US 12,081,145 B2
Time-dependent plasma systems and methods for thermionic conversion
Stephen E. Clark, Bellevue, WA (US); Roelof E. Groenewald, Bothell, WA (US); Arvind Kannan, Bellevue, WA (US); Andrew T. Koch, Seattle, WA (US); Hsin-I Lu, Mercer Island, WA (US); Alexander J. Pearse, Bothell, WA (US); and Peter J. Scherpelz, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to Modern Hydrogen, Inc., Woodinville, WA (US)
Filed by Modern Hydrogen, Inc., Woodinville, WA (US)
Filed on Oct. 7, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/065,132.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/912,637, filed on Oct. 9, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0111011 A1, Apr. 15, 2021
Int. Cl. H02N 3/00 (2006.01); H01J 17/06 (2006.01); H01J 45/00 (2006.01); H01J 17/54 (2006.01)
CPC H02N 3/00 (2013.01) [H01J 17/063 (2013.01); H01J 45/00 (2013.01); H01J 17/54 (2013.01); H05H 2242/00 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermionic energy converter comprising:
a hermetic package charged with a non-cesium gas additive including a non-noble molecular gas, the non-noble molecular gas including at least one of SF6 or XeF6, the hermetic package being configured to route into the hermetic package pulses for igniting plasma in the hermetic package;
a cesium reservoir disposed in the hermetic package;
a cathode disposed in the hermetic package; and
an anode disposed in the hermetic package.