Nuclear battery and method of converting energy of radioactive decay

Abstract

A nuclear battery and method for directly converting energy of radioactive decay of a radioactive source (1) into more usable forms by utilizing a powdered-plate (3) where the powdered-plate (3) is comprised of a great multitude of dispersed particles in a dispersing medium and where the dispersed particles are capable of capturing, collecting, accumulating, storing, and transferring electric charges that result from the interaction of cold high energy emissions from the radioactive source (1) with the dispersed particles in the powdered-plate (3).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application uses items or articles disclosed in my published U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/822,876 entitled “Method And Apparatus For Storing Electric Energy” filed Apr. 13, 2004 and for which a patent has not yet been issued.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the generation of electrical energy and more particularly to radioisotope direct-charging batteries for deriving and utilizing the electrical energy of radioactive decay and nuclear reactions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

Large quantities of energy are provided by certain nuclear reactions of radioactive substances and some radioactive radiations (energy) are largely electrical in nature. It is therefore desirable that such electrical energy be converted directly to electrical energy of a more usable form. Positively or negatively charged particle rays are emitted from such radioactive substances which have energies ranging from zero to tens of millions of electron volts. Direct utilization of the high electric potentials which may be derived from such highly charged emitted particles provides a more effective and efficient use of nuclear energy than other thermal or mechanical conversion systems.

Direct-charging radioisotope cells or batteries are usually comprised of a self-charging plate of radioactive matter that becomes positively or negatively charged by emitting beta-particles or alpha-particles, respectively. An electrically conductive surface, or solid collector-plate, set off at a distance from the radioactive source accumulates the emitted particles from the source and an electrical potential difference, or voltage, is established between the radioactive source and the solid collector-plate. The level of voltage attained between the radioactive source and the solid collector-plate depends on how well the source is electrically insulated from the collector-plate because insufficient insulation results in arcing and electrical breakdown of the insulating matter. Since the direct-charging radioisotope cell is basically a parallel-plate capacitor with a self-charging plate, increasing the insulation between the radioactive source-plate and the collector-plate causes the capacitance between the two plate-surfaces to decrease rapidly. The low value of capacitance between the radioactive source and the solid collector-plate limits the amount of electric charge that can be accumulated even for the very high voltage that results between the radioactive source and the solid collector-plate. Because of the extremely high output voltages and low electric current output, these radioisotope batteries are limited to very high-voltage, low-current applications. Another problem with solid collector-plate radioisotope batteries is energetic particles are repelled from the solid collector-plate once the collector-plate reaches a high opposite electric potential as compared to the radioactive source-plate. When that happens, alpha or beta particles emitted from the radioactive source are repelled by the solid collector-plate and are returned to the radioactive source, or source-plate, thus heating the radioactive source-plate and limiting the amount of electric charge accumulated by the solid collector-plate. Direct-charging batteries operate most efficiently at high source-to-collector voltages. If energy is drawn from the battery too quickly, then most of the time is spent energizing the self-charging plate and little time is spent supplying energy to a load device. In other words, at low source-to-collector voltages, highly energetic particles merely have to overcome a small electric field to reach the collector. Therefore, most of the energy of the highly energetic particles is wasted in heating the collector plate, and little is left to drive an electrical load device. As the collector electric potential rises, however, more charges are packed together onto the surface of the collector-plate so that an increase in electric potential energy occurs, and less energy is wasted as heat. Scattering is also a problem when charged high-energy particles strike the solid collector-plate and secondary emission of other particles occurs, which decreases the efficiency and power output of the battery.

