Conversion of Radiophotoluminescence Irradiation into Electricity in Photovoltaic Cells. A Review of Theoretical Considerations and Practical Solutions

Agnieszka Iwan, Witalis Pellowski and Krzysztof A. Bogdanowicz
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Agnieszka Iwan: Faculty of Security Studies, General Tadeusz Kościuszko Military University of Land Forces, 51-147 Wrocław, Poland
Witalis Pellowski: Faculty of Security Studies, General Tadeusz Kościuszko Military University of Land Forces, 51-147 Wrocław, Poland
Krzysztof A. Bogdanowicz: Military Institute of Engineer Technology, Obornicka 136 Str., 50-961 Wroclaw, Poland

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 19, 1-39

Abstract: This review presents the current state of the knowledge regarding the use of radioactive sources to generate photonic light in scintillators as converters of ionizing radiation to electricity in photovoltaic cells. The possibility of using the phenomenon of the excitation of light photons in the scintillation materials during the interaction with particles and photons of ionizing radiation was analyzed in detail. The light photons obtained in such a way can generate an electric charge in photovoltaic cells. The whole process can be named as a nuclear cell (nuclear battery). Theoretically, the use of such physical phenomena seems to be an ideal practical solution to meet the energy needs of the modern world. However, there are many physical and technical problems that limit its widespread use in practical applications. In an ideal system, the ionizing radiation sources can emit the radiation for billions of years, and the energy of particles and photons from the radiation can be converted into photons in the scintillation material, with energy suitable to generate a photoelectric effect in a photovoltaic cell. Such a cascade sequence of different physical phenomena allows, from a theoretical point of view, for the creation of a virtually inexhaustible source of electricity. This review of historical and current literature reports aims to bring closer the idea of “energy perpetuum mobile”, which has troubled many scientists around the world for centuries.

Keywords: photovoltaic cells; conversion; nuclear battery; scintillation; radiation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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