUCTIVE SOLID ELECTR/ LYTE THAT IS ESSENTIALLY IMPERMEABLE TO SAID ALKALI METAL AND IONICALLY CONDUCTIVE WITH RESPECT TO SAID CATIONS, SAID SOLID ELECTROLYTE COMPRISING ONE PORTION OF AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, (2) POSITIONING AN ELECTRODE IN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION WITH SAID SOLID ELECTROLYTE WITHIN SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE, (3) INTRODUCING ALKALI METAL INTO CONTACT WITH SAID SOLID ELECTROLYTE WITHIN SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE, (4) COMPLETING SAID ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BY PROVIDING CONDUCTION MEANS FOR ELECTRON FLOW BETWEEN SAID ALKALI METAL AND SAID ELECTRODE, (5) MAINTAINING SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN SAID ALKALI METAL THEREIN IN MOLTEN STATE, AND (6) MAINTAINING SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE AT LEAST 100*C. BELOW THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE WITH SAID MOLTEM ALKALI METAL THEREIN TO PROVIDE A DIFFERENCE OF ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL ACROSS SAID ELECTROLYTE WITH RESULTANT IONIC CONDUCTANCE OF SAID CATIONS THROUGH SAID SOLID ELECTROLYTE AND ELECTRON FLOW THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF SAID CIRCUIT.