Title: Radioisotopes for nuclear batteries: an energy analysis

Authors: Krosli Andrade; Claubia Pereira; Carlos E. Velasquez

Addresses: Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear, Escola de Engenharia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil ' Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear, Escola de Engenharia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil ' Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear, Escola de Engenharia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract: Long-lasting batteries like Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) nuclear batteries play a crucial role in spacecraft projects, offering lifespans of 14 to 48 years when lithium batteries are unsuitable. Designing RTG nuclear batteries involves considerations of thermal power generated from alpha decay heat energy density, radioisotope half-life, and production costs. This study explores non-proliferation radioisotopes as alternatives to Pu-238 to meet spacecraft exploration requirements, which include a 30-year lifespan, 2 kW of thermal power, and 100 W of electric power. The analysed radioisotopes include ²³²UO₂, ²³⁸PuO₂, ²⁴¹AmO₂, ²³³CmO₂ and ²³⁴CmO₂, with production cost assessed per gram. Results indicate that U-232 could enhance end-of-lifetime power supply and is even more cost-effective than the reference Pu-238. Cm-244 emerges as the most economically efficient option in terms of the mass needed to meet power requirements, followed by Cm-243 and U-232. Although Am-241 is pricier than Pu-238, it exhibits a smaller difference between initial and final power levels, making it suitable for longer-duration spacecraft missions.

Keywords: radioisotope thermoelectric generator; nuclear batteries; Seebeck effect; alpha decay.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2023.135375

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2023 Vol.16 No.3, pp.194 - 205

Received: 06 Sep 2022
Accepted: 13 Jul 2023
Published online: 07 Dec 2023 *

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