Structured plasma cell energy converter for a nuclear reactor

1. A system comprising:

a first electrode including a first plurality of micro-cavities;

a first ionized gas disposed within one or more micro-cavities of the first plurality of micro-cavities;

a second electrode including a second plurality of micro-cavities;

a second ionized gas disposed within one or more micro-cavities of the second plurality of micro-cavities; and

an inter-electrode gap disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a bulk plasma disposed within the inter-electrode gap.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an insulator disposed within the inter-electrode gap.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the insulator includes conductive paths configured to electrically connect one or more of the first plurality of micro-cavities with one or more of the second plurality of micro-cavities.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein plasma is disposed within the conductive paths of the insulator.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of micro-cavities of the first electrode are disposed on a surface and a body of the first electrode.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first plurality of micro-cavities disposed on the surface of the first electrode are directly exposed to the inter-electrode gap.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein a quantity of the first plurality of micro-cavities is less than a quantity of the second plurality of micro-cavities.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises a first plurality of channels configured to electrically connect a first micro-cavity of the first plurality of micro-cavities with a second micro-cavity of the first plurality of micro-cavities.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a heat source configured to heat the first electrode that emits electrons into the inter-electrode gap.