Lithium AMTEC with gas-diffusion cathode

To determine optimal geometrical parameters of gas-diffusion electrode for the alkali metal thermoelectric converter (AMTEC), there has been developed a model of such an electrode of regular structure made up of identical electrically conducting spherical particles having contact with solid electrolyte and each other over circular surfaces with respective radii. Calculations run using this model allowed assessment of the gas-diffusion electrode geometry. Theoretical and experimental performance of sodium AMTEC have been compared which showed their good match. However, sodium solid electrolyte, due to decomposition at the operating temperatures, rather quickly loses its surface´s properties. Use of modified lithium oxide as a lithium electrolyte proved stable performance of solid electrolyte at temperatures up to 1200 K with lithium working fluid