FULLY CERAMIC ENCAPSULATED RADIOACTIVE HEAT SOURCE
A chargeable atomic battery (CAB), such as a fully ceramic encapsulated radioactive heat source, includes a plurality of CAB units and a CAB housing to hold the plurality of CAB units. Each of the CAB units are formed of a precursor compact including precursor material particles embedded inside an encapsulation material. The precursor material particles include a precursor kernel formed of a precursor material that is initially manufactured in a stable state or an unstable state and convertible into an activated material that is an activated state via irradiation by a particle radiation source. The precursor material particles can include one or more encapsulation coatings surrounding the precursor kernel. The precursor material can include Neptunium-237 and the activated material can include Plutonium-238. A radioisotope thermoelectric generator can include thermoelectrics coupled to the CAB units to convert radioactive emissions of the activated material into electrical power.
1 . A chargeable atomic battery (CAB), comprising:
a plurality of CAB units, each of the CAB units being formed of a precursor compact including precursor material particles embedded inside an encapsulation material,
wherein the precursor material particles include a precursor kernel formed of a precursor material that is in a stable state or an unstable state and convertible into an activated material that is an activated state via irradiation by a particle radiation source; and
a chargeable atomic battery housing to hold the plurality of CAB units.
2 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 1 , wherein:
the precursor material particles include one or more encapsulation coatings surrounding the precursor kernel.
3 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more encapsulation coatings include graphite, low density graphite, silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobium carbide (NbC), tantalum carbide (TaC), hafnium carbide, ZrC—ZrB 2 composite, ZrC—ZrB 2 —SiC composite, or a combination thereof.
4 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 1 , wherein:
the encapsulation material includes silicon carbide, zirconium carbide, titanium carbide, niobium carbide, tungsten, molybdenum, or a combination thereof.
5 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 1 , wherein:
the stable state is a stable isotope; and
the activated state is a radionuclide.
6 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 1 , wherein:
the unstable state is an unstable isotope; and
the activated state is a radionuclide.
7 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 1 , wherein, in the unstable state, the precursor material includes a radioactively-unstable nuclide.
8 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 1 , wherein the precursor material includes an oxide, a nitride, a carbide, or a combination thereof.
9 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 1 , wherein:
the precursor material includes Neptunium-237, Thulium-170, or Europium-160.
10 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 1 , wherein:
the precursor material includes Neptunium-237.
11 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 10 , wherein:
the activated material includes Plutonium-238.
12 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 1 , wherein:
the precursor material particles include coated precursor material particles; and
the encapsulation material includes silicon carbide, zirconium carbide, titanium carbide, niobium carbide, tungsten, molybdenum, or a combination thereof.
13 . A chargeable atomic battery (CAB), comprising:
at least one CAB unit, wherein the at least one CAB unit includes:
an encapsulation matrix; and
precursor material particles embedded within the encapsulation matrix.
14 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 13 , wherein:
the precursor material particles include one or more encapsulation coatings surrounding a precursor kernel; and
the encapsulation matrix includes silicon carbide, zirconium carbide, titanium carbide, niobium carbide, tungsten, molybdenum, or a combination thereof.
15 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 13 , wherein:
the precursor kernel includes Neptunium-237, Thulium-170, or Europium-160.
16 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 13 , wherein:
the precursor kernel includes Neptunium-237.
17 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 16 , wherein:
the precursor kernel is convertible into Plutonium-238 via irradiation by a particle radiation source.
18 . A radioisotope thermoelectric generator, comprising:
at least one CAB unit, wherein the at least one CAB unit includes:
an encapsulation matrix; and
a precursor material embedded within the encapsulation matrix, wherein the precursor material particles include a precursor kernel formed of a precursor material that is in a stable state or an unstable state and convertible into an activated material that is an activated state via irradiation by a particle radiation source; and
thermoelectrics coupled to the at least one CAB unit to convert radioactive emissions of the activated material into electrical power.
19 . The radioisotope thermoelectric generator of claim 18 , wherein:
the precursor material includes Neptunium-237.
20 . The chargeable atomic battery of claim 19 , wherein:
the activated material includes Plutonium-238.