THERMIONIC NETCON FOR OUT-OF-CORE SPACE POWER SYSTEM

NETCON (NEW THERMIONIC CONVERTER) IS A NEW IDEA FOR AN ADVANCED POWER CONVERSION SYSTEM. THE EMITTERS ARE TYPICALLY 0.5 CM IN DIMENSION. THE EMITTER AND COLLECTOR ARE SEPARATED BY LESS THAN 0.5 MILS ( 12 MU M), WITH OPERATION IN THE QUASI-VACUUM (UNIGNITED) MODE. THE INTERELECTRODE GAP IS SET BY THE THERMAL EXPANSION OF A CERAMIC PEDESTAL SUPPORTING THE EMITTER. HEAT TRANSPORT TO THE EMITTER IS BY RADIATION. A GOOD LEAD EFFICIENCY, TYPICALLY 10% OR MORE, IS ACHIEVABLE AT A RELATIVELY LOW EMITTER TEMPERATURE OF 1300 KAND A COLLECTOR TEMPERATURE 850 K. THIS CONTRASTS WITH AN EMITTER TEMPERATURE OF 1700 K OR MORE FOR THE NORMAL IGNITED MODE CONVERTER. THE APPLICATION OF NETCON TO AN OUT-OF-CORE NUCLEAR REACTOR SYSTEM IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS PROPOSAL. SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND A PROOF-OF-PRINCIPLE NETCON CELL WILL BE CONSTRUCTED AND TESTED FOR RELIABILITY IN PHASE I. PHASE II WILL BEGIN THE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT OF NETCON FOR AN OUT-OF-CORE NUCLEAR REACTOR.