# US 2021/0242810 A1 · High Performance Electric Generators Boosted by Nuclear Electron Avalanche (NEA)

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- Number: US 2021/0242810 A1
- Document ID: US20210242810A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/235,497
- Filed: 2021-04-20
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-15
- Assignees: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
- Applicants: United States of America AS Represented By the Administrator of Nasa
- Inventors: Sang H. Choi; Dennis M. Bushnell; Adam J. Duzik
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242810A1

## CPC

- H02N 3/00: Generators in which thermal or kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy by ionisation of a fluid and removal of the charge therefrom (discharge tubes functioning as thermionic generators H01J45/00)
- G21H 1/04: Cells using secondary emission induced by alpha radiation, beta radiation, or gamma radiation
- G21H 1/12: Cells using conversion of the radiation into light combined with subsequent photoelectric conversion into electric energy
- H02K 99/00: Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- 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)
- H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53})

## Abstract

Various aspects include electric generators configured to boost electrical output by leveraging electron avalanche generated by a high energy photon radiation source. In various aspects, an electric generator includes a stator and a rotor positioned within the stator, wherein the stator and rotor are configured to generate electric current when the rotor is rotated, and a high energy photon source (e.g., a gamma ray source) positioned and configured to irradiate at least a portion of conductors in the rotor or stator. In some aspects, the stator generates a magnetic field when the electric generator is operating, and the rotor includes armature windings configured to generate electric current when the rotor is rotated. In some aspects, the high energy photon source includes cobalt-60 and/or cesium-137.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electric generator, comprising:
a stator and a rotor positioned within the stator, wherein the stator and rotor are configured to generate electric current when the rotor is rotated, wherein the stator generates a magnetic field when the electric generator is operating and the rotor comprises armature windings configured to generate the electric current when the rotor is rotated; and
a high energy photon source positioned and configured to irradiate at least a portion of conductors in the rotor or stator.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electric generator of claim 1, wherein the high energy photon source is positioned within the rotor armature windings and configured to irradiate at least the armature windings.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The electric generator of claim 2, wherein the high energy photon source is configured as a sleeve that fits within the rotor inside of the armature windings.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electric generator of claim 1, wherein the high energy photon source is positioned between the rotor and the stator and configured to irradiate the armature windings.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The electric generator of claim 4, wherein the high energy photon source is configured as a sleeve that fits between the rotor and the stator.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electric generator of claim 1, wherein:
the stator comprises field and compensating windings; and
the high energy photon source is positioned and configured to irradiate the field and compensating windings.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electric generator of claim 1, wherein the high energy photon source comprises cobalt-60.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electric generator of claim 1, wherein the high energy photon source comprises cesium-137.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The electric generator of claim 1, wherein:
the high energy photon source is positioned within the rotor armature windings and configured to irradiate at least the armature windings;
the high energy photon source is positioned between the rotor and the stator and configured to irradiate at least the armature windings; or
the stator comprises field and compensating windings, and the high energy photon source is positioned and configured to irradiate the field and compensating windings.