VAAGDEVI ENGINEERING COLLEGE

Department of ECE
Abstract seminar on
"RADIO-VOLTAIC NUCLEAR BATTERY"

Presented By Guided By
V.Sravanthi.(19UK5A0410) Mr.K.Sandeep
Final year (ECE) Assistant Professor
CONTENTS
 Why Nuclear Battery ???
 Historical Developments
 Energy Production Mechanism
 Fuel Considerations
 Advantages
 Disadvantages
 Applications
 Conclusion
Q. Why Nuclear Battery ??
?
ANSWERS :
 Need for compact reliable light weight and self-
contained power supplies.
 Chemical batteries require frequent replacements
and are bulky.
 Fuel and Solar cells are expensive and requires
sunlight respectively.
 Can be used in inaccessible and extreme
conditions.
 Nuclear batteries have lifespan upto decades
and nearly 200 times more efficient.
 Do not rely on nuclear reaction , so no
radioactive wastes.
 Uses emissions from radioactive isotope to
generate electricity.
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS
 Idea was introduced in 1950 and patented to Tracer
Lab.
 Radioisotope electric power system developed by
Paul Brown.
 He organized an approach to harness energy from
the magnetic field of alpha and beta particles using
Radium-226.
 Low efficiency due to loss of electrons.
ENERGY PRODUCTION
MECHANISMS
Betavoltaics :
 Uses energy from beta particles.

 Provides extended battery life and power density.

 Beta particles from radioactive gas captured in Si

wafer coated with diode material.
 Absorbed radiation creates electron-hole pair.

 Results in the generation of electric current

Representation of basic beta voltaic
conversion

•Electrode A (P-region) has a positive potential while

electrode B (N-region) is negative.
 Before the radioactive source is introduced , no
current flows as the electrical forces are in
equilibrium.
 As a beta emitter is introduced , electrons are
knocked out by its energy.
 Generates electron-hole pairs in the junction.
 When beta particle imparts more than ionization
potential the electron rises to a higher level.
 Potential difference drives electrons from electrode A
through the load where they give up the energy.
Direct Charging Generators:
• This method makes use of kinetic energy as well as the
magnetic property of Alpha particles to generate
current.
• It consists of a core composed of radioactive elements.
• Primary generator consists of a LC tank circuit.
• LC circuit produces the oscillations required for
transformer operation.
Schematic Diagram of an LC resonant circuit

1 – Capacitor
2 – Inductor
3 – Core with radioactive elements
4 – Transformer T primary winding
5 – Resistance
6 _ Secondary winding
7 _ Load
 WORKING
 Oscillations induced in LCR circuit damp out due to loss
of energy.
 Here energy is imparted to the alpha particles during the
decay of elements in the core.
 This energy is introduced to circuit when alpha particles
are absorbed by the inductor.
 Oscillations sustain until amount of energy
absorbed=amount of energy dissipated in ohmic
resistance.
 This excess energy is delivered to the load connected
across transformer T secondary winding.
FUEL CONSIDERATIONS
 The major criterions considered in the selection
of fuels are:
 Avoidance of gamma in the decay chain
 Half life( Should be more)
 Cost should be less.
 Any radioisotope in the form of a solid that gives
off alpha or beta particles can be utilized in the
nuclear battery.
 The most powerful source of energy known is
radium-226.
 However Strontium-90 may also be used in this
Battery
ADVANTAGES
 Life span- minimum of 10 years.
 Reliable electricity.
 Amount of energy highest.
 Lighter with high energy density.
 Efficient
 Reduces green house and associated effects.
 Fuel used is the nuclear waste from nuclear fission.
DISADVANTAGES
 High initial cost of production
 Energy conversion methodologies are not much
advanced.
 Regional and country-specific laws regarding use and
disposal of radioactive fuels.
 To gain social acceptance.
APPLICATIONS
• Space applications:
 Unaffected by long period of darkness and radiation
 Compact and lighter in weight.
 Can avoid heating equipments required for storage
batteries.
 High power for long time independent of atmospheric
conditions.
 NASA is trying to harness this technology in space
applications.
Medical applications:
 In Cardiac pacemakers
 Batteries should have reliability and longevity to
avoid
frequent replacements.

•Mobile devices:
 Nuclear powered laptop battery Xcell-N has 7000 - 8000 times
more life.
 No need for charging, battery replacing.
 Automobiles:
 No need for frequent recharging as in case of present
electric vehicles.
• Military applications
 Safe, longer life
• Under-water sea probes and sea sensors:
 In sensors working for long time.
 At inaccessible and extreme conditions.
 Use in coal mines and polar sensor applications too.
CONCLUSION
 Small compact devices of future require small
batteries.
 Nuclear batteries increase functionality, reliability
and longevity.
 Batteries of the near future.
 With several features being added to this, nuclear
cells are going to be next best thing ever invented in
the human history.
THANK YOU
REFERENCES
 Brown Paul: "Resonant Nuclear Battery Supply",
Raum & Zeit, 1(3) (August-September, 1989)
 Galina N. Yakubova, Ph.D. Department of Nuclear,
Plasma and Radiological Engineering University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2010 J. F. Stubbins,
Advisor, “NUCLEAR BATTERIES”
 www.ieeeexplorer.com
 www.technologyreview.com
 www.wikipedia.com/atomic_battery