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US 12,626,832 B2Granted
Energy converter system and method of operation
AssigneeSpark Thermionics, Inc.
InventorsJared William Schwede, Felix T. Schmitt, Lucas Heinrich Hess
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Abstract
An energy converter system, preferably including one or more thermionic energy converters (TECs), and optionally including an electrical power converter. A TEC, preferably including a collector body, an emitter body, and a seal. A method of operation for an energy converter system, preferably including providing a heat source; converting thermal energy to electrical energy; and/or providing one or more electrical energy outputs.
Claims20
A system comprising a thermionic energy converter (TEC), the TEC defining a chamber comprising:
- a gap region defining a gap;
- a reservoir;
- and
- a conduit, wherein the reservoir is fluidly coupled to the gap region via the conduit;
- wherein the TEC comprises:
- an emitter body defining a cavity, the emitter body comprising:
- a first electrical output;
- an emitter surface bounding the cavity and bounding the gap region;
- and
- an emitter sidewall electrically and mechanically connected to the emitter surface, the emitter sidewall bounding the cavity, wherein the emitter sidewall electrically couples the emitter surface to the first electrical output;
- a collector body comprising a second electrical output and a collector surface arranged within the cavity, wherein:
- the collector surface opposes the emitter surface across the gap, wherein the gap is defined within the cavity between the collector surface and the emitter surface;
- and
- the collector body defines the reservoir and the conduit;
- a seal that mechanically connects the emitter body to the collector body, wherein the seal does not electrically connect the emitter body to the collector body;
- a capture material arranged within the reservoir, the capture material comprising porous alumina;
- and
- a getter arranged within the chamber.
15 more elements
A method for thermionic energy conversion, comprising:
- at an emitter body of a thermionic energy converter (TEC), receiving a heat input;
- in response to receiving the heat input, at the TEC, transferring a first portion of heat from the emitter body to a collector body of the TEC, wherein the first portion of heat increases a reservoir temperature of a reservoir within the collector body, wherein the reservoir comprises porous alumina and cesium adsorbed to the porous alumina;
- in response to increasing the reservoir temperature, at the reservoir, desorbing cesium from the porous alumina, wherein a portion of the desorbed cesium migrates to an emitter surface of the emitter body via a chamber comprising the reservoir;
- at a getter arranged within the chamber, pumping at least one undesired species from the chamber;
- in response to receiving the heat input and in response to the cesium migrating to the emitter surface, at the emitter surface, thermionically emitting electrons into the chamber;
- and
- at a collector surface of the collector body, receiving the thermionically emitted electrons.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.