Power converter
View Patent ↗A power converter is provided and includes a heat collector surface, n- and p-legs formed of n- and p-type thermoelectric materials, respectively, which are each disposed in thermal communication with the heat collector surface, parallel electric busses electrically coupled to the n- and p-legs and a housing, which is electrically decoupled from the busses, to support the heat collector surface at a predefined distance from a heat pipe.
1. A space based heat pipe cooled reactor, comprising:
a reactor core;
a heat pipe disposed in a vacuum, the heat pipe in thermal communication with the reactor core;
a power converter having
a plurality of heat collector surfaces arranged about the heat pipe to form a radiant heat receiving cavity, wherein the vacuum is between the heat pipe and the plurality of heat collector surfaces,
n- and p-legs formed of n- and p-type thermoelectric materials, respectively, which are each disposed in thermal communication with the heat collector surface,
parallel electric busses electrically coupled to the n- and p-legs and
a housing, which is electrically decoupled from the busses, configured to support the heat collector surfaces at a predefined distance from a heat pipe.