Invention Reference Number
Tritiated metals are being developed for innovative, long-duration heat sources. These heat sources could be used for Radioisotope Thermoelectic Generators (RTG), which is a type of radioisotope power supply, or nuclear battery, that can generate electricity for years. They could also be used to provide heat in remote and extreme environments where access to typical power sources isn’t available, such as on a lunar base where heat is needed to keep electronics warm during the long, cold lunar night. NASA has identified surviving and operating during the lunar night as their top priority for civilian space.
Description
This invention utilizes the chemistry of metal hydrides. Even though hydrogen is a gas at normal temperatures and pressures, it will chemically bond to some metals and create a solid metal hydride. The concentration of hydrogen in the solid metal hydride can be greater than the hydrogen in its normal gas state.
Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that has excess energy in its nucleus. It releases that excess energy in the form of a low-energy beta-particle, which can be easily blocked, so extra shielding isn’t necessary. Radioisotopes like tritium are a potential source of long duration energy, if the energy they release can be converted into a useful form. In a bulk metal hydride formed with tritium, the majority of the beta particle energy is absorbed by the metal hydride itself, heating it. Only those beta particles released from within a fraction of a human hair from the surface actually escape from the tritiated metal. Thus, tritiated metals can be thought of as optimally safe radioisotope heat sources.
When properly insulated, tritiated metal hydrides can deliver consistent thermal energy, offering an alternative to other radioiosotopes such as plutonium-238 (Pu-238) or strontium-90 (Sr-90). This technology could provide another way to produce long duration power in remote and extreme environments and can provide the heat needed to sustain critical equipment in remote locations, through long-duration missions, in extremely cold conditions.
Benefits
- Long-lasting, stable thermal energy source
- Reduced need for heavy shielding, ensuring compact and safe design
- Alternative to Pu-238, Sr-90 and other radioisotopes for space and other specialized applications
Applications and Industries
- Space exploration and lunar missions
- Deep-sea and extreme environment research equipment
- Defense and remote monitoring systems
Contact
To learn more about this technology, email partnerships@ornl.gov or call 865-574-1051.
