Nuclear Batteries in laptops

[Desmikes]

I came across an article 'http://www.danaquarium.com/article.php?story=20050218182306134' that states that a British company came out with a nuclear battery (NB) to be used in laptops. I was not able to confirm this from any other resource, which leads me to believe that this is a joke. Does anyone know if there is ANY truth to this? Anyone knows about the cost/watt of NB’s.

Background.
Nuclear Batteries have been used for more than half a century for applications that require long-term power regardless of cost. NB’s convert the energy associated with the decay of a nucleus into usable electric energy. Many isotopes are used for this purpose. These isotopes are generally of moderate halflives (months to years) and are self-fissioning and/or alpha/beta emitters.
It seems improbable to have a nuclear-powered laptop battery, as the cost would be prohibitively high. For example, to have a 70Watt tritium-based battery you would have to have : P=IV 70W=(5.7keV/decay)*(3.7E10decay/Ci)(#Ci)/6.28E18, solving for number of Curies, 2.08E6Ci of activity (ideal case).
Given 20% efficiency with latest technology, that’s 10^7Ci!!!! That’s enormous from the regulation point of view, I don’t see anything of this nature getting licensed for public use. Even considering mass-production, and use of radioisotopes that are of fission byproduct type (rad-waste), the cost of so much radioactive material is going to be in dosens, or even hundredths of thousands USD.

[Chris The Great]

The nuclear power will trickle charge the normal battery, so it will get recharged without getting plugged in. At least, that is if this isn't a hoax, but it seems reasonable. I've seen this technology be discussed for this application before.

[knowledgehungry]

This technology is used to power many space probes, such as the New Horizons probe. 'http://www.space.com/spacenews/businessmonday_041004.html'

The technology is called a radioisotope thermal generator 'http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator'

As to it's use for powering laptops, I don't see any reason why it couldn't be used other than it seems a bit unnecessary and expensive.

[ShadowMyGeekSpace]

As to it's use for powering laptops, I don't see any reason why it couldn't be used other than it seems a bit unnecessary and expensive.Because the sheeple believe anything and everything nuclear is bad... never mind that they've got atleast one or two smoke alarms in their house, which contain a little ammount of americium, or the radiation CRTs generate, etc etc.

[simply RED]

I am strongly FOR nuclear energy! But this one idea is not very practical...

[megalomania]

This depends on what the laptop will be used for. A US Army sniper hooked up with the latest techno gear, display screens, and imaging sensors on day 15 of his perch could benefit from a nuclear battery. Oceanographic explorers on extended underwater dives might as well. Basically any computing application in a remote area that can't use solar power could benefit from a nuclear battery. You will not see these used for extended gaming sessions in Alienware laptops, or anything for civilian use. As if laptop batteries were not expensive enough…

[Element13]

Nuclear batteries may never be available to civilians, but it is possible to get what I like to call a nuclear powered flashlight. They are considered a trivial use of nukes by the government and are supposed to be available only to military and law enforcement personnel.

Tritium is used to excite a phosphor with beta particles. This results in a very dim light that slowly becomes dimmer. I've seen an example of one that still gives off light 20 years after it was manufactured. The half-life of tritium is about 12 years. It does not give of much light but it's enough to read a map in total darkness if your eyes are fully adapted to the dark.

They are supposedly safe because no gamma radiation is created.

[Desmikes]

There are a few items available to the public that are loaded with tritium. Tritium is used for illumination in those cases. It is not terribly difficult to find displays, signs, keychains etc. that use tritium. Such items will have activity up to dozens of curies. Now that I think about it, I am surprised that we don't hear of people extracting H-3, making water out of it and then using it to cause disturbance in public places. Few curies in the right place would certainly get media attention, just start speaking in terms of disintegrations per second and you have a story. Now if somebody discovers questionable chemicals in your garage and a bottle labeled as "tritium-water" next to them, you are bound to be famous.

[thunderbird]

This technology is used to power many space probes, such as the New Horizons probe. 'http://www.space.com/spacenews/businessmonday_041004.html'

The technology is called a radioisotope thermal generator 'http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator'

As to it's use for powering laptops, I don't see any reason why it couldn't be used other than it seems a bit unnecessary and expensive.
I know that a Radioisotope generator operates on the basis of thermo-electricity. This means that a semi-conductor plate is cooled on one side(in the case of for example the Voyager probes, the cold of space), and heated on the other(the decaying isotope block) the difference in temperature will set up a voltage difference between the two sides of the plate, creating an electric battery.

It would be a bit hard to achieve the required temeprature difference on earth without expensive and bulky equipment and/or danger of radiation damage to the populace.

Therefore, I don't really see how a nuclear-powered laptop could exist...

[Hirudinea]

Now that I think about it, I am surprised that we don't hear of people extracting H-3, making water out of it and then using it to cause disturbance in public places. Few curies in the right place would certainly get media attention, just start speaking in terms of disintegrations per second and you have a story. Now if somebody discovers questionable chemicals in your garage and a bottle labeled as "tritium-water" next to them, you are bound to be famous.

Or considering the way the press loves hyperbole all you need is a bottle of tritium water taped to a pipe bomb left on a bus to be found by police and we have "NUCLEAR DIRTY BOMB ATTACK NARROWLY AVOIDED!"

[atlas#11]

So now were trying to get a bad name? Don't feed the media, the government has staged enough terrorism already.

I think the micro-turbines they're working on have a bit more promise than dumping fissable materials into consumer items. Nuclear power is neat, and effective, but its not going to be released to civilians any time soon.

[Lance000]

I know that a Radioisotope generator operates on the basis of thermo-electricity. This means that a semi-conductor plate is cooled on one side(in the case of for example the Voyager probes, the cold of space), and heated on the other(the decaying isotope block) the difference in temperature will set up a voltage difference between the two sides of the plate, creating an electric battery.

It would be a bit hard to achieve the required temeprature difference on earth without expensive and bulky equipment and/or danger of radiation damage to the populace.




I just have to add something here. Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generators are just as suitable for use on earth. In fact, the polar/arctic region coast of Russia are filled with unmanned lighthouses, powered by RTG's. The Kola peninsula is full of them. They are powered by Strontium-90, and contain thousands of TBq of radiation per unit, with no ill effects on the surroundings. It is when these devices are decommissioned, that they are left un-checked and rusting/breaking up, that they become hazardous.

The radiation from RTG's is usually Beta particles, which can be shielded with very small amounts of mass, like a quarter inch of steel, etc.

[Acrolein]

I do remember seing a epesode of Nova about that some years back, but it seems out there to have a nuclear powered laptop.:rolleyes: Does anyone know the patent number for these batteries?:confused: It would be nice to know how to extract it. The nuclear material could have plenty of uses:)