Time-dependent plasma systems and methods for thermionic conversion
Various disclosed embodiments include thermionic energy converters and electronic circuitry for generating pulses for igniting plasma in a hermetic package of a thermionic energy converter. In various embodiments, an illustrative thermionic energy converter includes a hermetic package charged with a non-cesium gas additive. The hermetic package is configured to route into the hermetic package pulses for igniting plasma in the hermetic package. A cesium reservoir is disposed in the hermetic package. A cathode is disposed in the hermetic package and an anode is disposed in the hermetic package.
1. A thermionic energy converter comprising:
a hermetic package charged with a non-cesium gas additive including a non-noble molecular gas, the non-noble molecular gas including at least one of SF 6 or XeF 6 , the hermetic package being configured to route into the hermetic package pulses for igniting plasma in the hermetic package;
a cesium reservoir disposed in the hermetic package;
a cathode disposed in the hermetic package; and
an anode disposed in the hermetic package.
2. The thermionic energy converter of claim 1 , wherein the non-noble, molecular gas includes gas properties that are selected to reduce at least one parameter chosen from electron-neutral scattering, cesium ion mobility, and heat conduction.
3. The thermionic energy converter of claim 1 , wherein the cathode includes at least one material chosen from cesiated polycrystalline, single crystal molybdenum, highly oriented molybdenum, tungsten, platinum, iridium, and nickel.
4. The thermionic energy converter of claim 1 , wherein the cathode includes a cathode chosen from an impregnated barium dispenser cathode, a barium oxide cathode, and a scandate cathode.
5. The thermionic energy converter of claim 1 , wherein the anode includes at least one material chosen from nickel, copper, and stainless steel.
6. The thermionic energy converter of claim 1 , further comprising an additional electrode in addition to the cathode and the anode.
7. The thermionic energy converter of claim 6 , wherein the additional electrode is disposed in a gap between the cathode and the anode.
8. The thermionic energy converter of claim 7 , wherein the additional electrode is disposed in the gap between the cathode and the anode in a feedthrough through an electrode chosen from the cathode and the anode.
9. The thermionic energy converter of claim 6 , wherein the additional electrode is defined in an electrically isolated portion of an electrode chosen from the cathode and anode.
10. The thermionic energy converter of claim 1 , further comprising electrical wiring electrically couplable to the hermetic package and to a source of pulses for igniting plasma in the hermetic package, the electrical wiring being configured to reduce parasitic inductance.
11. The thermionic energy converter of claim 1 , wherein the hermetic package includes a transformer disposed therein, the transformer being configured to transform pulses having a first voltage and a first current to pulses having a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage and a second current that is higher than the first current.
12. A thermionic energy converter comprising:
a hermetic package charged with a non-cesium gas additive including a non-noble molecular gas, wherein the non-noble molecular gas includes at least one of SF 6 or XeF 6 ;
a cesium reservoir disposed in the hermetic package;
a cathode disposed in the hermetic package;
an anode disposed in the hermetic package; and
electronic circuitry configured to generate pulses for igniting plasma in the hermetic package.
13. The thermionic energy converter of claim 12 , wherein the non-noble, molecular gas includes gas properties that are selected to reduce at least one parameter chosen from electron-neutral scattering, cesium ion mobility, and heat conduction.
14. The thermionic energy converter of claim 12 , wherein the cathode includes at least one material chosen from cesiated polycrystalline, single crystal molybdenum, highly oriented molybdenum, tungsten, platinum, iridium, and nickel.
15. The thermionic energy converter of claim 12 , wherein the cathode includes a cathode chosen from an impregnated barium dispenser cathode, a barium oxide cathode, and a scandate cathode.
16. The thermionic energy converter of claim 12 , wherein the anode includes at least one material chosen from nickel, copper, and stainless steel.
17. The thermionic energy converter of claim 12 , further comprising an additional electrode in addition to the cathode and anode, the additional electrode being electrically connected to receive the pulses from the electrical circuitry.
18. The thermionic energy converter of claim 17 , wherein the additional electrode is disposed in a gap between the cathode and the anode.
19. The thermionic energy converter of claim 18 , wherein the additional electrode is disposed in the gap between the cathode and the anode in a feedthrough through an electrode chosen from the cathode and the anode.
20. The thermionic energy converter of claim 17 , wherein the additional electrode is defined in an electrically isolated portion of an electrode chosen from the cathode and anode.
21. A thermionic energy converter comprising:
a hermetic package charged with a non-cesium gas additive;
a cesium reservoir disposed in the hermetic package;
a cathode disposed in the hermetic package;
an anode disposed in the hermetic package; and
electronic circuitry configured to generate pulses for igniting plasma in the hermetic package, wherein the pulses include a first voltage selected to ionize the cesium.
22. A thermionic energy converter comprising:
a hermetic package charged with a non-cesium gas additive;
a cesium reservoir disposed in the hermetic package;
a cathode disposed in the hermetic package;
an anode disposed in the hermetic package; and
electronic circuitry configured to generate pulses for igniting plasma in the hermetic package, wherein the pulses include s a second voltage selected to ionize the cesium and the non-cesium gas additive.
23. A thermionic energy converter comprising:
a hermetic package charged with a non-cesium gas additive;
a cesium reservoir disposed in the hermetic package;
a cathode disposed in the hermetic package,
an anode disposed in the hermetic package; and
electronic circuitry configured to generate pulses for igniting plasma in the hermetic package,
wherein an electrode chosen from the cathode and the anode is electrically switchable between the pulses and a load.
24. A thermionic energy converter comprising:
a hermetic package charged with a non-cesium gas additive;
a cesium reservoir disposed in the hermetic package;
a cathode disposed in the hermetic package;
an anode disposed in the hermetic package, and
electronic circuitry configured to generate pulses for igniting plasma in the hermetic package, and having a pulse width less than 1 microsecond.
25. The thermionic energy converter of claim 24 , wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to generate pulses having a pulse width less than 500 nanoseconds.
26. The thermionic energy converter of claim 25 , wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to generate pulses having a pulse width less than 300 nanoseconds.
27. The thermionic energy converter of claim 26 , wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to generate pulses having a pulse width less than 150 nanoseconds.
28. The thermionic energy converter of claim 27 , wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to generate pulses having a pulse width less than 100 nanoseconds.