Numerous methods have been devised to improve the efficiency and power output of radioisotope direct-charging cells or batteries. Some attempts at improving the batteries involve placing energized electrodes in different locations to enhance wanted effects and deter unwanted effects of charged-particle bombardment. It has become apparent, however, that the use of a solid collector-plate in a direct-charging nuclear battery will never be effective because the amount of usable surface area of the collector-plate is severely limited. As in any parallel-plate capacitor, if the effective plate surface area can be increased, then a corresponding increase in the value of capacitance will result. In the special case of a radioisotope direct-charging battery, if the plate surface area of the collector-plate can be increased significantly, then the amount of electric charge accumulated can also be increased significantly without compromising the need for sufficient insulation between the radioactive source-plate and the collector-plate with a large effective surface area. For instance, if the area of the collector-plate is increased significantly while maintaining good electrical insulation between the radioactive particle emitting-plate, or source-plate, and the collector-plate, then a large quantity of electric charge can be accumulated by the collector-plate at a very high voltage. The average energy of emitted particles or rays, such as beta rays, in direct-charging radioisotope batteries, can be of an order of one or two million electron volts. If more particle rays reach the collector-plate at much higher energy levels without being repelled back to the source-plate, then the amount of total electric charge accumulated by the collector-plate increases significantly. Moreover, increasing the charge-density of high-energy electric charges implies packing more electric charge into a smaller area and at much higher voltages. Power output of a direct-charging radioisotope battery depends on the amount of electric current made available to the electrical load multiplied by the voltage at which the electric current is presented. More electric charge accumulated by the collector-plate at such amazingly high voltages, or energy levels, means a tremendous amount of electric power will be supplied to the load where useful work can be performed. Increasing the amount of output power available to the electric load, as compared to the amount of input power, results in an overall increase in conversion efficiency.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

It would then be highly advantageous to provide a collector-plate in a direct-charging nuclear cell, or battery, with a very large effective surface area so that a large quantity of electric charge can be accumulated at very high voltages and very high energy levels. Therefore, the present invention contemplates the use of collector-plates set a distance apart from a radioactive source, or source-plate, in a radioisotope direct-charging cell or battery, where such collector-plates have a very large effective surface area capable of capturing and storing highly energetic alpha or beta particles originally emitted from the radioactive source, or source-plate. The present invention also contemplates the use of collector-plates where each collector-plate is comprised of a great multitude of tiny individual particles dispersed in a dispersing medium. This essentially raises the effective surface area of the collector-plate substantially, when the total surface areas of all the individual dispersed particles are added together. In words, there is a much larger surface area where electric charges can accumulate than if a solid collector-plate were used, since electric charges can only reside on the external surface of a solid conductor. It should be understood, however, that even though the collector-plate in the present invention is to be known as a “powdered-plate”, a powdered-plate as specifically defined and used in the present invention is comprised of a great multitude of very small particles that may be of any size or shape, and where the particles are comprised of matter of any nature in any physical or electrical state or phase of matter, which are suspended or dispersed in a dispersing medium which is comprised of matter of any nature or composition in any physical or electrical state or phase of matter, and where the dispersing medium keeps the particles separated and suspended indefinitely. Particles in a powdered-plate must, however, stay suspended indefinitely in the dispersing medium and they must be capable of capturing and storing electric charges (preferably on their surfaces). For example, the dispersed particles may be comprised of aluminum, copper, or carbon of various shapes and sizes, but which are as tiny as possible to increase the total effective surface area. The dispersing medium can be of a gaseous, liquid, or solid nature, as long as the dispersed particles are kept separated so they can absorb high-energy particles emitted from the radioactive source.

