# US 12,120,956 B2 · Ion-enhanced thermoelectric generator

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- Number: US 12,120,956 B2
- Document ID: US12120956B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/483,085
- Filed: 2023-10-09
- Published: 2024-02-08
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-09
- Assignees: Howe Industries LLC
- Applicants: Howe Industries LLC
- Inventors: Troy Michael Howe; Steven Daniel Howe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120956B2

## CPC

- G21D 5/02: Reactor and engine structurally combined, e.g. portable
- H10N 10/13: characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction
- B64G 1/1064: {specifically adapted for interplanetary, solar or interstellar exploration}
- B64G 1/421: {Non-solar power generation}
- B64G 1/422: {Nuclear power generation}
- G21C 1/04: Thermal reactors {; Epithermal reactors}
- G21C 5/02: Details
- G21C 15/257: using heat-pipes {(in general F28D, F28F)}
- G21D 7/04: using thermoelectric elements {or thermoionic converters}(structural combination of fuel element with thermoelectric element {or with thermoionic converters} G21C3/40 {, G21H1/10}; thermoelectric elements per se H10N10/00, H10N15/00)
- H10N 10/17: characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device
- H10N 10/855: comprising compounds containing boron, carbon, oxygen or nitrogen
- B64G 1/10: Artificial satellites; Systems of such satellites; Interplanetary vehicles (space shuttles B64G1/14)
- B64G 1/244: {Spacecraft control systems}
- B64G 1/413: {Ion or plasma engines}
- G21C 5/12: characterised by composition, e.g. the moderator containing additional substances which ensure improved heat resistance of the moderator {(purification of fluid moderators during the operation of the reactor G21C19/30)}
- G21H 1/103: {Cells provided with thermo-electric generators}
- Y02E 30/00: Energy generation of nuclear origin
- Y02E 30/30: Nuclear fission reactors
- G21D: NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B64G: COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- G21C: NUCLEAR REACTORS (fusion reactors, hybrid fission-fusion reactors G21B; nuclear explosives G21J)
- G21H: OBTAINING ENERGY FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES; APPLICATIONS OF RADIATION FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; UTILISING COSMIC RADIATION (measurement of nuclear or X-radiation G01T; fusion reactors G21B; nuclear reactors G21C; lamps in which a gas filling is excited to luminescence by external corpuscular radiation or by radioactive material structurally associated with the lamp H01J65/04, H01J65/06)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A thermoelectric converter including a thermoelectric generator and a radiation source. The thermoelectric generator includes a hot source, a cold source, n-type material, and p-type material. The radiation source emits ionizing radiation that increases electrical conductivity. Also detailed is a method of using radiation to reach high efficiency with a thermoelectric converter that includes providing a thermoelectric generator and a radiation source, with the thermoelectric generator including a hot source, a cold source, n-type material, and p-type material, and emitting ionizing radiation with the radiation source to increase the electrical conductivity which strips electrons in the n-type material, the p-type material, or both the n-type material and p-type material from their nuclei with the electrons then free to move within the material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermoelectric converter comprising:
a thermoelectric generator;
a radiation source;
wherein the thermoelectric generator includes a hot source, a cold source, n-type material, and p-type material;
wherein the n-type material and the p-type material are each a thermoelectric material chosen from: materials containing boron, rare earth borides, boron carbide, or nickel oxide;
wherein, a figure of merit of the thermoelectric material is between 0.5 and 2.5 and,
wherein the radiation source captures neutrons for producing ionizing emission using stable isotopes or fissile atoms and emits ionizing radiation that changes electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, or Seebeck coefficient of the n-type material or the p-type material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric converter of claim 1 wherein the radiation source is a reactor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric converter of claim 1 wherein the n-type material and the p-type material are not metal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric converter of claim 1 wherein the changes to electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity or Seebeck coefficient of the n-type material or the p-type material take place over a specific range of temperatures.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric converter of claim 1 wherein the radiation source uses alpha, beta, gamma, x-ray, or neutronic radiation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric converter of claim 1 wherein the stable isotopes are boron or lithium.