FIELD: off-line power supplies including those spacecraft-mounted. SUBSTANCE: converter has pressurized case divided into two compartments both filled with same dissociating diatomic gas and separated by ion-exchange membrane whose material is electrolyte characterized by ionic conductance for atomic gas; both side surfaces of membrane mount gas-tight electrodes incorporating current leads; one of compartments has heat-transfer system; novelty is that part of other compartment case is made of material transparent to sun rays; chosen as diatomic gas is that dissociating into atomic gas under influence of sun rays. EFFECT: provision for direct conversion of solar energy into electricity. 3 cl, 1 dwg
