The alkali metal thermoelectric converter (AMTEC) is a thermally regenerative electrochemical device for the direct conversion of heat to electrical energy. Potential efficiencies from 15 % to 30 %, without moving parts, make this device extremely attractive for space application. This paper will discuss the general AMTEC operating characteristic and identify key parameters in high efficiency, low mass systems. An AMTEC power converter design for the 500 to 1000 W power level, using the radioisotope General Purpose Heat Source will be described. The modular configuration of this system assures redundancy and delivers a specific power of approximately 19 W/kg with an efficiency near 20 %.
Radioisotope powered alkali metal thermoelectric converter design for space systems
Alkalimetall-Thermoelektrischer Wandler mit Radioisotopenantrieb fuer die Weltraumtechnik
IECEC, 23rd Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conf., ASME ; 3 , Aug ; 159-167
1988
9 Seiten, 9 Bilder, 4 Tabellen, 20 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
The Alkali Metal Thermoelectric Converter (AMTEC) Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG)
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