Apparatus and method for converting radioactive energy into electrical energy

Claim 1

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radiation protection shell; a radioactive fuel source located within said shell; magnetic means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source, and directing alpha particles to a first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region for collection and use; means located adjacent said first region within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region; means located adjacent said second region within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region; means for collecting gamma particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source, wherein electric current is derived from collected gamma particles via a load attached to said gamma collecting means for producing a magnetic field; means for accommodating gaseous by-product formed within said shell; and output means for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current.

Claim 2

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radiation protection shell; a radioactive fuel source located within said shell; magnetic means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source, and directing alpha particles to a first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region for collection and use; means located adjacent said first region within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region; means located adjacent said second region within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region; means for collecting gamma particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source, wherein electric current is derived from collected gamma particles via a load attached to said gamma collecting means for producing a magnetic field; means for accommodating gaseous by-product formed within said shell; and output means for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current.

Claim 11

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy of particles emitted during radioactive decay into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radioactive protective shell having outer and inner surfaces; a radioactive fuel source located within said shell; means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source and directing alpha particles to a first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region, said separating means further comprising means for providing three mutually perpendicular ring-like magnetic fields having like poles of each of the ring-like magnetic fields facing inwardly within said shell; means within said shell and located radially outward from said fuel source for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region of said shell; means within said shell and located radially outward from said fuel source for collecting beta particles directed to said second region of said shell; means for removing gaseous by-product from within said shell; and output means for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current.

Claim 12

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy of particles emitted during radioactive decay into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radioactive protective shell having outer and inner surfaces; a radioactive fuel source located within said shell; means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source and directing alpha particles to a first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region, said separating means further comprising means for providing three mutually perpendicular ring-like magnetic fields having like poles of each of the ring-like magnetic fields facing inwardly within said shell; means within said shell and located radially outward from said fuel source for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region of said shell; means within said shell and located radially outward from said fuel source for collecting beta particles directed to said second region of said shell; means for removing gaseous by-product from within said shell; and output means for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current.

Claim 16

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy of particles emitted during radioactive decay into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radioactive protective shell having an outer and an inner face; a radioactive fuel source located adjacent the center of said shell; means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source and directing alpha particles to a first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region, said separating means further comprising means for providing three mutually perpendicular ring-like magnetic fields having like poles of each of the ring-like magnetic fields facing inwardly within said shell, the center of said ring-like magnetic fields being offset from said fuel source; means within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region of said shell; means within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region of said shell; means for removing gaseous by-product from within said shell; output leads for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current; and means for collecting gamma particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source.

Claim 17

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy of particles emitted during radioactive decay into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radioactive protective shell having an outer and an inner face; a radioactive fuel source located adjacent the center of said shell; means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source and directing alpha particles to a first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region, said separating means further comprising means for providing three mutually perpendicular ring-like magnetic fields having like poles of each of the ring-like magnetic fields facing inwardly within said shell, the center of said ring-like magnetic fields being offset from said fuel source; means within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region of said shell; means within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region of said shell; means for removing gaseous by-product from within said shell; output leads for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current; and means for collecting gamma particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source.

Claim 20

A method for converting radioactive energy in the form of particles released during radioactive decay into electrical energy, said method comprising the following steps; providing a radioactive fuel source located within an outer radiation protection shell; providing a magnetic field for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source; directing the separated alpha particles to a first predetermined region within said shell, and beta particles to a second predetermined region within said shell; providing means located adjacent said first region within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region, and means located adjacent said second region within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region; collecting said separated alpha and beta particles within said shell with said alpha collecting means and said beta collecting means, respectively; directing said collected alpha and beta particles through respective load circuits to provide electrical current; and providing means for collecting gamma particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source, and producing electric current from said gamma particle collecting means by connecting a load thereto.

