摘要 |
A thermo-electric generator of the kind making use of beta alumina ceramic through which sodium is circulated to produce an electric potential between the two surfaces of the ceramic has the ceramic in the form of a tube closed at its upper end and with its open end extending into liquid sodium. A heat pipe extends into the ceramic tube and there is an external tubular casing around the ceramic tube forming a closed structure for housing sodium in liquid and vapor form both inside and outside the ceramic tube. The heat pipe may be arranged either as a heat source or heat sink for the sodium inside the ceramic tube, the housing forming the heat sink in the former case of the heat source in the latter. The ceramic tube may, at its open end, be sealed to the housing and a pump used for pumping the sodium from the cold face to the hot face of the ceramic or capillary means may be used to circulate the sodium.
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