PHOTOEMISSION SOLAR ENERGY CONVERTERS
Abstract
The use of photoemission to convert solar photon flux into electrical power and the development of a high power-per-unit-weight photoemissive solar power converter suitable for use in space were considered. The groundwork was laid for the implementation of the WX-4209 close-spaced photogenerator and several interim WX-64 experimental photogenerators were constructed, the latter displaying an increase in efficiency with a decrease in anode-to-cathode spacing, and an efficiency of 0.01 percent at the relatively large anode-cathode spacing of 70 mils. Analytical and technological studies were carried out which show that a 2-percent photoemissive solar converter should be potentially competitive with photovoltaic converters on a dollars-per-watt and watts-per-pound basis. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0282721
Entities
People
- A.s. Jensen
- E.f. Wood
- I. Limansky
Organizations
- Westinghouse Electric Corporation