Claim 21

A method for converting radioactive energy in the form of particles released during radioactive decay into electrical energy, said method comprising the following steps; providing a radioactive fuel source located within an outer radiation protection shell; providing a magnetic field for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source; directing the separated alpha particles to a first predetermined region within said shell, and beta particles to a second predetermined region within said shell; providing means located adjacent said first region within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region, and means located adjacent said second region within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region; collecting said separated alpha and beta particles within said shell with said alpha collecting means and said beta collecting means, respectively; directing said collected alpha and beta particles through respective load circuits to provide electrical current; and providing means for collecting gamma particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source, and producing electric current from said gamma particle collecting means by connecting a load thereto.

Claim 26

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radioactive protective shell; a radioactive fuel source located within said shell; means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source and directing alpha particles to first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region, said means for separating alpha and beta particles including ring-like magnetic fields having like poles facing inwardly into said shell, said ring-like magnetic fields being offset from the center of said fuel source; means located adjacent said first region within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region; means located adjacent said second region within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region; means for accommodating gaseous by-product formed within said shell; and output means for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current.

Claim 27

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radioactive protective shell; a radioactive fuel source located within said shell; means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source and directing alpha particles to first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region, said means for separating alpha and beta particles including ring-like magnetic fields having like poles facing inwardly into said shell, said ring-like magnetic fields being offset from the center of said fuel source; means located adjacent said first region within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region; means located adjacent said second region within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region; means for accommodating gaseous by-product formed within said shell; and output means for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current.

Claim 30

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radiation protection shell; a radioactive fuel source located within said shell; means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source and directing alpha particles to a first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region, said means for separating said alpha and beta particles comprising a set of three triaxially oriented, mutually perpendicular magnetic rings, said magnetic rings mounted within said shell and having like poles oriented inwardly; means located adjacent said first region within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region; means located adjacent said second region within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region; means for accommodating gaseous by-product formed within said shell; and output means for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current.

Claim 31

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radiation protection shell; a radioactive fuel source located within said shell; means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source and directing alpha particles to a first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region, said means for separating said alpha and beta particles comprising a set of three triaxially oriented, mutually perpendicular magnetic rings, said magnetic rings mounted within said shell and having like poles oriented inwardly; means located adjacent said first region within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region; means located adjacent said second region within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region; means for accommodating gaseous by-product formed within said shell; and output means for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current.

Claim 32

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radiation protection shell; a radioactive fuel source located within said shell, said fuel source mounted at the center of said shell by at least one mounting rod formed of electrically conductive material to enable bipolar operation of said apparatus; means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source and directing alpha particles to a first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region; means located adjacent said first region within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region; means located adjacent said second region within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region; means for accommodating gaseous by-product formed within said shell; and output means for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current.

Claim 33

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radiation protection shell; a radioactive fuel source located within said shell, said fuel source mounted at the center of said shell by at least one mounting rod formed of electrically conductive material to enable bipolar operation of said apparatus; means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source and directing alpha particles to a first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region; means located adjacent said first region within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region; means located adjacent said second region within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region; means for accommodating gaseous by-product formed within said shell; and output means for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current.

Claim 34

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radiation protection shell; a radioactive fuel source located within said shell, said fuel source mounted at the center of said shell; means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source and directing alpha particles to a first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region; means located adjacent said first region within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region; means located adjacent said second region within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region; means for accommodating gaseous by-product formed within said shell; output means for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current; and means for collecting gamma particles emitted from said radioactive source, said gamma collecting means comprising a secondary emissive layer, a collector surface, and a moderator layer of material located between said secondary emissive layer and said collector surface to facilitate collection of particles.

Claim 35

An apparatus for converting radioactive energy into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising: an outer radiation protection shell; a radioactive fuel source located within said shell, said fuel source mounted at the center of said shell; means for separating alpha and beta particles emitted from said radioactive fuel source and directing alpha particles to a first predetermined region of said shell while directing beta particles to a second predetermined region; means located adjacent said first region within said shell for collecting alpha particles directed to said first region; means located adjacent said second region within said shell for collecting beta particles directed to said second region; means for accommodating gaseous by-product formed within said shell; output means for utilizing said collected alpha and beta particles to create electric current; and means for collecting gamma particles emitted from said radioactive source, said gamma collecting means comprising a secondary emissive layer, a collector surface, and a moderator layer of material located between said secondary emissive layer and said collector surface to facilitate collection of particles.