this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2024
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12
Chinese-developed nuclear battery has a 50-year lifespan — Betavolt BV100 built with Nickel-63 isotope and diamond semiconductor material (www.tomshardware.com)
submitted 10 months ago by ooli@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] v81@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago

So you'd need 10,000 of them to generate 1 watt.

Sounds useless.

[–] aubeynarf@lemmynsfw.com 6 points 10 months ago

Betavoltaics have been around for 40+ years. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betavoltaic_device

This device generates microwatts. You’d need thousands of them in parallel to power a typical mobile phone.

[–] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago

Meanwhile the Voyager proves launched in 1977 are still live and kicking. Yeah one of them is getting pissy at us but it's still rolling.

[–] JoMomma@lemm.ee 2 points 10 months ago

Vapor

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 1 points 10 months ago (2 children)

What's the specific energy and power? If it isn't terrible, could be very good for things like spacecraft.

[–] StrawberryPigtails@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 10 months ago

According to the article, it outputs 100 micro watts at 3 volts. Apparently for 50 years.

[–] MilderRichter@feddit.de 1 points 10 months ago

Deep space probes are already nuclear power sources.

Right now this is mostly a radio isotope heat source and a peltier device to convert the temperature differential to electricity.