| 摘要 |
<p>1,062,722. Nuclear power plant. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. Feb. 1, 1965 [Feb. 3, 1964], No. 4292/65. Heading G6C. In a thermionic device the direct conversion of nuclear reactor heat into electrical energy is effected by the thermionic emission of electrons from a heated tungsten surface and the collection of the electrons by a surrounding metal surface. The thermionic device contains fissionable material and a series of the devices are coupled together in line to form a fuel rod for insertion inside a reactor. The space charge effect between the emitter and collector is reduced by the admission of cesium vapour. A reduction in the work function at the emitter and collector surfaces is also effected by the cesium. Each device is formed of a fissionable body of uranium dioxide having an internal space to contain fission products and is mounted within a container having an outer tungsten shell and an inner niobium layer.</p> |
