Watt Scale Thermophotovoltaic Power System Testing Results-Consider for ITAR Session

Abstract

Background Following the work funded by DARPA on the MIPS (Micro-Isotope Power Source) program, General Atomics continued to research scaled up versions of a thermo-photovoltaic (TPV) power system fueled by a radioisotope heat source. Since TPV is an indirect conversion technology, the devices will generate electricity when exposed to any sufficiently hot thermal source. Scaling laws for the heat source power (volume determined) and source surface area (total heat rejection/loss due to thermal radiation) favor larger systems to a degree, up to the 10s or 100s of Watts electric level (see Figure 4). As part of General Atomics Internal Research and Development (IRAD) program the microscale mW power level MIPS was scaled up to designs at the single Watt and multi Watt level. Electrically heated testing of the single Watt scale of TPV power system has been performed to assess system efficiency and power output relative to thermal input. This allows accurate prediction of the power system’s performance with a radioisotope heat source.