Atomic battery and the principle of its operation

The first mobile phone was created more than forty years ago. Science is progressing, of course. And who would have thought at that time that forty years later the atomic battery for the phone would be released ? Yes, science is not striving with leaps and bounds, but still with significant breakthroughs in many areas, especially in recent times. And this article will be devoted specifically to the use of atomic batteries in modern devices.

Introduction

Now the smartphone market is one of the most promising areas of electronics. This sphere is developing dynamically, without stopping for a minute. It would seem that only the sale went to the iPhone 3, and on the shelves of mobile phones are already flaunting iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Needless to say, what way did the engineers of the company go to please users with the latest hardware?

The same can be said about Android, and about Windows Phone. A couple of years ago the whole school class gathered around the lucky guy who had a phone based on the Android operating system. And when someone managed to personally play in an application in which you could control the action by turning the screen (especially if this game was from the category of races), he literally shone with happiness.

At present, this is no longer surprising. Even first-graders now quietly use Apple's phones without much joy and excitement, not imagining how they really were lucky. Still, they just do not know that once there were telephones that work using a button, rather than touch, controls. That on those phones was just a couple of games. And that even a snake on the two-tone screen of the Nokia 1100 was for the children of that time a reason for endless enthusiasm, and played it almost all day long.

Of course, then the games were much less qualitative. You could use these phones for several days without recharging. Now the game industry in the sphere of smartphones has reached a higher level, and this requires more powerful telephone batteries. How much, in your opinion, is the most modern, the most powerful smartphone in terms of autonomous operation capable of surviving?

Do we need an atomic battery?

We assure you that even with passive use it (smarton) is unlikely to last more than 3 days. As sources of power in modern smartphones, lithium-ion batteries are used. A little less common are models that run on polymer batteries. In fact, these phones can not withstand a very long work. Play them during battery life, watch them movies can be a few hours, which usually does not exceed ten. The companies producing such devices compete in several directions at once. The most active is the struggle for first place on the following criteria:

- Screen diagonal.

- Hardware and performance.

- Dimensions (if more specifically, the struggle is for a reduction in thickness).

- Powerful autonomous power source.

As we see, the question of whether we need an atomic battery for the phone remains open. According to the calculations of scientists, the phones in the future can be equipped with batteries that operate on the principle of reaction of a nuclear element called "tritium." In this case, the phones will be able to work without recharging up to 20 years, according to the most conservative estimates. Impressive, is not it?

How new is the idea of an atomic battery?

The idea of creating miniature nuclear reactors (we are talking about atomic batteries) appeared in the bright minds not so long ago. It was suggested that the use of such equipment in the appropriate technical devices will allow us to deal with the problem of not only the need for constant recharging, but also with others.

TASS: an atomic battery with their own hands. Tell the engineers

The first statement on the invention of a battery, which will operate based on nuclear energy, has been made by a subdivision of the Russian concern under the name "Rosatom". It was the Mining and Chemical Combine. Engineers told that the first power source, which is positioned as an atomic battery, can be created already in 2017.

The principle of work will consist in the reactions that will occur with the help of the isotope "Nickel-63". More specifically, we are talking about beta-radiation. It is interesting that a battery built on this principle can work for about half a century. The dimensions will be very, very compact. For example: if you take an ordinary finger battery and squeeze it 30 times, then you can clearly see what size an atomic battery will have.

Is the battery safe?

Engineers are absolutely sure that such a power source will not present any danger to human health. The reason for this was the battery design. Of course, the direct beta radiation of any isotope will harm the living organism. But, firstly, in this battery it will be "soft". Secondly, even this radiation will not come out, as it will be absorbed inside the power supply itself.

In connection with the fact that the atomic batteries "Russia A123" will absorb the radiation inside of them, without letting it out, experts are already building a strategic forecast for the use of an atomic battery in various fields of medicine. For example, it can be incorporated into the design of pacemakers. The second most promising area is the space industry. In third place, of course, is the industry. Outside of the three leaders there are many branches in which it will be possible to successfully use the nuclear power source. The most important, perhaps, is transport.

Disadvantages of an atomic power source

What do we get in return for an atomic battery? So to say, what will we see if we look from the other side? First, the production of such autonomous sources of energy will cost a pretty penny. The engineers did not want to name the exact sums. Perhaps they were afraid to make incorrectly early conclusions. However, an approximate estimate was given not in numbers, but in words. That is, "everything is very expensive." Well, this could be expected, judging the essence of the matter simply logically. It's probably too early to talk about serial production on an industrial scale. It remains to be hoped only that in the course of time alternative technologies will be found that will make it possible to create an atomic battery without compromising its reliability and practicality, but it is much cheaper.

By the way, TASS estimated 1 gram of substance in 4 thousand dollars. Thus, in order to gain the necessary mass of the atomic substance that will ensure the long-term use of the battery, it is now necessary to spend 4.5 million rubles. The problem is in the isotope itself. In nature, it simply does not exist, create an isotope with the help of special reactors. In our country there are only three of them. As stated before, it may be possible to use other elements over time to reduce the cost of producing the source.

Tomsk. Atomic battery

The invention of nuclear batteries is not only engaged in professional engineers and designers. Recently, a student at the Tomsk Polytechnic University, who studied in postgraduate studies, developed a model of a new battery that works on a nuclear basis. The name of this person is Dmitry Prokopiev. Its development is capable of a normal mode of operation for 12 years. During this time, it will not need to be charged once.

The center of the system was a radioactive isotope called "tritium." With skillful use, it allows you to direct the energy released during the half-life into the right direction. In this case, the energy is released by parts. It can be said, dosed or portioned. Recall that the half-life of this nuclear element is about 12 years. That is why the use of the battery on this element is possible within the specified period.

Benefits of tritium

In comparison with the atomic battery, which has a silicon detector, the atomic battery based on tritium does not change its characteristics with time. And this is its undoubted advantage, it should be noted. The invention was tested in the Novosibirsk Institute of Nuclear Physics, as well as in the Physics and Technology Institute of Tomsk University. Atomic battery, the principle of operation of which is based on nuclear reaction, has certain prospects. This, as a rule, is the sphere of electronics. Along with it there are military equipment, medicine and aerospace industry. We have already spoken about this.

Conclusion

With all the high cost of producing nuclear batteries, let's hope that we will still meet them in the phones of the near future. Now a few words about the element that will form the basis of the battery. Tritium is certainly nuclear in nature. However, the radiation of this element is weak. To harm human health it can not. Internal organs and skin will not suffer from skillful use. That's why it was he who was chosen for use in batteries.