Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for thermionic generator

US5994638A · kind A · utility

68Cited by
26References
44Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 27, 1997
Grant dateNov 30, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 27, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J45/00
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An improved thermionic generator constructed using microenginerring techniques is described. This device is easy to construct in large numbers, efficient, and inexpensive. A preferred embodiment uses micromachined silicon to produce a thermionic converter cell. These may be joined together in large arrays to form a thermionic generator.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.