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A Research Program: Nuclear Energy Conversion

Missouri Energy SummitApril 22-23, 2009

Mark A. Prelas*, Tushar K. Ghosh, Sudarshan K. Loyalka, Robert V. Tompson, Dabir S. Viswanath,

Robert Schott, Ryan MeyerNuclear 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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• 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

Light Production from Nuclear Reactions

NuclearLightbulb

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).

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 100’s 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

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

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Time lines• Nuclear Lightbulb 1980

– Fission– Fusion– radioisotopes

• Nuclear hydrogen production 1980– Fission– Fusion– radioisotopes

• 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