Innovative AMTEC Auxilliary Electric Power Supply

The Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Converter (AMTEC) technology is ideal for auxiliary electric power supplies (AEPS) that must operate over a broad range of temperatures, fuel sources, power levels, and operational specifications. The simplicity, efficiency and modularity, as well as the high heat rejection temperature, of this technology allow it fill applications as varied as light-weight backpack power supplies to military base power. External combustion, and moderate hot side temperatures allow it to operate with nearly any fuel source. In the proposed program, innovative combustion systems that are flexible and adaptable to a number of fuels will be investigated. This system will include the burner, recuperator, and heat rejection subsystem. A baseline concept will be developed that allows the same AMTEC cell design to be used in selected applications. These cells will have rapid startup capability, be insensitive to a wide range of heat sink temperatures, and tolerant of a large number of thermal cycles. Concepts have been developed that allow all of these features to be implemented, as well as the high efficiency and modularity. The feasibility of the AMTEC cell and the overall concept will be demonstrated. The cell concept will then be integrated with the combustion system concept and system performance will be calculated. A development plan will then be prepared.