Design and construction of a nuclear powered milliwatt generator

Abstract

A ^^®Pu powered thermoelectric milliwatt generator of very rugged design is described. The open circuit voltage Is 12 V. With an optimum load of 16,500 ohms, the power output is 2.2 mW at 6 V. The ^^^Pu source supplies heat to an 1170 junction thermopile made of Tophel Speclal-Cupron Special wire. A thermopile fabrication technique is described. The multiple hermetically sealed unit is a right cylinder, 2,350 in. (5.969 cm) o.d, X 2.125 in. (5,398 cm) high, which weighs 3/4 lb (300 g). Only 7.8 mR/hr of gamma and 10.9 n/cm®/sec are emitted at the surface. An electrical analogue of the thermal circuit is included.