Resonant Nuclear batteries. Current status????

["Steve Packard" <kb1ipd@HOTMAIL.COM>]

Hello.



Just wondering if anyone knows anything about the “resonant” nuclear 

battery?  Is there any current research going into this system?







The system I am referring to is a unique type of radio isotopic generator 

that does not use heat an intermediary for energy transfer, as does a 

traditional radio-thermal generator.    Instead, the device captures the 

kinetic energy imparted to alpha and beta particles when a particle-emitting 

isotope decays.     It is essentially a particle decelerator.   Where a 

particle accelerator uses electromagnetic forces to accelerate particles, 

this does the opposite.



In most cases the magnetic energy of a nuclear particle is unobservable 

directly, and the magnetic influence of particles tends to be random, 

resulting in net field effect of zero.   However, the resonant nuclear 

battery uses an oscillating inductive field, which has the tendency to be 

reinforced and strengthened by the energy of particles which pass through 

it.    The inductor is coupled with a capacitor to form a high voltage, high 

impedance RLC circuit.   Thus, you have a self powered oscillator.



Systems similar to this have been studied since the early 1900s, when radium 

was the hottest thing in cutting edge research.   But the biggest 

breakthrough came from the late Paul Brown, who patented the “Nucell” in 

1991.    The Nucell was a resonant nuclear battery which had some success.   

  A prototype reportedly produced 50 killowatts of usable electricity from a 

radium needle.   Paul Brown went on to found Pinnacle Systems, which is now 

Nuclear Solutions.   www.nuclearsolutions.com



The Nucell, however, never reached a point where it was marketable.    It 

suffered instability, materials degradation and would “melt” very quickly 

after it was started.   A 75 watt Nucell, powered by Sr-90, lasted 3 weeks, 

with supercooling, before it failed.



Curious about the state of this device, I contacted the president and CEO of 

Nuclear Solutions, who told me that they were not currently pursuing 

research into the resonant nuclear battery.   He explained that the system 

suffered from materials degradation problems that had not been worked out.



I was very disappointed to hear this from him.    The concept behind the 

system is clearly sound, even if the materials and design problems have not 

been solved.   Edison knew the incandescent light was possible, but he had 

to try hundreads of filaments and designs before it was perfected.  The 

efficiency of the Nucell was over 100 times that of the most efficient RTG.  

   NASA is spending untold millions on the development of RTGs for space 

probes.   It seems that they could benefit greatly from funding research 

into non-RTG nuclear power supplies.



Does this idea have a future?    Is it inherantly unstable and unable to 

function longterm?     Does anybody know.





Thanks

Steve



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