METHOD AND THERMIONIC GENERATOR FOR THERMAL-TO-ELECTRIC ENERGY CONVERSION Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: power engineering; heat and power supply for various industries and utility purposes. SUBSTANCE: method involves heat transfer through moving current of heat-carrying agent supplied to thermionic cells mounted in sealed casing of thermionic generator; in the latter they are arranged in multiple- tier battery to form spiral path for passing heat-carrying agent through battery tiers separated from each other by channels. Heat-carrying agent is conveyed over first channel where it heats up emitters of thermionic cells of first tier to temperature equal to at least thermal emission point of electrons. Heat- carrying agent leaving the channel is passed through bypass channel to inlet of next channel in same direction as in preceding channel. Working cycle is repeated until waste current of heat-carrying agent cools down to temperature lower than that of thermal emission of electrons. Thermionic cells are integrated into single electric circuit. EFFECT: facilitated thermal-to-electric energy conversion due to improved efficiency of thermionic generator. 3 cl, 4 dwg