Linder mentions in U.S. Pat. No. 2,517,120 dated Aug. 1, 1950, and entitled “Method Of And Means For Collecting Electrical Energy Of Nuclear Reactions” that, “For generators providing relatively large power values, cooling of the charged particle source may be necessary or desirable since the source is bombarded and heated by the returning charged particles which are reflected by the charged collector electrode. Also the collector electrode is heated by the charged particles is [it] collects.” Use of a powdered-plate in the present invention, rather than a solid collector electrode as described by Linder, reduces heating of the source by repelled and returning particles since the number of repelled particles is reduced substantially. Furthermore, heating of the collector electrode is also greatly reduced when a powdered-plate is used as is done in the present invention, because the effective surface area for distributing heat is increased by several orders of magnitude and the level of particle scattering is reduced considerably. Linder also states in the same patent specification that, “The charge upon the collector electrode . . . increases until the potential of the collector electrode is sufficiently high to repel additional electrons arriving from the source.” By using a powdered-plate in the present invention, any charge accumulated is distributed evenly on the external surfaces of all the suspended conductive particles. That means the suspended conductive particles act as individual isolated capacitor spheres. Even though the value of capacitance between the source-plate and the powdered-plate is very low, the capacitance of the powdered-plate is extremely high when the capacitances of all the suspended conductive particles, or isolated capacitor spheres, are considered together. Increased capacitance of the powdered-plate means a larger quantity of electric charge is stored at a much lower voltage. As a result, the particles traveling from the source-plate to the powdered-plate experience a much lower voltage to overcome when reaching the powdered-plate. Again, a great quantity of electric charge is collected and stored by the powdered-plate before a high voltage is established between the source-plate and powdered-plate, and before emitted particles are repelled back to the source-plate. More emitted particles will reach the powdered-plate for each volt of electric potential established between the source-plate and the collector-plate.

A U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/822,876 entitled, “Method and Apparatus for Storing Electric Energy” was submitted on Apr. 13, 2004, by Hacsi, the inventor of the present invention. At the time of the filing of this present patent application, no patent had been issued for the aforementioned invention. The present invention, however, is anticipated to be much more effective and efficient because electric energy enters the powdered-plate directly through the dielectric, or other means for separating the radioactive source and the powdered-plate, as opposed to entering the powdered-plate through an electrode located inside the powdered-plate. Furthermore, the present invention involves the direct-conversion of nuclear energy to electrical energy, whereas the previous invention merely stores electric energy for future use.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide better methods and means for generating electrical energy in response to radioactive decay and nuclear reactions. Another object of the present invention is to provide more effective and efficient methods and means for utilizing the electrical energy in radioactive decay and nuclear reactions. An additional object is to provide a nuclear battery and method of energy storage where large quantities of electrical energy can be generated and stored until it can be supplied very rapidly to an electrical load device when needed. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a simple and efficient direct-charging nuclear battery that directly converts nuclear energy to electric energy.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present invention, a nuclear battery is provided to accomplish the method known as the present invention where the nuclear battery is comprised of a radioactive source that emits highly energetic particles or rays set off a distance and electrically separated by a dielectric matter from at least one powdered-plate. A powdered-plate, by definition, is comprised of a great multitude of particles that can be of any size or shape and made of a matter capable of capturing and storing electric charges resulting from emissions of a radioactive source, and where the particles are suspended or dispersed in a dispersing medium comprised of matter that keeps the dispersed particles from settling, and with the multitude of suspended or dispersed particles and the dispersing medium all contained together in either a conductive or non-conductive container. The nuclear battery provided to accomplish the method known as the present invention is comprised of at least one powdered-plate disposed in a region adjacent to the radioactive source for collecting and accumulating high energy particle or ray emissions from the radioactive source in order to establish an electric potential difference with respect to either the radioactive source or a second powdered-plate. The electric potential difference established between the radioactive source and the powdered-plate can provide an electric current through an electrical load device so useful work can be done.

DRAWING FIGURE

In FIG. 1 of the drawing, a nuclear battery with a powdered-plate capable of generating and storing electric energy from nuclear reactions is shown.

DRAWING

Reference Numerals

• 1. Radioactive source, krypton-85 (gas) beta-emitter, inside of gas-chamber
• 2. Glass dielectric (globe-shaped)
• 3. Powdered-plate (with aluminum particles dispersed in helium gas)
• 4. Outer container (globe-shaped)
• 5. Collector-electrode inside of powdered-plate
• 6. Gas-filling tube
• 7. Gas-chamber electrode
• 8. Electrical load device
• 9. Powdered-plate filling tube

