Betavoltaics & Alphavoltaics

S.V.K.Naresh 15EEE2015

Introduction:We live in a battery world.Yet batteries haven't made any real

improvements in decades. An old technology may finally have

come of age that can help us enter the world of 21st century portable electricity.

Is it sufficient for our requirement???Solution is NUCLEAR BATTERY for the

longer-lasting and more efficient.

What is Nuclear battery: Nuclear batteries are used to describe a

device which uses energy from the decay of

radioactive isotope to generate electricity.

 Compared to other batteries they are very

costly, but have extremely long life and high

energy density

Examples: beta voltaics & alphavoltaics..

Alphavoltaics:The concept of an alpha voltaic battery was proposed by W. G. Pfann and W. van Roosbroeck in 1954.Alphavoltaic power sources are devices that use

a semiconductor junction to produce electrical particle from energetic alpha particles.

An alpha voltaic battery utilizes a radioactive substance, which emits energetic alpha particles, that is coupled to a semiconductor p-n junction diode.

Beta voltaics:Betavoltaics are generators

of electric current, in effect a form of battery, which use energy from a radioactive source emitting beta particles (electrons).

A common source(medium) used is the hydrogen isotope, tritium.

Beta voltaics are like photovoltaic cells.

Schematic diagram:

3D architecture of a Beta Battery:

What is the efficiency:The current supplied to a load by

a beta voltaic cell is given by I= Isc- ILoss(amps)Efficiency: η=ηβ. ηc. ηs ηβ= beta efficiency ηc= coupling efficiency ηs= semi conductor efficiency

Limitations:

Potential surface area is lessBeta voltaic cells is the re -

absorption of electronsHigh energetic electron caused to

damageRadioactive material emitsBeta decay

Research legacy of beta voltaics:Rappaport was the first to

describe beta voltaic cell in 1953.In 1974,the use of Pm-147

utilized as power sources.The betacel was the considered

the first successfully commercialized betavoltaic battery

New approaches:

Tritium Batteries

Stimulated Decay Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries

Applications: Medical: Betavoltaic Batteries are ideal for small

devices like pacemakersAerospace: satellite and other unmanned vehicle

power supplies.Power industry: power sources, backup power

sources, and remediation of radioactive waste through artificial acceleration of natural isotopic decay rates.

Counter-terrorism: radioisotope detection sensors for nuclear and / or radiological (so-called "dirty bomb") devices.

ANY

QUIRIES

?

T

HANK

YOU