Patent Number: 047553502
Section: abstract

A thermionic energy conversion system assembly is described which comprises a fissionable nuclear fuel which surrounds a cylindrical arrangement of thermionic emitter electrodes which surround corresponding collector electrodes, which in turn surround a cylindrical container of a heat sink material, such as lithium hydride, which can absorb large amounts of waste heat energy through a phase change. The heat sink material may also act as a nuclear moderator to reduce the amount of required nuclear fuel. A heat pipe is enclosed within the container of heat sink material to remove waste heat stored in the material. A thermionic energy conversion module is described which comprises 100 stacked-in-series thermionic converter assemblies. A complete space-based thermionic nuclear reactor is described which comprises an array of 91 thermionic converter modules wherein the heat pipes connect to a lithium hydride radiation shield which acts as a further heat sink. The radiation shield connects to radiators to remove the waste heat to space.