Tube for nuclear energy prodn. and direct energy conversion - is of polyethylene with lithium filling and electrodes at ends

摘要

A method of producing an appts. for generating nuclear radiation and for directly converting radiation energy into electrical energy is as follows. A cylindrical polyethylene tube is closed at one end by a carbon plug electrode (cathode 4), then evacuated to high vacuum, then filled with enriched lithium 6 Li to a total wt. of 360 g occupying the entire tube cavity except a length of 10 cm at the other end; and is then closed with a neodyme electrode (anode 5). The tube is then introduced into a horizontal experimental channel in a research reactor, leaving the anode projecting in the radiation region of the reactor. The max. neutron activity of the reactor is 1.8 x 10 power 14 n/cm2 and the duration of irradiation not greater than 4 secs.