公开(公告)号：JPH03178584A

公开(公告)日：1991-08-02

申请号：JP30417490

申请日：1990-11-13

Applicant: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORP

Inventor： MAACHIN HAWAADO KUUPAA ,  ROBAATO KEBIN SHIIBAAZU

IPC: B22F5/00 ,  B22F5/12 ,  H01G9/00 ,  H01G9/21 ,  H01M4/64 ,  H01M6/36 ,  H02N3/00

Abstract: PURPOSE: To withstand, for example, a mechanical load and to improve reliability by covering one of a porous structure member with an ion conductive covering and providing a high-voltage-side alkali metal and a low-voltage-side alkali metal at the one and the other porous structure member. CONSTITUTION: An alkali metal thermoelectric conversion device 1 has a porous structure member 3 consisting of a tubular niobium with two main surfaces 5 and 7 that are arranged in a sealing container 9. One outer surface 7 of the porous structure member 3 is covered with β-alumina thin film 13 and further is covered with a porous thin-film conductor 15, thus forming an electrode. Then, the β-alumina covering 13 divides a container 9 into high-voltage and low-voltage side parts, and these parts contain liquid alkali metal 11, for example, sodium. An excessive electron that is discharged by the ionization of sodium at the high-voltage side of the β-alumina covering 13 passes through an external circuit 17 and moves and is recombined with a sodium ion moving to the low- voltage side through the β-alumina covering 13, thus converting heat to an electrical energy.

公开(公告)号：JPS6469273A

公开(公告)日：1989-03-15

申请号：JP16239188

申请日：1988-06-29

Applicant: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORP

Inventor： ROBAATO KEBIN SHIIBAAZU

IPC: H02N3/00 ,  G21D7/04 ,  H01G9/00 ,  H01G9/21 ,  H01J45/00

Abstract: PURPOSE: To obtain a small, lightweight and high output alkaline metal thermoelectric conversion module by dividing a tube made of BASE (β"-alumina solid electrolyte) into a plurality of cells having splitting means, lining the tube made of BASE with wick and supplying liquid sodium through a vapor carrier thereof. CONSTITUTION: The alkaline metal thermoelectric converter module 11 has an inner section 17 of high pressure tubular member 15, composed of an ion conductor (β"-alumina solid electrolyte) 10, and located around the inner section 17 containing liquid sodium 12 touching the inner surface thereof. A porous electrode 18 transmitting electrons 20 and passing sodium ions 16 is provided on the outer surface of the ion conductor 10 so that recoupling takes place in low pressure region. Furthermore, means 42 for carrying liquid sodium 12 to the ion conductor 10 of the tubular member 15 is provided. A dividing means 44 divides the member 15 into first and second cells 46a, 46b in order to transmit the electrons 20 to a first conduction means 22a.