Direct Conversion of Energy

By William R. Corliss

U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
Division of Technical Information

ONE OF A SERIES ON
UNDERSTANDING THE ATOM

UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION

Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg, Chairman

James T. Ramey

Dr. Gerald F. Tape

Wilfrid E. Johnson

Nuclear energyis playing a vital rolein the life ofevery man, woman, and childin the United States today.In the years aheadit will affect increasinglyall the peoples of the earth.It is essentialthat all Americansgain an understandingof this vital force ifthey are to discharge thoughtfullytheir responsibilities as citizensand if they are to realize fullythe myriad benefitsthat nuclear energyoffers them.

The United StatesAtomic Energy Commissionprovides this bookletto help you achievesuch understanding.

Edward J. Brunenkant
Director
Division of Technical Information

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1

DIRECT VERSUS DYNAMIC ENERGY CONVERSION 3

LAWS GOVERNING ENERGY CONVERSION 8

THERMOELECTRICITY 12

THERMIONIC CONVERSION 16

MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC CONVERSION 19

CHEMICAL BATTERIES 22

THE FUEL CELL: A CONTINUOUSLY FUELED BATTERY 24

SOLAR CELLS 26

NUCLEAR BATTERIES 28

ADVANCED CONCEPTS 30

SUGGESTED REFERENCES 33

ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 34

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 64-61794

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

WILLIAM R. CORLISS is an atomicenergy consultant and writer with 12years of industrial experience includingservice as Director of AdvancedPrograms for the MartinCompany’s Nuclear Division. Mr.Corliss has B.S. and M.S. Degreesin Physics from Rensselaer PolytechnicInstitute and the Universityof Colorado, respectively. He hastaught at those two institutions andat the University of Wisconsin. Heis the author of Propulsion Systemsfor Space Flight (McGraw-Hill 1960),Space Pro