US 11,721,451 B2
Thermionic power cell
Sang H. Choi, Poquoson, VA (US); and Adam J. Duzik, Yorktown, VA (US)
Assigned to UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA, Washington, DC (US)
Filed by United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA, Washington, DC (US)
Filed on Aug. 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/404,465.
Application 17/404,465 is a continuation of application No. 15/995,467, filed on Jun. 1, 2018, granted, now 11,094,425.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/513,497, filed on Jun. 1, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0084708 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. H02N 11/00 (2006.01); G21H 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC G21H 1/00 (2013.01) [H02N 11/002 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermionic (TI) power cell, comprising:
a heat source, wherein the heat source includes an exhaust manifold;
a heat conductive layer that provides heat from the heat source;
a layer of electron emitting material disposed on the heat conductive layer;
a layer of electron collecting material, wherein the layer of electron emitting material is physically separated from the layer of electron collecting material to define a chamber between the layer of electron collecting material and the layer of electron emitting material, wherein the chamber is substantially evacuated to permit electrons to traverse the chamber from the layer of electron emitting material to the layer of electron collecting material, and further wherein heat generated over time by the heat source causes a substantially constant flow of electrons to be emitted by the layer of electron emitting material to induce an electric current to flow through the layer of electron collecting material when the layer of electron collecting material is connected to an electrical load;
a first terminal coupled to the layer of electron emitting material; and
a second terminal coupled to the layer of electron collecting material to induce the electric current from the first terminal to the electrical load and from the electrical load to the second terminal.