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of the nuclear battery known as the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing. The powdered-plate 3 has been set a pre-determined distance apart from, and substantially surrounding, the radioactive source 1, or in this case, gaseous krypton-85 contained inside the glass dielectric 2 in order to stop, capture, and store a majority of beta-particles (electrons) emitted by the radioactive source 1, or krypton-85. The powdered-plate 3 is comprised in this case, of tiny spherical aluminum particles with sizes ranging from 100 to 500 nanometers in diameter where all the particles are dispersed or suspended in a helium gas dispersing medium. A globe-shaped, glass dielectric 2 electrically insulates and physically separates the radioactive source 1 from the powdered-plate 3 and contains the gaseous krypton-85, or the radioactive source 1. An outer container 4, which is globe-shaped and an insulator, is constructed in this embodiment of a graphite-fiber-based matter (or fiberglass), but any matter rugged and sturdy enough, can be used to contain the powdered-plate 3 with its suspended conductive aluminum particles and the helium gas dispersing medium. A solid, conductive collector-electrode 5 is located inside the powdered-plate 3 in such a manner that the dispersed conductive particles can freely make contact with the collector-electrode 5 in order to transfer and distribute electric charges to the electrical load device 8. A gas-chamber electrode 7 inside the chamber formed by the glass dielectric 2 accumulates electric charges from the krypton-85, or the radioactive source 1. After the gas-chamber is completely filled with krypton-85, the gas-filling tube 6 is sealed. Similarly, after the chamber containing the aluminum particles and helium gas—which altogether comprise the powdered-plate 3—is filled through the powdered-plate filling tube 9, the powdered-plate filling tube 9 is sealed. A circuit and connection is provided through an electrical load device 8 so the captured and accumulated electric energy from the emitted beta-particles can be used to perform useful work.

OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the nuclear battery shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, beta-particles (electrons) emitted by the radioactive source 1, which in this case is gaseous krypton-85, have sufficient energy to penetrate easily through the glass dielectric 2 and into the powdered-plate 3. As the radioactive source 1 emits beta-particles, a positive electric charge will be placed on the gas-chamber electrode 7 as atoms of krypton-85 decay to rubidium-85, which is a stable element. The number of orbital electrons in each atom of the radioactive source 1 will remain the same, but after each radioactive decay event, the number of protons in the nuclei will increase. Simply put, the radioactive source 1 will become more positively charged as radioactive decay occurs, or as neutrons disintegrate into a beta-particle (which is emitted) and a proton. On the other hand, conductive aluminum particles comprising the powdered-plate 3 which are suspended and dispersed in a helium dispersing medium, will stop, accumulate, and store negative electric charges resulting from beta-particle emissions entering into the powdered-plate 3. As more beta-particles are absorbed by the particles, the powdered-plate 3 will attain a greater and greater negative electric charge with respect to the radioactive source 1 and the gas-chamber electrode 7. How far the beta-particles emitted from the radioactive source 1 actually penetrate into the powdered-plate 3 depends on the energy content of the beta-particles, the thickness of the glass dielectric 2, and the accumulated negative charge of the powdered-plate 3. As more and more beta-particles enter the powdered-plate 3, an electric field will form inside the powdered-plate 3 between the similarly-charged and