Thermionic converter with concentric collector and emitter

Claim 2

A thermionic converter having a concentrically arranged emitter and cooled collector, electrically insulated from one another by means of centered metal-ceramic structural parts, for a fast reactor in a capacity range up to 2 megawatts thermic power, wherein the collector is formed as an inner electrode and the emitter spaced therefrom as an outer electrode, whereby solid nuclear fuel of the fast reactor surrounds the emitter, and the spacing between the inner collector electrode and the outer emitter electrode forming an annular interspace chamber containing a vapor having positive ions therein and communicating with a central chamber beyond an end of the collector electrode, said thermionic converter being convectively cooled inside its fission zone, said collector electrode being constructed and arranged to be capable of freely expanding and contracting within the interspace chamber between the concentric electrodes during operation of said converter, and spacing means for maintaining said collector electrode in interspaced relation relative to said emitter electrode, wherein said spacing means comprises rigid metallic supporting means carried by said collector electrode at a first end thereof for supporting said collector electrode at said first end, first ceramic spacing insulating means engaging said metallic supporting means and said emitter electrode for insulating said metallic supporting means and said emitter electrode from each other, said collector electrode carrying at a second end thereof yieldable spacing means permitting expansion, said yieldable spacing means comprising second ceramic spacing insulator means carried by said collector electrode at its second end thereof and movable therewith during operation, and a second metallic supporting means carried by said second ceramic spacing insulator means and movable therewith, said second insulator slidably engaging said emitter electrode for maintaining said interspaced relation between said collector and emitter electrode.

Claim 3

A thermionic converter having a concentrically arranged emitter and cooled collector, electrically insulated from one another by means of centered metal-ceramic structural parts, for a fast reactor in a capacity range up to 2 megawatts thermic power, wherein the collector is formed as an inner electrode and the emitter spaced therefrom as an outer electrode, whereby solid nuclear fuel of the fast reactor surrounds the emitter, and the spacing between the inner collector electrode and the outer emitter electrode forming an annular interspace chamber containing a vapor having positive ions therein and communicating with a central chamber beyond an end of the collector electrode, said thermionic converter being convectively cooled inside its fission zone, the means surrounding the emitter electrode for receiving nuclear fuel defining a bore formed therethrough, said emitter electrode being disposed within said bore, said emitter electrode having a central opening passage formed therein, said collector electrode being disposed in said central opening passage and incompletely filling the same and being spaced from said emitter electrode to define said interspace chamber therebetween, electric outlet terminals connected to said emitter electrode and collector electrode for conducting transduced electric current therefrom, said interspace chamber being adapted to receive and contain a gaseous vapor, coolant duct means extending through said collector electrode for conducting fluid coolant therethrough, duct insulating means interposed between said coolant duct means and said collector electrode for insulating said coolant duct means and collector electrode from each other, expansible bellows means carried at one end of the latter by said emitter electrode, ceramic insulation means joining the other end of said bellows means insulatedly to said collector electrode and maintaining a tight seal of said interspace chamber, while at the same time being constructed to allow free expansion of said emitter and collector electrode during operation of said device, whereby heat energy from the nuclear fuel is transduced into electrical energy available for connection to power consuming means at said terminals.

Claim 4

A thermionic converter having a concentrically arranged emitter and cooled collector, electrically insulated from one another by means of centered metal-ceramic structural parts, for a fast reactor in a capacity range up to 2 megawatts thermic power, wherein the collector is formed as an inner electrode and the emitter spaced therefrom as an outer electrode, whereby solid nuclear fuel of the fast reactor surrounds the emitter, and the spacing between the inner collector electrode and the outer emitter electrode forming an annular interspace chamber containing a vapor having positive ions therein and communicating with a central chamber beyond an end of the collector electrode, said thermionic converter being convectively cooled inside its fission zone, the means surrounding the emitter electrode for receiving nuclear fuel defining a bore formed therethrough, said emitter electrode being disposed within said bore, said emitter electrode having a central opening passage formed therein, said collector electrode being disposed in said central opening passage and incompletely filling the same and being spaced from said emitter electrode to define said interspace chamber therebetween, electric outlet terminals connected to said emitter electrode and collector electrode for conducting transduced electric current therefrom, said interspace chamber being adapted to receive and contain a gaseous vapor, coolant duct means extending through said collector electrode for conducting fluid coolant therethrough, duct insulating means interposed between said coolant duct means and said collector electrode for insulating said coolant duct means and collector electrode from each other, expansible bellows means carried at one end of the latter by said emitter electrode, ceramic insulation means joining the other end of said bellows means insulatedly to said collector electrode and maintaining a tight seal of said interspace chamber, while at the same time being constructed to allow free expansion of said emitter and collector electrode during operation of said device, whereby heat energy from the nuclear fuel is transduced into electrical energy available for connection to power consuming means at said terminals.