Ionically insulating seal for alkali metal thermal to electric conversion (AMTEC) cells
US5998728A · kind A · utility
6Cited by
9References
15Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 21, 1997 |
| Grant date | Dec 7, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 21, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/10
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention provides an ionic and electronic insulator interposed between a BASE tube and a tube mounting member in an AMTEC cell for preventing shunt currents from forming between BASE tube electrodes. In a first embodiment of the invention, an insulator is formed integral with the BASE tube by leaching out an alkali metal ion component of the BASE tube at a desired location. In a second embodiment of the present invention, an alpha alumina ring is brazed to the end of the BASE tube. In a third embodiment of the present invention, a glass material seal is formed between the BASE tube and the mounting member.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.