Consider an incandescent light-bulb
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb
Incandescent light bulbs have been built up to 1 million watts - and
have lasted through 10 years of continuous service.
Thermo-photo-voltaic systems convert black body radiant energy to
electrical energy quite efficiently with no moving parts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermophotovoltaic
So, one can imagine a compact solid state nuclear heat source
operating in a vacuum - cool nuclear light bulb - with no moving parts
that produces 1,000 watts continuous electrical, in a nuclear reactor
the size of a light bulb - surrounded by a PV/ optical fiber system -
the optical fibers provide the 28% of the energy needs for lighting
directly - without the PV conversion losses - the cooling system for
the PV cells provide hot water and hot air for the home. The whole
thing would be like a light bulb inside of a hot water tank - and the
water would be a nuclear sheild. Power level would be controlled by
reflecting neutrons with a beryllium reflector. Lead lining beyond
the variabley geometry beryllium absorbs neutrons, and the water
absorbs neutrons as well, and a lead lining around the water tank
itself provides a tertiary sheild. You basically have 1,000 or 2,000
watts electrical, and hot water and steam heat all from one source -
for about the cost of a light bulb - added into a hot water tank.
Two such light bulbs with an air cooled heat exchanger for the PV
setup - would power a hybrid car continuously. You'd plug your hybrid
into your house, to avoid overcharging the system - rather than to
charge the system.
The PV system handles power at about 1/10 cent per peak watt,
Consider, that a solid state relay that handles about 5 kW when
switching your refrigerator compressor on and off in response to the
thermostat costs about 50 cents - which is 1/100th cent per peak watt
- so, we're talking about something 10x more costly than typical -
operating at about 1/5th the power level typical in switching
applications - due to differences between continuous and intermittent
operation and processing ineffective photons by the TPV system.
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