repelling aluminum conductive particles, and the particles will eventually position themselves in a lattice arrangement to minimize interactions. The highly-charged aluminum particles store negative electric charges on their surfaces, so the overall value of capacitance of the powdered-plate 3 is very high due to the huge effective surface area available to store electric charges. In words, more electric charge will be stored at a lower powdered-plate 3 voltage since the charges are scattered and distributed on the surfaces of an immense number of dispersed particles. Pressure will gradually build between the outer surface of the glass dielectric 2 and the interior surface of the outer container 4. This occurs because the conductive particles act as repelling isolated capacitor spheres with all electric charge residing only on the outside surfaces of the many suspended aluminum particles. The amount of energy stored by the aluminum particles in the powdered-plate 3 depends not only on the quantity of captured electric charge (electrons) that has been accumulated, but also on their proximity to each other. In words, the total potential energy stored by the accumulated charges in the powdered-plate 3 is equal to the amount of work required to assemble the great multitude of similarly-charged particles in an electric field and in close proximity to each other inside the powdered-plate 3. With the suspended and highly-charged aluminum particles that comprise the powdered-plate 3 acting as isolated capacitor spheres (or almost point-charges), a relatively low voltage will build across the glass dielectric 2 between the radioactive source 1 and the powdered-plate 3, because the capacitance between the powdered-plate 3 and the krypton-85 is very low. That means fewer beta-particles will be repelled back to the radioactive source 1 since the powdered-plate 3 will capture a great quantity of electric charges before the voltage is high enough to send beta-particles back to the radioactive source 1. The huge surface area of all the individual surface areas of the suspended aluminum particles increases the capacitance of the powdered-plate 3 to a high degree. Therefore, large quantities of electric charge can be stored at relatively low voltages. Eventually, the voltage of the powdered-plate 3 will rise to a level where only the most highly energetic beta-particles will “kiss” the outer particle-layers of the powdered-plate 3 before they are stopped. At that point, or preferably before, energy is drawn from the powdered-plate 3 by establishing a connection through the electrical load device 8 so that useful work can be performed with the stored electric energy as electrons travel back to the positively-charged gas-chamber electrode 7. If the energy is not drawn off at the appropriate time, beta-particles will be repelled back to the radioactive source 1 where unwanted heating and increased pressure will occur. Energy is drawn from the powdered-plate 3, by the way, as the suspended particles make contact (or corona discharge) with the collector-electrode 5 and transfer accumulated electric charges as more and more charges are drawn from the collector-electrode 5. More krypton-85 can be added through the gas-filling tube 6 when needed. It is also noted here that even though the powdered-plate filling tube 9 is sealed, a continuous stream of particles and helium gas can be “charged” if necessary and then removed from the chamber containing the powdered-plate 3. In other words, the aluminum particles can be charged and then moved for storage in a container separate from the original charging site. The charged particles can then be discharged at a different location when the stored energy is needed, thus allowing for an almost endless reservoir for accumulating and storing electric charges resulting from radioactive decay and nuclear reactions in the radioactive source 1.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

