What are Nuclear Batteries?

A nuclear battery is also called a "radioisotope battery". It is manufactured by using a semiconductor transducer to continuously convert the thermal energy of radiation with thermal energy into electrical energy during the decay process. Nuclear batteries have been successfully used as power sources for spacecraft, pacemaker power sources, and some special military applications. On August 7, 2012, the American Curiosity rover arrived on Mars with a nuclear battery life of 14 years. A nuclear battery is a device that releases energy-carrying particles (such as alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays) by using radioactive isotope decay and converts their energy into electrical energy. According to the level of the provided voltage, nuclear batteries can be divided into two types: high-voltage type (several hundreds to thousands of V) and low-voltage type (tens of mV-1V). formula. More specifically, it includes direct-charge nuclear batteries, gas ionized nuclear batteries, radiant volt effect energy conversion nuclear batteries, phosphor photoelectric nuclear batteries, thermo-optic nuclear batteries, temperature difference nuclear batteries, and thermionic emission nuclear Batteries, electromagnetic radiation energy conversion nuclear batteries, heat engine conversion nuclear batteries, etc. Among them, direct-rechargeable nuclear batteries and gas ionized nuclear batteries belong to the direct conversion type and have fewer applications. At present, the most widely used are temperature difference nuclear batteries and heat engine conversion nuclear batteries. Nuclear batteries have made substantial progress since the 1950s.Due to their small size, light weight and long life, and their energy size and speed are not affected by the temperature, chemical reactions, pressure, electromagnetic fields, etc. of the external environment, It can work in a wide temperature range and harsh environment.

It is understood that when

General nuclear batteries are similar in shape to ordinary dry batteries, and are cylindrical. Radioactive sealed in the center of the cylinder

advantage:

The amount and speed of energy released by nuclear batteries during decay are not affected by the temperature,

Nuclear batteries can be divided into two types: high voltage type and low voltage type.

According to the energy conversion mechanism, it can be divided into nine categories: direct-charge nuclear batteries, gas ionization nuclear batteries, radiant volt effect energy conversion nuclear batteries, phosphor photoelectric nuclear batteries, thermoelectric photovoltaic nuclear batteries, and temperature difference type Nuclear battery, thermionic emission nuclear battery, electromagnetic radiation energy conversion nuclear battery and heat engine conversion nuclear battery, etc.

At present, the most widely used are temperature difference nuclear batteries and heat engine conversion nuclear batteries. ^[1]

Application in medicine

In medicine, such small-sized, light-weight and long-life nuclear batteries have been widely used in cardiac pacemakers. Thousands of heart patients around the world have implanted nuclear battery-driven pacemakers to save them. To their lives, enabling them to enjoy the happiness of life again. The power supply of a cardiac pacemaker is very small, smaller than a No. 2 battery, and weighs only more than 100 grams. If a radioactive source is 238Pu, 150mg can ensure that the pacemaker can work continuously in the body for more than 10 years. If you switch to a chemical battery that produces the same power, you must ensure the same life, and its weight is almost the same as that of an adult. Nuclear batteries ensure that patients no longer have to risk their lives for the replacement of chemical batteries buried in the body and can no longer work, endure great pain, and repeatedly perform thoracotomy.

Heart beat regulating device

History of U.S. spacecraft using nuclear batteries

Since the middle of the last century, the United States has used isotope thermoelectric generators as its power source in the "Pioneer" detectors 10 and 11, the "Traveler" detectors 1 and 2, the Jupiter and Saturn detectors. It is because of the use of nuclear power that the US "Voyager 1" planetary probe set a brilliant record in the history of world satellite voyages. At present, it is the longest artificial satellite that flies farthest (about 20 billion kilometers) from the earth. It took 36 years to fly to the edge of the solar system.

An isotope temperature difference generator using the plutonium 238 radioisotope as a heat source was once used in the US "Meridian" navigation satellite (low-orbit navigation satellite series. Also known as the Naval Navigation Satellite System, the English abbreviation is NNSS. The main function is: for nuclear submarines and Various types of surface ships provide high-precision intermittent two-dimensional positioning for offshore oil exploration and marine survey positioning, land user positioning, and geodetic surveys. From April 1960 to the early 1980s, more than 30 were launched. United States When the "Medical Instrument" navigation satellite was launched in April 1964, the radioactive isotope source carried by the satellite was burned due to the failed launch, and plutonium 238 was scattered in the atmosphere and spread to the whole world. Later, special graphite was used as the shell of the isotope source. Anti-burnout.), The "Lincoln" test satellite (as early as 1965, the United States Lincoln test satellite used the plutonium 238 radioisotope as a heat source isotope temperature difference generator) and the "Yuyun" satellite (the second generation of the United States A series of experimental meteorological satellites. Seven satellites were launched from August 1964 to October 1978. The mission of the Yuyun satellite is to test new meteorological observation instruments and detection methods. The United States launched a military satellite in 1965 using a reactor thermoelectric generator as a power source. However, it only operated for 43 days due to a power conditioner failure. In May 1968, the nuclear power source of the "Yuyun" weather satellite failed to launch Fell into the Santa Barbara Strait and was salvaged.).

The first radioisotope battery was made by Americans on January 16, 1959. It weighed 1,800 grams and produced 11.6 degrees of electricity in 280 days. Since then, nuclear batteries have developed rapidly. ^[4]

During the Cold War, the U.S. government often produced plutonium nuclear batteries that can be used for decades. Over the years, dozens of nuclear batteries that have propelled satellites, planetary probes, and spy devices have been created, but accidents have also occurred, releasing harmful substances. And worldwide.

In 1964, the failure of a navigation satellite carrier rocket caused a plutonium nuclear battery on the satellite to explode, and the radioactive material released was scattered around the world, causing concern for plutonium applications.

In 1965, a US intelligence team in the Himalayas lost a device to scout China and use plutonium as an energy source under a snowstorm.

In 1968, a de-orbiting weather satellite crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Fortunately, federal investigators found and retrieved a complete nuclear battery in California.

When NASA was preparing to launch the Cassini Saturn probe in 1997, hundreds of demonstrators were protesting, stating that in the event of an accident, the nuclear battery of the probe could burst, eventually leading to thousands of people. Died from cancer. Authorities' experts now point out that the latest tritium nuclear batteries are more capable of preventing rupture and minimize the chance of harm to humans.