The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Jun. 15, 2021

Filed:

Mar. 13, 2019
Applicant:

United States of America As Represented BY the Administrator of Nasa, Washington, DC (US);

Inventors:

Sang H. Choi, Poquoson, VA (US);

Ronald J. Litchford, Tullahoma, TN (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G21C 3/40 (2006.01); G21C 1/02 (2006.01); G21C 15/04 (2006.01); G21H 1/10 (2006.01); G21D 7/04 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G21C 1/02 (2013.01); G21C 3/40 (2013.01); G21C 15/04 (2013.01); G21H 1/103 (2013.01); G21D 7/04 (2013.01);
Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments enable a Nuclear Thermionic Avalanche Cell (NTAC) to capture gamma ray photons emitted during a fission process, such as a fission process of Uranium-235 (U-235), and to breed and use a new gamma ray source to increase an overall emission flux of gamma ray photons. Various embodiments combine a fission process with the production of Co-60, thereby boosting the output flux of gamma ray photons for use by a NTAC in generating power. Various embodiments combine a fission process with the production of Co-60, a NTAC generating avalanche cell power, and a thermoelectric generator generating thermoelectric power.


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