On possibility of direct electroionizing conversion of nuclear energy to electricity Original Research Article

The objective of the present article is theoretical investigation of possibility of direct conversion of the nuclear energy to electricity without all intermediate stages: the thermal and the mechanical. The principle of this method (so-called ‘electroionizing’) is ionization of rare gas atoms with fission fragments and separation of generated positive and negative ions with the external electric field. Under certain conditions, when so-called the Debye’s screening of charged particles within the produced plasma takes place, the recombination among these particles is insignificant. It is discovered that because of the absence of Carno’s limit on the efficiency of conversion, the performance coefficient may be 40–50% irrespective of temperature. The conditions of serviceability of the present method are definited.