Claims
- 1. A method for powering an electrical circuit inside a nuclear reactor, comprising the steps of:
- installing an electrical circuit inside a nuclear reactor;
- selecting an isotopic material which has the property, when placed at a predetermined location within a neutron flux inside the nuclear reactor, or capturing neutrons from the neutron flux and being activated by neutron capture to a radioactive state having a subsequent decay chain during which at least one .beta.-particle is emitted;
- constructing a .beta.-battery by placing a metallic collector in relationship to a mass of said selected isotopic material so that .beta.-particles emitted by said selected isotopic material are collected;
- placing said .beta.-battery in an unactivated state at said predetermined location within the neutron-flux; and
- connecting said .beta.-battery to said electrical circuit.
- 2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said selected isotopic material is an isotope of thallium.
- 3. A method for powering an electrical circuit inside a nuclear reactor, comprising the steps of:
- installing an electrical circuit inside a nuclear reactor;
- selecting an isotopic material which has the property, when placed at a predetermined location within a neutron flux inside the nuclear reactor, of capturing neutrons from the neutron flux and being activated by neutron capture to a radioactive state having a subsequent decay chain during which at least one .beta.-particle is emitted;
- constructing a .beta.-battery by placing a metallic collector in relationship to a mass of said selected isotopic material so that .beta.-particles emitted by said selected isotopic material are collected;
- placing said .beta.-battery in an unactivated state at said predetermined location inside the nuclear reactor for a duration of time sufficient to activate said selected isotopic material;
- moving said activated .beta.-battery to a different location in proximity to said electrical circuit; and
- connecting said .beta.-battery to said electrical circuit.
- 4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein said selected isotopic material is an isotope of thallium.
- 5. A method for supplying electrical current to a metal alloy component inside a nuclear reactor, comprising the steps of:
- selecting an isotopic material which has the property, when placed at a predetermined location within a neutron flux inside the nuclear reactor, of capturing neutrons from the neutron flux and being activated by neutron capture to a radioactive state having a subsequent decay chain during which at least one negative .beta.-particle is emitted;
- constructing a .beta.-battery by placing a metallic collector in relationship to a mass of said selected isotopic material so that negative .beta.-particles emitted by said selected isotopic material are collected;
- placing said .beta.-battery in an unactivated state at said predetermined location within the neutron flux; and
- electrically connecting said .beta.-battery and said metal component so that collected negative .beta.-particles flow to said metal component.
- 6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein said selected isotopic material is an isotope of thallium.
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/384,997 filed on Feb. 7, 1995, which in turn is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/239,773 filed on May 9, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,747 issued on Aug. 22, 1995.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
384997 |
Feb 1995 |
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Parent |
239773 |
May 1994 |
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