High performance electric generators boosted by nuclear electron avalanche (NEA)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10985676-B2
Application number	US-201916354701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2019
Priority date	Mar 15, 2018
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

Various aspects include electric generators configured to boost electrical output by leveraging electron avalanche generated by a high energy photon radiation source. In various aspects, an electric generator includes a stator and a rotor positioned within the stator, wherein the stator and rotor are configured to generate electric current when the rotor is rotated, and a high energy photon source (e.g., a gamma ray source) positioned and configured to irradiate at least a portion of conductors in the rotor or stator. In some aspects, the stator generates a magnetic field when the electric generator is operating, and the rotor includes armature windings configured to generate electric current when the rotor is rotated. In some aspects, the high energy photon source includes cobalt-60 and/or cesium-137.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric generator, comprising:
a stator and a rotor positioned within the stator, wherein the stator and rotor are configured to generate electric current when the rotor is rotated; and
a high energy photon source positioned and configured to irradiate at least a portion of conductors in the rotor or stator.

2. The electric generator of claim 1 , wherein:
the stator generates a magnetic field when the electric generator is operating; and
the rotor comprises armature windings configured to generate electric current when the rotor is rotated.

3. The electric generator of claim 2 , wherein the high energy photon source is positioned within the rotor armature windings and configured to irradiate at least the armature windings.

4. The electric generator of claim 3 , wherein the high energy photon source is configured as a sleeve that fits within the rotor inside of the armature windings.

5. The electric generator of claim 2 , wherein the high energy photon source is positioned between the rotor and the stator and configured to irradiate the armature windings.

6. The electric generator of claim 5 ; wherein the high energy photon source is configured as a sleeve that fits between the rotor and the stator.

7. The electric generator of claim 2 , wherein:
the stator comprises field and compensating windings; and
the high energy photon source is positioned and configured to irradiate the field and compensating windings.

8. The electric generator of claim 1 , wherein the high energy photon source comprises cobalt-60.

9. The electric generator of claim 1 , wherein the high energy photon source comprises cesium-137.

10. The electric generator of claim 1 , wherein the high energy photon source generates X-ray or γ-ray photons.

11. The electric generator of claim 1 , wherein the high energy photon source is positioned and configured to irradiate the rotor or stator conductors so that the rotor or stator conductors are exposed to and absorb high energy photons to create an electron avalanche process that boosts the electric current generation.

12. A method of manufacturing an electric generator having a rotor and a stator, comprising:
positioning a source of high energy photons within the electric generator so as to irradiate current generating conductors in one or both of the rotor or the stator so that the rotor or stator conductors are exposed to and absorb high energy photons to create an electron avalanche process that boosts the electric current generation.

13. The method of manufacturing an electric generator of claim 12 , wherein positioning the source of high energy photons within the electric generator comprises positioning the source of high energy photon within the rotor so as to irradiate at least armature windings within the rotor.

14. The method of manufacturing an electric generator of claim 12 , wherein positioning the source of high energy photons within the electric generator comprises positioning the source of high energy photon between the rotor and the stator.

15. The method of manufacturing an electric generator of claim 12 , wherein the high energy photon source generates X-ray or γ-ray photons.

16. An electric generator, comprising:
a stator and a rotor positioned within the stator, wherein the stator and rotor are configured to generate electric current when the rotor is rotated, wherein the suitor generates a magnetic field when the electric generator is operating and the rotor comprises armature windings configured to generate the electric current when the rotor is rotated; and
a high energy photon source positioned and configured to irradiate at least a portion of conductors in the rotor or stator,
wherein:
the high energy photon source is positioned within the rotor armature windings and configured to irradiate at least the armature windings;
the high energy photon source is positioned between the rotor and the stator and configured to irradiate at least the armature windings; or
the stator comprises field and compensating windings, and the high energy photon source is positioned and configured to irradiate the field and compensating windings.

Assignees

• Nasa

Inventors

• Choi Sang H
• Bushnell Dennis M
• Duzik Adam J

Classifications

• G21H1/12

  Cells using conversion of the radiation into light combined with subsequent photoelectric conversion into electric energy · CPC title

• H02N3/00 Primary

  Generators in which thermal or kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy by ionisation of a fluid and removal of the charge therefrom (discharge tubes functioning as thermionic generators H01J45/00) · CPC title

• G21H1/04 Primary

  Cells using secondary emission induced by alpha radiation, beta radiation, or gamma radiation · CPC title

• H02K99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title