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☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆ @lemmy.ml

3d 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!
- They use a more efficient process. Something about a diamond semiconductor that turns beta particles into electricity instead of relying on heat.
- 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?

How long until they make a vibrator that fits these?

19 comments