Performance parameters of a thermionic converter with a planar, macro-grooved, Molybdenum emitter and a 0.5 mm gap were compared with those of a smooth electrodes converter. At an emitter temperature of 1573 K and a collector temperature of 1073 K, peak electric power density (0.45 W/cm2) and peak conversion efficiency (5.3%) were higher than those for the smooth electrodes converter (0.35 W/cm2 and 5%, respectively). When the emitter and collector temperatures were increased to 1773 and 1173 K, respectively, the peak electric power density (1.2 W/cm2) and the peak conversion efficiency (∼8% at P Cs =400 Pa ) of both converters were same. At lower emitter (1673 and 1573 K) and collector (1073 K) temperatures, the electric power density and the conversion efficiency of the grooved emitter converter were 15–20% higher than that for the smooth electrodes converter in the ignited mode. The barrier index (2.15 V) was ∼8% lower than that of the smooth electrodes converter when the emitter and collector temperatures were 1673 and 1073 K, respectively. However, when the emitter and collector temperatures were increased to 1773 K and 1173 K, respectively, the barrier index (2.45 V) in the grooved emitter converter was ∼6.5% higher.


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    Title :

    A thermionic converter with a planar, macro-grooved emitter and 0.5 mm Gap


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Space technology and applications international forum -1999 ; 1999 ; Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)


    Published in:

    AIP Conference Proceedings ; 458 , 1 ; 1519-1525


    Publication date :

    1999-01-22


    Size :

    7 pages





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    A Thermionic Converter with a Planar, Macro-Grooved Emitter and 0.5 mm Gap

    Momozaki, Y. / El-Genk, M. S. / University of New Mexico; School of Engineering; Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1999


    Performance Evaluation of Thermionic Converter with Macro-Grooved Emitter and a Smooth Collector

    El-Genk, M. S. / Momozaki, Y. / University of New Mexico; School of Engineering; Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1998


    Performance evaluation of a thermionic converter with a macro-grooved emitter and a smooth collector

    El-Genk, Mohamed S. / Momozaki, Yoichi | American Institute of Physics | 1998



    THEORY AND EXPERIMENT OF A CAPILLARY EMITTER IN A THERMIONIC CONVERTER

    DRESSER, D. / LAURITA, W. / DUNLOP, J. et al. | AIAA | 1963