The visible-light concentrator thermophotovoltaic SunCell® (cTPV-SunCell) shown in this photo comprises a plasma cell that injects hydrogen and catalyst, and two electromagnetic pumps serve as electrodes by injecting intersecting molten tin streams from corresponding reservoirs wherein the connected streams carry a low voltage, high current to form a Hydrino®-reaction plasma with an energy release of 200 times that of burning the hydrogen that can be obtained from water as a 0.5% parasitic load.
The initial run of this TPV-SunCell on Station 1 is shown in the What’s New video of February 1. Modifications were made to improve the maintenance of the transparency of the plasma window at the top of the cell. An exemplary run of three nearly identical runs is shown in this video*. The duration was limited by the extreme Hydrino reaction power that heated the outer stainless steel vacuum vessel to near the failure point, despite the tungsten and carbon concentric thermal-barrier liners. The plasma window performance was excellent. Due to experiencing some melting of the tungsten injector nozzles in the February 1 run, the vertically inclined tungsten injector nozzles were positioned deeper in the reservoirs further away for the plasma zone. The positioning adjustment resulted in the total elimination of nozzle melting.
A 3000-5000K plasma emits radiation at a power density of 4.6 to 35 MW/m2, corresponding to an extraordinary 150 kW to 1.14 MW, respectively, transmitted through an 8-inch diameter window. Exploiting the physics of radiative power transfer at 10 to 100 times the power per area compared to conduction and convection of conventional base-load power sources such as combustion-powered and nuclear-powered ones, plans are to increase the plasma window area to reach a balance of the Hydrino reaction power generated in the reaction cell chamber with that radiated by the plasma and refractory liners at elevated temperature.
*The camera attenuates the intensity of the brilliant white light emitted to reveal contrast wherein the degree of filtering is evident by the darkening of the periphery.