XXXII. Thermionic Diodes as Energy Converters†

Solid-State Thermionic Power Generators: An Analytical Analysis in the Nonlinear Regime

“…Hillary Moss was the first to investigate the importance of the internal resistance on the performance of the thermionic generators. 9 In the context of vacuum-state thermionic generators, she concluded that even a small internal resistance (fraction of an ohm) drops the output power.…”

“…We write our equations for case 1 and we assume that the optimum power with respect to current/voltage happens in this regime. The electrical and the thermal current, the power, and the efficiency for ( > + ) can be written as: 1,9 = T c 2 exp (− ) − T a 2 exp (−…”

Highly-efficient thermoelectronic conversion of solar energy and heat into electric power

“…As a result of the electron flow, the electrochemical potentials of the emitter and collector differ by a voltage V out , and an output current I out = V out /R l can be sourced through a load resistor R l . Turning this elegant operation principle into commercial devices has not yet been possible, however, because space-charge clouds suppress the emission current for emitter-collector distances of d ec > 3-5 µm [6,10,11]. Practical fabrication of emitter-collector assemblies that operate with the required close tolerances at a temperature difference T e −T c of many hundred Kelvin was found to be highly challenging [12].…”

Microfabricated Thermally Isolated Low Work-Function Emitter

“…Hatsopoulos described various types of thermionic converters in his doctoral thesis at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1956 [8] and a subsequent two-volume monograph [9], [10]. Also in 1956, Moss published a review paper on using thermionic diodes as energy converters in the UK [11].…”