Nuclear barrels and prospects for their use

Recently, news reports have often appeared that Russian specialists from Rosatom institutes have mastered the production of nuclear batteries. Part of the information about the release of elements based on the technology of radioactive decay of nickel-63. Others - about technology based on the decay energy of tritium. There are also such prototypes:

Prototypes at the exhibition in 2017 Voltage 2 V. The term of work is 50 years. Nickel-63 has a half-life of 100 years. Those. theoretically, the battery can last more than 50 years.

The energy for these elements comes from the beta decay of the radioactive isotope nickel-63. It is non-penetrating radiation from electrons. You can hide from it with a piece of paper. Therefore, a radioactive source in a thin metal case is not dangerous. Electrons are captured by either carbon or silicon.

If we talk about the characteristics and structure of such an element, then here is the diagram:

1 gram of the substance releases 3.3 W * h of electricity. The cost of the item is $ 4000. Read more about how the Ni-63 isotope is obtained here: https://wiolowan.livejournal.com/23640.html

The design of a nuclear battery on Ni-63:

There are also news articles that Rosatom conducts research and development in the field of technologies for nuclear batteries based on tritium (H-3 is a heavy isotope of hydrogen). Tritium also has beta radiation. But the half-life is only 12.5 years. Therefore, a tritium nuclear battery can last only 10-12 years. Further, her tension drops dramatically.

In the United States, there are also developments of nuclear batteries, created using tritium technology:

CityLabs' NanoTritium nuclear battery was created in 2018. Voltage: 0.75 V. Power 75 nW. Produced in a package of LCC68 and LCC 44 microcircuits. The cost is $ 1200.

The range of applications for such batteries is wide: microelectronics, implants, sensors, etc. And it seems like it looms the prospect of the near future, when such or much more powerful elements will be installed in phones or other devices. And they will not need to be charged for 10 years.

These ideas for long lasting batteries have been in the minds of engineers 50 years or more ago:

Here is an example of a 1974 plutonium-238-powered pacemaker battery (the radioactive element has been removed in the second photo):

There is very little plutonium in the device - only 0.2 grams. But his work is enough for tens of years. The use of plutonium is currently prohibited in order to prevent the creation of nuclear weapons.

Most likely, world organizations like the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) will allow develop for the retail consumption market only low-power electrical sources with radioisotopes on beta decay. And the most accessible element is tritium. This gas is sold even in key chains, which are constantly lit for at least 10 years:

The keychain is filled with luminescent gas with added tritium. Beta decay makes the gas glow. There are several color options. Alternative link on aliexpress

Some photos:

Betta radiation does not penetrate glass. The radiation remains inside. Such is the backlight working for a long time.

If we generally look at the prospects for the use of nuclear batteries, then due to their low power and still high cost, they will be used in a highly specialized area only in cardiology (pacemakers), microelectronics (sensors, memory power supply and other chips) of expensive devices. Of course, such electronics will also be used in astronautics.

As for the use of technology in consumer electronics (phones, tablets, ultrabooks), then until nuclear batteries fall in price to the price level of a processor chip, their use will be limited. It makes no sense to use it for recharging (microwatt power and less). But as a spotlight for something important - an interesting idea.

Of course, I would like to have portable nuclear batteries in everyday life like the movie hero Tony Stark from the movie "Iron Man" (but on a shelf or in a car). By the way, an interesting futuristic scenario. If there were such radioisotope batteries with an electrical power of at least 1000 W * h, then they can be used to recharge the batteries of electric vehicles at night (or during parking). And the cars would become completely autonomous.

But on cells using beta-decay such powerful batteries are physically impossible. Well, more powerful reactors will simply not be allowed for ordinary citizens to use. Although there are such reactors. And there is an objective reason for this. I'll talk about it in the next article.

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