Accordingly, the reader will see the nuclear battery and method of the present invention which incorporates a powdered-plate as defined and described herein, can effectively and efficiently convert the energy of nuclear reactions to more useable forms. Furthermore, the nuclear battery and method of the present invention, by incorporating a powdered-plate, provides the additional advantages of:

• • 1. permitting the efficient conversion of many types of emissions resulting from radioactive decay of a radioactive source into more usable forms and for providing a direct-conversion of nuclear energy to electrical energy for doing useful work;
  • 2. permitting large quantities of nuclear energy to be converted to electrical energy very cheaply and by expending relatively very few resources in doing so;
  • 3. allowing high-energy density and high-power density electrical generating and storage devices to be conceived for storing large quantities of electric energy in a small space and mass and for providing the stored electrical energy to an electrical load device very rapidly when needed;
  • 4. allowing the efficient conversion of nuclear energy to electrical energy for doing useful work so that very little available energy from nuclear reactions is wasted;
  • 5. allowing our country to become less-dependent upon foreign sources of non-renewable energy and thus, vastly improving the security and economy of our nation.

Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention. For example, a reader skilled in the art will know a radioisotope source with a shorter half-life usually has a higher power output than a radioisotope with a longer half-life. Therefore, the type of radioactive source used in any specific embodiment of the present invention will be determined by the energy and power requirements of the electrical load device in that particular application or situation. It should also be evident to a reader skilled in the art that the radioactive source can be in a solid, liquid, or gaseous state and that aspect will also depend on the application. It is also conceivable that the radioactive source can be a mixture or combination of more than one type radioactive element where each radioisotope element can be of a solid, liquid, or gaseous nature or that a radioactive source combined with non-radioactive matter can be used. In short, any source capable of emitting any type of high energy particle, ray, or other type of emissions can be used as the radioactive source in the present invention. However, it is best to select a radioisotope or other radioactive source that emits only pure alpha-particles or beta-particles, or an appropriate combination, without a great amount of simultaneous emission of more biologically harmful gamma or x-rays. For that matter, the powdered-plate can also be comprised of radioisotope matter that emits charged particles from radioactive decay which are of opposite electrical sign than the particles emitted by the radioactive source. For example, the radioactive source may emit beta-particles that penetrate the dielectric matter and enter the powdered-plate giving the radioactive source a positive electrical charge and the powdered-plate a negative electrical charge. If the particles in the powdered-plate, however, were capable of emitting alpha-particles (with opposite electrical sign), then the radioactive decay of atoms in the particles of the powdered-plate will add to the negative charge of the powdered-plate. Moreover, alpha-particles emitted from the powdered-plate will penetrate the dielectric and enter the gas-chamber (if a radioactive gas is used), thus adding a greater amount of positive charges to the radioactive source. A battery of this type that includes a powdered-plate with radioactive atoms in the suspended particles, will greatly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the battery.

It should also be evident to a reader skilled in the art that the dielectric matter used to electrically isolate the radioactive source from the powdered-plate can conceivably be of a liquid, solid, or gaseous nature. For that matter, it should be evident a dielectric matter of any nature or composition can be utilized in the present invention that is electrically sufficient to prevent electric breakdown and arcing from occurring until high voltages are attained between the radioactive source and the powdered-plate. It should also be evident to a reader skilled in the art that the powdered-plate can be comprised of suspended or dispersed particles of matter of any size, shape, or matter with any physical or electrical characteristic and in any state or phase of matter capable of accumulating a large amount of electric charge in order to accomplish the method identified as a primary aspect of the present invention. In words, colloids and suspensions comprised of conducting, non-conducting, or semi-conducting particles of various sizes and shapes comprised of gaseous, solid, or liquid matters suspended or dispersed in any kind of dispersing medium or phase, whether it be a gas, liquid, solid, or other phase of matter, can possibly comprise the powdered-plate and thus accomplish the method described as the present invention. Additionally, it is very conceivable to employ ions of any nature and composition in solution (electrolytes) or adsorbed to other particles of any nature and size in the powdered-plate to accomplish electric charge accumulation and storage which are key to accomplishing the described method of this invention. It should also be evident to a reader skilled in the art that a minimum of one powdered-plate comprised of suspended or dispersed particles as described herein is required to accomplish the method identified as the present invention, but the use of additional such powdered-plates can be more effective and more efficient. It is also conceivable to have several nuclear batteries containing one or more powdered-plates connected in electrical series or parallel configurations, or combinations thereof, in order to increase the output power, voltage, energy, efficiency, or effectiveness. A cascaded-series of powdered-plates is also conceivable for capturing emissions that are secondary from the primary radioactive source and where the emissions may have originated from another powdered-plate that was bombarded with high-energy particles from the primary radioactive source or possibly another powdered-plate. It is also conceivable that the outer-container that contains the powdered-plate can be made of matter of any nature or composition that is electrically conductive or non-conductive and that has sufficient strength and ruggedness to contain the powdered-plate even at high pressures.

