Patent ID: 8378208

Claim:
A power system comprising: a housing defining a cold chamber and a hot chamber, said hot chamber having a wall transparent to solar radiation; at least one alkali metal thermal-to-electric converter (“AMTEC”) cell received in said housing, said AMTEC cell having a first portion extending into said hot chamber and a second portion extending into said cold chamber a thermal barrier wall separating said cold chamber and said hot chamber, said AMTEC cell extending through said thermal barrier wall, said thermal barrier wall having a layer of thermally insulative material; and a layer of thermally conductive material adjacent said thermal barrier wall and positioned adjacent said first portion such that said first portion protrudes therethrough, said layer of thermally conductive material being positioned in said hot chamber such that solar radiation passing through said transparent wall heats said layer of thermal conductive material and said layer of thermally conductive material promotes operation of said AMTEC cell.