A Research Program: Nuclear Energy Conversion

Missouri Energy Summit April 22-23, 2009

Mark A. Prelas*, Tushar K. Ghosh, Sudarshan K. Loyalka, Robert V. Tompson, Dabir S. Viswanath, Robert Schott, Ryan Meyer Nuclear Science and Engineering Institute, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211

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Steps: Nuclear Energy Conversion

Topping cycle
Products from nuclear reactions producing narrow-band light (~ 50%) Light is transported to photovoltaic cells (80-100% efficiency) Photovoltaic cell converts light to electricity (80-90% efficiency)

With residual high grade heat remaining, bottom cycles make possible system efficiencies of 70%.

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Applications of Nuclear Energy Conversion

Fission Reactors

Radioisotopes

Fusion Reactors
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History of Group
We have been involved in nuclear energy conversion research and nuclear battery work since 1980

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Light Production from Nuclear Reactions

Production and applications of light produced by nuclear reactions
M.A. Prelas, A Potential UV Fusion Lightbulb for Energy Conversion, Bulletin Am. Phys. Soc., 26, 7, 1045 (1981).e.g., Nuclear Lightbulb

Nuclear Lightbulb

PV
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Chemical Synthesis From Nuclear Reactions

Lasers and chemical synthesis
Prelas, M.A., Loyalka, S.K., "A Review of the Utilization of Energetic Ions for the Production of Excited Atomic and

Molecular States and Chemical Synthesis," Prog. in Nucl. Energy, 8, 35-53 (1981).

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Hydrogen Production From Nuclear Reactions

Production of synthetic fuels from nuclear reactions
Prelas, M.A., Romero, J.B., and Person, E.F., "A Critical Review of Fusion Systems for Radiolytic Conversion of Inorganics to Gaseous Fuels," Nuclear Technology/Fusion, 2(2), 143-164 (1982).

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Aerosol core Reactor Energy Conversion System (ARECS)

Optical transport in nuclear reactors
M. A. Prelas, J. F. Kunze, and F. P. Boody, "A Compact Aerosol Core Reactor/Laser Fueled with Reflective Micropellets,", Laser Interactions and Related Plasma Phenomena, Vol.7, H. Hora and G. Miley, editors, Plenum Publishing Corporation, 143-154 (1986).

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Direct Energy Conversion of Fission Reactions

Multi-Cycle High Efficiency Energy Conversion (~70%)
M. A. Prelas, F. P. Boody, J. F. Kunze, and G. H. Miley, "Nuclear-Driven Flashlamps", Lasers and Particle Beams, 6(1), 25-55,(1988).

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Photon Intermediate Direct Energy Conversion (PIDEC)

Photon Intermediate Direct Energy Conversion
M. A. Prelas, E. J. Charlson, F. P. Boody, and G. H. Miley, "Advanced Nuclear Energy Conversion Using a Two Step Photon Intermediate Technique", Prog. In Nuclear Energy, 23 (3), pp. 223-240 (1990).

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Fluorescence Efficiency

Fluorescer/PV Match

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PIDEC Capabilities
Useful for fission, radioisotopes or fusion Can use ions, electrons and gamma rays Topping cycle efficiency of 30-43% With bottom cycle total system efficiency of 50-70%

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Radioisotope: Photovoltaic Energy conversion of Nuclear energy System (PENS)

M. Prelas, E. J. Charlson, E. M. Charlson, J. Meese, G. Popovici, and T. Stacy, "Diamond Photovoltaic Energy Conversion," Second International Conference on the Applications of Diamond Films and Related Materials, Editors M. Yoshikawa, M. Murakawa, Y. Tzeng and W. A. Yarbrough, MYU Tokyo, Pages 5-12 (1993).

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Solid State Radioisotope Electrical Generator

Prelas, Mark A.; Sved, John; Jennings, Howard J.; Dann, Allister; Mountford, Andrew. (British Nuclear Fuels, PLC, UK). Solid state electric generator using radionuclide-induced exciton production,PCT Int. Appl. (1999), 46 pp. Application: WO 99-US380 19990115. Priority: US 98-71667 19980116.

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Radioisotope Energy Conversion System (RECS)

Eric V. Steinfelds, Tushar K. Ghosh, Mark A. Prelas, Robert V. Tompson, Sudarshan K. Loyalka Development of Radioisotope Energy Conversion Systems Efficient Radioisotopic Power, ICAPP Conference Proceeding, Space Nuclear Power, (May 2003).

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RECS capabilities
RECS is capable of high efficiencies RECS is capable of scaling from microwatts to 100s of kilowatts RECS is capable of long operational lifetimes

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Compact Nuclear Battery

IP WBG Beta and Alpha Voltaic and Micro bubble (Industrial Interest US Semiconductor Corporation) 2003
Note: we have not publish a lot of work to protect IP

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Status of Nuclear Energy Conversion Work

Fluorescence efficiencies measured using nuclear reactions (1981-95 using MURR & University of Illinois TRIGA)

Wide band-gap photovoltaic Cells fabricated and tested1985-present Coupling of excimer lamps to wide band-gap photovoltaic cells (1989-97) Radioisotopes coupled PV cells (1986-present) Radioisotopes tested with RECS configuration

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Diamond PV Cell
G. Popovici, A. A. Melnikov, V. Varichenko, T. Sung, M. Prelas, R. G. Wilson, S. K. Loyalka , "Diamond Ultraviolet Photovoltaic Cell Obtained by Lithium and Boron Doping," J. Appl. Phys, 81(5), 1 March. 1997.

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Aluminum Nitride PV
Fall 2001

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Nuclear Battery
SiC PV cell array

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RECS Test Stand

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Conclusions
Direct Conversion of Nuclear Energy can be efficient (overall 50-70%) PIDEC can be used to convert fission energy, energy from radioisotopes and fusion energy

Time lines
Nuclear Lightbulb 1980
Fission Fusion radioisotopes Fission Fusion radioisotopes

Nuclear hydrogen production 1980

Wide band-gap p-n junctions for nuclear energy conversion 1981 ARECS 1981 PIDEC 1985 PENS 1993 Solid State Radioisotope Electrical Generator 1997 Beta/Alpha voltaic using Wide Band-Gap Materials 1997 Diamond p-n junction 1996 RECS 2001 AlN p-n junction 2001 Microbubble technology 1997 and 2003

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