Another conceivable method would be to supply energy, or electric charges, to be stored in the powdered-plate by means of an external electron beam or other electrically-charged, particle-beam that is electrically separated and set off a distance relative to the powdered-plate. Such means of artificially creating and supplying electric charges to the powdered-plate through a dielectric matter or insulator will be effective, but the process will most likely be less efficient since the energy released from radioactive decay is not directly converted to electrical energy. Other means for supplying energy to the powdered-plate may also conceivably be used that do not involve electrically-charged particles or rays. Neutrons or other atomic fragments, gamma rays, x-rays, cosmic rays, or any other uncharged particle-beam or ray can be made to penetrate into a powdered-plate. Secondary emissions from the bombarded powdered-plate will leave the affected powdered-plate and give the affected powdered-plate an overall positive or negative charge with respect to earth ground, another powdered-plate, or some other external point. Of course, the point of opposite polarity will be where the secondary emissions from the emitting powdered-plate end up. It is also possible to use a powdered-plate that does not completely surround the radioactive source, but which is simply set a distance apart from the radioactive source. There may be applications such as for saving space and resources, or for miniaturization purposes, where the container holding the particles and dispersing medium which comprise the powdered-plate, does not completely surround the radioactive source. Such designs will most likely prove to be relatively less-efficient than what is presented herein as the preferred embodiment of the present invention. A stirring mechanism or means may be required inside the powdered-plate in order to keep the electric charges evenly distributed and also to keep the suspended particles from settling. Any reader skilled in the art would also know if the radioactive source is an electrical conductor, then the matter would be applied directly to the inside surface of the glass dielectric, and no electrode would be required to complete an electrical connection to the powdered-plate electrode and through the electrical load device. Finally, nanofluids with solid, conductive particles have been found to have high heat-conduction abilities. That means a properly designed powdered-plate can rapidly rid the nuclear battery of destructive heat at high power levels.

Thus, the scope of this invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.

Claims

1. An apparatus for converting high energy emissions of a radioactive source into electrical energy comprising:

(a) a radioactive source capable of providing high energy particle or ray emissions;

(b) a powdered-plate comprised of a great multitude of particles where said particles are of any size or shape, and are comprised of matter of any nature in any physical or electrical state or phase of matter, suspended or dispersed in a dispersing medium comprised of matter of any nature in any physical or electrical state or phase of matter, with said dispersed particles and said dispersing medium all contained together in a container and where said powdered-plate is disposed in a region adjacent to said radioactive source for collecting said high energy emissions or electric charges for establishing an electric potential difference between said powdered-plate and said radioactive source or another said powdered-plate;

(c) means for electrically insulating and physically separating said radioactive source from said powdered-plate;

(d) a circuit and means for electrically connecting said radioactive source with said powdered-plate for deriving an electric current through an electrical load device in response to said electric potential difference established between said radioactive source and said powdered-plate.

2. The powdered-plate in claim 1 wherein said powdered-plate is comprised of said dispersed particles in said dispersing medium and where said dispersed particles are comprised of electrically conductive matter.

3. The powdered-plate in claim 1 wherein said powdered-plate is comprised of said dispersed particles in said dispersing medium and where said dispersed particles are comprised of electrically non-conductive matter.

4. The powdered-plate in claim 1 wherein said powdered-plate is comprised of said dispersed particles in said dispersing medium and where said dispersed particles are comprised of a semiconductor matter.

5. The powdered-plate in claim 1 wherein said powdered-plate is comprised of said dispersed particles in said dispersing medium and where said dispersing medium is comprised of matter in a liquid state or phase.

6. The powdered-plate in claim 1 wherein said powdered-plate is comprised of said dispersed particles in said dispersing medium and where said dispersing medium is comprised of matter in a gaseous state or phase.

7. The powdered-plate in claim 1 wherein said powdered-plate is comprised of said dispersed particles in said dispersing medium and where said dispersing medium is comprised of matter in a solid state or phase.

8. The powdered-plate in claim 1 wherein said powdered-plate is comprised of said particles dispersed in said dispersing medium and where said powdered-plate is contained in a container comprised of matter that is electrically non-conductive.

9. The powdered-plate in claim 1 wherein said powdered-plate is comprised of said particles dispersed in said dispersing medium and where said powdered-plate is contained in a container comprised of matter that is electrically conductive.

10. The powdered-plate in claim 1 wherein said powdered-plate is comprised of said particles dispersed in said dispersing medium and where said powdered-plate is contained in a container comprised of matter that is a semiconductor.

