The selenide isotope generators

The Selenide Saga: A Contribution Toward a History of the Selenide Isotope Generator

“…Studies with this constraint were presented in Refs. [13][14][15] and formed the basis for the design proposed for the Galileo mission contract. These studies also were used to formulate the contractual performance objectives for the Galileo mission".…”

“…It was reported that "The 1981 generator has been designed for the Jupiter Orbiter Probe Mission and exhibits an efficiency of 10.5 percent, a specific power of 3 watts per pound … for a nominal 250 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics watt electrical unit … The 1983 system promises efficiencies of 11 percent, specific power of 3.5 watts per pound … In 1985 system efficiencies of 13.5 percent, specific power powers of 3.8 to 4.5 watts per pound … can be expected". 14 In 1978, it was stated, "The selenides, as a class of highly efficient thermoelectric materials, have been discussed in the open literature …" 20 and four references were cited [References 21-24 in this paper]. The results of testing of the P-type composition Cu 1.97 Ag 0.03 Se 1.0045 and N-type compositions GdSe 1.49 (designated TPM-217) "… over a broad temperature range that extends to over 1000˚C" were reported to "… have values of figure of merit and conversion efficiency that are superior to those of prior art compositions both in the low temperature portions and in the high temperature portions of these large thermal gradients.…”