Radioisotope
Thermoelectric Generator (RTG)–essentially a nuclear battery that reliably
converts heat into electricity.
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator is an electrical generator that uses
an array of thermocouples to convert the heat of a suitable radioactive material into electricity by the thermoelectric effect (The thermoelectric effect is the direct conversion of temperature differences to electric voltage ).
Whatever isotope is chosen as a fuel must be able to release enough energy in its decay process to serve as a practical and fruitful enough source for thermoelectric conversion.
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator consist of two major elements: a heat source that contains plutonium-238 (Pu-238) and solid-state thermocouples that convert the plutonium’s decay heat energy to electricity.
The RTG have been used as power sources in satellites, space probes and unmanned remote facilities such as a series of lighthouses built by the former Soviet Union inside theArctic Circle .
The RTG contains a total of 4.8 kilograms of plutonium dioxide (including Pu-238) that initially provides approximately 2,000 watts of thermal power and 110 watts of electrical power when exposed to deep space environments. The thermoelectric materials (PbSnTe, TAGS, and PbTe) have demonstrated extended lifetime and performance capabilities. The RTG generator is about 64 centimeters in diameter (fin-tip to fin-tip) by 66 centimeters tall and weighs about 45 kilograms.
As with the implementation of any nuclear-based processes into functioning devices, there is always concern over human safety and radioactive contamination. Even though RTG is designed to function in remote environments with sparse human populations, the worries are not totally unwarranted as there are plenty of questions regarding the event of RTG fuel leaks or possible explosions while launching space-bound RTG. In the worst-case scenarios of these situations, there would be substantial radioactive contamination in the environment along with the potential for radiation damage to humans. This makes the use and launching of RTG at least semi-controversial. However, in practice, there are safety measures applied to minimize the risks of radioactive contamination from RTG. For instance, in the NASA mission to Saturn featuring the Cassini-Huygens probe, the RTG isotope fuel was stored in high-strength blocks of graphite and surrounded by a layer of iridium metal in order to curb the risk of accidental explosions. These graphite blocks have proven to be successful in preventing radiation contamination as in the case of the famed failed Apollo 13 landing in 1970, which left its RTG in the ocean after its return to Earth, but with no detectable plutonium contamination.
Finally; despite potential radiation risks, the advantages of RTG use far outweigh all other factors.
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator is an electrical generator that uses
an array of thermocouples to convert the heat of a suitable radioactive material into electricity by the thermoelectric effect (The thermoelectric effect is the direct conversion of temperature differences to electric voltage ).
Whatever isotope is chosen as a fuel must be able to release enough energy in its decay process to serve as a practical and fruitful enough source for thermoelectric conversion.
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator consist of two major elements: a heat source that contains plutonium-238 (Pu-238) and solid-state thermocouples that convert the plutonium’s decay heat energy to electricity.
The RTG have been used as power sources in satellites, space probes and unmanned remote facilities such as a series of lighthouses built by the former Soviet Union inside the
The RTG contains a total of 4.8 kilograms of plutonium dioxide (including Pu-238) that initially provides approximately 2,000 watts of thermal power and 110 watts of electrical power when exposed to deep space environments. The thermoelectric materials (PbSnTe, TAGS, and PbTe) have demonstrated extended lifetime and performance capabilities. The RTG generator is about 64 centimeters in diameter (fin-tip to fin-tip) by 66 centimeters tall and weighs about 45 kilograms.
As with the implementation of any nuclear-based processes into functioning devices, there is always concern over human safety and radioactive contamination. Even though RTG is designed to function in remote environments with sparse human populations, the worries are not totally unwarranted as there are plenty of questions regarding the event of RTG fuel leaks or possible explosions while launching space-bound RTG. In the worst-case scenarios of these situations, there would be substantial radioactive contamination in the environment along with the potential for radiation damage to humans. This makes the use and launching of RTG at least semi-controversial. However, in practice, there are safety measures applied to minimize the risks of radioactive contamination from RTG. For instance, in the NASA mission to Saturn featuring the Cassini-Huygens probe, the RTG isotope fuel was stored in high-strength blocks of graphite and surrounded by a layer of iridium metal in order to curb the risk of accidental explosions. These graphite blocks have proven to be successful in preventing radiation contamination as in the case of the famed failed Apollo 13 landing in 1970, which left its RTG in the ocean after its return to Earth, but with no detectable plutonium contamination.
Finally; despite potential radiation risks, the advantages of RTG use far outweigh all other factors.
Radioisotope thermoelectric
generator
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