11. A nuclear battery and method for primarily generating and storing electrical energy comprising:

(a) providing a nuclear battery where said nuclear battery is comprised of a radioactive source capable of providing highly energetic particles or rays, set off a distance and electrically insulated by a dielectric matter from at least one powdered-plate, where said powdered-plate is disposed in a region adjacent to said radioactive source for collecting said high energy emissions of said radioactive source in order to establish an electric potential difference with respect to either said radioactive source or a second said powdered-plate;

(b) allowing electrically charged or uncharged particles, rays, or other high energy emissions originating from said radioactive source to reach said powdered-plate by penetrating through a dielectric matter or other means for electrically insulating and physically separating said powdered-plate from said radioactive source;

(c) accumulating and storing electric charges resulting from said high energy emissions of said radioactive source penetrating through said dielectric matter and into said powdered-plate, thus establishing said electric potential difference between said radioactive source and at least one said powdered-plate;

(d) preventing said electric charges accumulated by a great multitude of said dispersed particles in said dispersing medium in at least one said powdered-plate from escaping or from returning to said radioactive source;

(e) providing a means for transferring stored said electric charges from said dispersed particles in said powdered-plate;

(f) making a connection and providing a circuit for allowing said electric charges accumulated and stored by said dispersed particles in said dispersing medium in said powdered-plate to return to said radioactive source and for deriving an electric current through an electrical load device in response to said established electric potential difference between said radioactive source and said powdered-plate so that useful work can be done.

12. The nuclear battery in claim 11 wherein said nuclear battery contains more than one said powdered-plate and where electrically charged or uncharged highly energetic said particle or ray emissions of said radioactive source cause a secondary release of said particle or ray emissions by impacting with said dispersed particles in at least one said powdered-plate so that said electric potential difference is established between said radioactive source or another said powdered-plate, and where said electric current can be derived from said established voltage and said electric current can be made to flow through said electrical load device so that said useful work can be performed.

13. The nuclear battery in claim 11 wherein said nuclear battery is comprised of more than one said powdered-plate or is comprised of more than one said radioactive source, and where said powdered-plates and said radioactive sources are connected in either electrical series configurations or electrical parallel configurations, or a combination of both said electrical series configurations and said electrical parallel configurations, in order to increase the voltage, power, energy, efficiency, or effectiveness of said nuclear battery.

14. The nuclear battery in claim 11 wherein said radioactive source is comprised of a combination of radioactive or non-radioactive elements where each said element is in a gas, liquid, or solid state, or any combination thereof, and where said combination of said elements, emits a variety of charged or uncharged said particles or said rays that can be collected, accumulated, and stored by at least one said powdered-plate.

15. The nuclear battery in claim 11 wherein said dispersed particles or said dispersing medium comprising said powdered-plate are comprised of radioactive atoms that emit electrically charged or uncharged high energy particles or rays.

16. A method of directly converting nuclear energy to electrical energy comprising:

(a) Providing a powdered-plate where said powdered-plate is comprised of particles of any size or shape, and where said particles are comprised of matter of any nature in any physical or electrical state or phase of matter, dispersed in a dispersing medium, where said dispersing medium is comprised of matter of any nature in any physical or electrical state or phase of matter, and where said dispersed particles in said dispersing medium are capable of capturing, accumulating, storing, and transferring electric charges resulting from said dispersed particles being affected by high energy particle or ray emissions of a radioactive source;

(b) allowing high energy particle or ray emissions of said radioactive source to affect said dispersed particles in said dispersing medium in said powdered-plate so electric charges can be generated, captured, accumulated, stored, and transferred by said dispersed particles;

(c) distributing and transferring said generated electric charges to each said dispersed particle in said dispersing medium in said powdered-plate for accumulating a large quantity of said electric charges and to lower the electric potential difference established between said powdered-plate and said radioactive source;

(d) preventing said electric charges accumulated and stored by said dispersed particles in said dispersing medium from escaping the confines of said powdered-plate;

(e) making a connection and providing a circuit so said electric charges in said powdered-plate stored by said dispersed particles can return to said radioactive source through an electrical load device so useful work can be performed with electrical energy derived from energy of radioactive decay and nuclear reactions of said radioactive source.