4mo ago

Coin-sized nuclear 3V battery with 50-year lifespan enters mass production

www.techspot.com

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19 comments

Fallout vibes
3V at 100 microwatts significantly limits its usefulness.
They say they're planning to make a 1W version, which I assume will be either be much larger or have a much shorter lifespan. How does it work? Does it have a way to stop the reaction or does the 1W battery generate 1W of heat when there's no load attached?
- I think for embedded iot type apps it could be great, pair it with some caps for peak loads (read/transmit).
  
  Some microprocessors in deep sleep mode can consume less than 100 microwatts, so I guess it could be possible with this version, but you'd need to charge for a long time. The power consumption of an active ESP32 can reach 700,000 microwatts.
- I agree that's low. claim of 3300mWh per gram, also has decay over 50 years. 100 microwatts over 24 hours is 2.4mWh. 600 microW solar for 4 hours is the same. 1 cm² solar is 25mW, and so more daily power with just 6 minutes of sun per day.
I always wondered why there weren't any nuke batteries available. We have had the technology for decades.
- I imagine large part of it is that it's at odds with capitalist drive to increase consumption.
  
  Planned obsolescence? Now in upgraded, more flashy version!
- Can’t imagine why we don’t put nuclear material in consumer products, seems practical.
  
  You mean like Microwaves? Or Smoke detectors? Granite countertops etc. Or watches, and Energy Efficient CFLs?
- They use a more efficient process. Something about a diamond semiconductor that turns beta particles into electricity instead of relying on heat.
How long until they make a vibrator that fits these?

19 comments