High Temperature Irradiation Resistant Thermocouples
Rawmaterials cost 0.1% to 75% the cost of raw materials compared to industrystandard for high temperature TCs (Platinum/Rhodium, Tantalum, Nickel alloys) In2016, Niobium cost somewhere less than $100/kg (65%Nb ferritic alloywas $42/kg) and Molybdenumwas $17/kg, compared to over $33000/kg for Platinumand $21000/kg for Rhodium,the two constituents of the industry standard for measuring over 1000 C. Tungsten/Rheniumis $30 and $2500 per kg.Greaterstability at high temperaturesLessdriftSlowerembrittlementSmallerchanges under neutron irradiation than traditional Thermocouple materials
NuclearapplicationsHigh-temperatureindustrial applicationsElectricalpower productionChemicalprocessing and refiningMetalfabrication, including steelsGlassand ceramic productionJetenginesGasificationunitsIncineratorsTurbines
Researchers at INL havedeveloped methods for forming TCs by swaging the ends of each lead together,avoiding the welding and thermal cycling embrittlement issues that conventionalTCs suffer from. The INL TCs are also made of different materials (Mo-Nb),which are more stable at high temperatures than conventional TC materials. Ofparticular note, these materials are significantly more neutron transparentthan conventional TC materials, making them good candidates for nuclearapplications. Molybdenum and niobium additionally tend to be significantly lessexpensive than traditional TC materials, meaning TCs of this type should beless costly than traditional TCs.
LICENSINGOPPORTUNITY: IdahoNational Laboratory (INL) and its M&O Contractor Battelle Energy Alliance,LLC (BEA) are currently looking for commercialization partner(s) interested inentering into a license agreement for the purpose of commercializing thetechnology described below. INTELLECTUALPROPERTY STATUS: This invention has associated intellectual property USPatent No. 7,871,198, BEA Docket No. BA-142: “High Temperature ThermocoupleDesign and Fabrication,” issued 18 January 2011. DEVELOPMENTSTATUS: This technology has been tested and validated at thebench scale. Additional development will be required to demonstrate a pilotscale process. BEA may be in a position to support additional research anddevelopment of this technology under a mutually acceptable Cooperative Research& Development Agreement (CRADA), Strategic Partnership Projects (SPP)agreement, or a similar agreement, all of which are subject to approval by DOE. Publications:
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