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Thermionic Energy Conversion System

Thermionic converters are devices that convert heat directly into electricity through a process called thermionic emission. They consist of two metal electrodes placed close together in a vacuum. One electrode is heated, causing electrons to be emitted from its surface due to increased thermal energy. The emitted electrons are collected by the other electrode, producing an electric current that can be harnessed. Thermionic converters have applications in power generation for spacecraft, submarines, irrigation pumps and industry due to their compact size and lack of moving parts.

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264 views15 pages

Thermionic Energy Conversion System

Thermionic converters are devices that convert heat directly into electricity through a process called thermionic emission. They consist of two metal electrodes placed close together in a vacuum. One electrode is heated, causing electrons to be emitted from its surface due to increased thermal energy. The emitted electrons are collected by the other electrode, producing an electric current that can be harnessed. Thermionic converters have applications in power generation for spacecraft, submarines, irrigation pumps and industry due to their compact size and lack of moving parts.

Uploaded by

Jan Benedict
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Group 3

INTRODUCTION
Thermionic Converters
Thermionic Emission
a device that converts heat energy into electrical energy
through the process called thermionic emission.
emission of electrons from metal surface due to heat.

INTRODUCTION
HISTORY
British
Professor

Invented
Thermionic
Phenomenon.
observed that
the electrons
are emitted
from a metal
surface when
it was heated.
(Edison effect)
received a
Nobel Prize for
his work on the
thermionic
phenomenon
(Richardson
Law).
British physicist

developed two-
element
vacuum tube
known as diode.

1873 1883 1904 1928
INTRODUCTION
Frederick
Guthrie
Thomas Edison
John Ambrose
Fleming
Owen Williams
Richardson

OPERATION PRINCIPLE/CONCPEPT OPERATION PRINCIPLE/CONCEPT
A thermionic converter consists of
two metals or electrodes placed near
one another in a vacuum.
One electrode is normally called the
cathode, or emitter, and the other is
called the anode, or plate.
At ordinary temperatures, almost
none of the electrons
can acquire enough energy to
escape.

OPERATION PRINCIPLE/CONCEPT
However, when heat is applied to
the cathode, the electron energies
are greatly increased by thermal
motion.
The liberation of electrons from a
hot surface is called thermionic
emission.
At the anode the energy of electrons
appears partially as heat, removed
by cooling and partially as electrical
energy delivered to the circuit.

OPERATION PRINCIPLE/CONCEPT
The idea of electrons leaving the surface

OPERATION PRINCIPLE/CONCEPT
Surface of cathode
Electrons escaped from cathode
Electrons
Promoted
from E
F
E
F

A
B
C
It is known from the free electron
theory, at 0K, all the energy levels
up to E
F
(fermi energy) are
completely filled and all the energy
level above the E
F
are completely
empty.
The energy level from the surface of
metallic cathode to the level of EF
(BC in figure) is the potential
energy barrier called work
function (.).
HOW DOES IT WORK?

OPERATION PRINCIPLE/CONCEPT
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The number of electron emitted
from the metal surface depends
upon the temperature and work
function.

The energy required to extract
an electron from the metal.

Measured in eV.

Value of work function varies
with the nature of the metal
and surface condition.
Work function ()
Surface of cathode
Electrons escaped from cathode
Electrons
Promoted
from E
F
E
F

A
B
C

OPERATION PRINCIPLE/CONCPEPT
HOW DOES IT WORK?
If any electron wants to escape from
the surface of the metallic cathode,
they should cross this potential
barrier.
At 0K, all the electrons are bound
within fermi energy level and
cannot escape from the surface of
cathode (emitter).
When the thermal energy is
supplied on the emitter side, some
of the electrons are promoted to
above the fermi level.
Surface of cathode
Electrons escaped from cathode
Electrons
Promoted
from E
F
E
F

A
B
C

OPERATION PRINCIPLE/CONCEPT
HOW DOES IT WORK?
These activated electrons can cross
the potential energy barrier and
escape from the surface of cathode
and responsible for the current
production.
As long as the temperature
increased, the number of electrons
escapes from the surface of emitter
increases. Collector collects the
emitted electrons and there is an
external circuit through which the
current flows
Surface of cathode
Electrons escaped from cathode
Electrons
Promoted
from E
F
E
F

A
B
C

OPERATION PRINCIPLE/CONCEPT
Thermionic Converter Materials:

The main criteria for choosing a
collector material that it should
have as low a work function as
possible(lower than the work
function of the emitter).
Collector
Molybdenum (Mo)
A good emitter should have low
work functions.
Emmiter
Tungsten (W)

OPERATION PRINCIPLE/CONCEPT
The metal can be heated in two different ways
the filament itself is the cathode.

Pure tungsten is used as main
metal

Direct Heating


cathode is heated by a
separate filament

Nickel alloys are used as
main metal


Indirect Heating

ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE
Liquid-vapor phase is not
employed

Separators for fluids are not
required

Frictional losses due to
bearings are not present

Compact to use

Rotating equipment is not
employed
Advantages
There is a possibility of
vaporization of emitter
surface

Thermal breaking is possible
during operation

The sealing is often gets
failure

Low voltage, High current
devices
Disadvantages

APPLICATION
Used in space power application for spacecraft
Used to power submarines and boats.
Used in water pump for irrigation
Used in power plant for industry and domestic purpose

REFERENCES
E. F. Reden.Types of Thermionic Power Converter and Current
Materials Limiations

R.K. Rajput.(2006. ) A Textbook of Power System Engineering.
New Delhi. :Laxmi Publications.

www.srmuniv.ac.in/openware_d_loads/u5Lecture-4.ppt

http://fti.neep.wisc.edu/neep602/SPRING00/lecture9.pdf

http://www.eng.fsu.edu/~dommelen/quantum/style_a/cboxte.h
tml

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermionic_emission

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