System and method for energy conversion using an aneutronic nuclear fuel

Abstract

A nuclear fuel cell includes a net neutron-producing material, a neutron-consuming material, and a neutron-moderating material. Upon exposure of the net-producing material, the neutron-moderating material, and the neutron-consuming material to a neutron source, a ratio of the net neutron-producing material to (i) the neutron-consuming material and (ii) the neutron-moderating material is operable to convert neutrons into charged particles without producing net neutrons.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of generating electricity, the method comprising:
 producing a plurality of neutrons with a first material;   consuming at least one of the plurality of neutrons with a second material;   moderating a quantity of the plurality of neutrons with a third material;   exposing the first material, the second material, and the third material to a neutron source; and   converting at least one of the plurality of neutrons into a charged particle without producing a neutron.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first material is fissile. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first material is fertile. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first material undergoes fission. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second material undergoes neutron activation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the second material undergoes neutron activation in a beta decay process. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising ionizing a plasma with the charged particle. 
     
     
         8 . A nuclear fuel cell comprising:
 a net neutron-producing material defining a thickness T 1 ;   a neutron-consuming material;   a neutron-moderating material; and   a cladding surrounding the net neutron-producing material and defining a second thickness T 2 ,   wherein, a ratio of the thickness T 1  to the thickness T 2  is operable to increase a rate of transmission of electrons from an emitter to a collector.   
     
     
         9 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 8 , where the net neutron-producing material is fissile. 
     
     
         10 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 8 , where the net neutron-producing material is fertile. 
     
     
         11 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 8 , where the net neutron-producing material undergoes fission. 
     
     
         12 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 8 , where the neutron-consuming material undergoes neutron activation. 
     
     
         13 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 12 , wherein the neutron-consuming material undergoes neutron activation in a beta decay process. 
     
     
         14 . A nuclear fuel cell comprising:
 a nuclear fuel including:
 a net neutron-producing material; 
 a neutron-consuming material; and 
 a neutron-moderating material; and 
   an electrode system disposed adjacent the nuclear fuel and including a set of electrodes and a gas in a non-ionized state disposed between the set of electrodes,   wherein the nuclear fuel, upon exposure to a neutron source, is operable to emit charged particles and convert the gas into an ionized state.   
     
     
         15 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 14 , wherein the net neutron-producing material is fissile. 
     
     
         16 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 14 , where the net neutron-producing material is configured to undergo fission. 
     
     
         17 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 14 , wherein the neutron-consuming material is configured to undergo neutron activation. 
     
     
         18 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 17 , wherein the neutron-consuming material is configured to undergo neutron activation during a beta decay process. 
     
     
         19 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 14 , wherein a ratio of the net neutron-producing material to the neutron-consuming material is able to regulate the charged particles emitted by the nuclear fuel. 
     
     
         20 . A nuclear fuel cell comprising:
 a nuclear fuel bound within a material and including:
 a net neutron-producing material, 
 a neutron-consuming material, and 
 a neutron-moderating material; 
   an electron emission system including an emitter and a collector and a gas disposed between the emitter and the collector; and   a neutron source disposed adjacent the nuclear fuel and the electron emission system,   wherein the nuclear fuel is operable to emit a regulated amount of beta decay particles that ionize the gas, and   wherein the neutron-consuming material and the neutron-moderating material are operable to control the regulated amount of beta decay particles.   
     
     
         21 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 20 , wherein the net neutron-producing material is fissile. 
     
     
         22 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 20 , where the net neutron-producing material is configured to undergo fission. 
     
     
         23 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 20 , wherein the neutron-consuming material is configured to undergo neutron activation. 
     
     
         24 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 23 , wherein the neutron-consuming material is configured to undergo neutron activation during a beta decay process that generates the beta decay particles. 
     
     
         25 . The nuclear fuel cell of  claim 20 , wherein an amount of the net neutron-producing material and an amount of the neutron-consuming material exists in a ratio that absorbs neutrons from the nuclear fuel while the neutron-moderating material reduces fast neutrons from the nuclear fuel.