Fission fragment direct energy conversion has been considered in the past for the purpose of increasing nuclear power plant efficiency and for advanced space propulsion . Since the fragments carry electric charge ( typically in the order of 20 e ) and have 100 MeV - range kinetic energy , techniques utilizing very high - voltage DC electrodes have been considered . This study is focused on a different approach : the kinetic energy of the charged fission fragments is converted into alternating current by means of a traveling wave coupling scheme ( Traveling Wave Direct Energy Converter , TWDEC ) , thereby not requiring the utilization of high voltage technology . A preliminary feasibility analysis of the concept is introduced based on a conceptual level study and on a particle simulation model of the beam dynamics .