THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR, URP-11

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-03424A000400070002-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 7, 2014
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: March 9, 1953
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved forRelease2014/04/07 : CIA-RDP78-03424A000400070002-0
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MEMORANDUM TO THE FILES
FROM t /ILL
SUBJECT : Thermoelectric Generator, URP
REF
ontract
9 March 1953
50X1
50X1
1. On a recent trip to the 50X1
a conference was held with the Project Engineer 50X1
on the URP-11, for the purpose of discussing some new developments that had
come up since the latest report on this project had been forwarded to this Agency.
Since this Task has been closed down for the time being while awaiting a decision
from the Research and Development whether to appropriate more money for carrying
this Project on, the following facts may be pertinent in helping to form this
decision.
2. believes that the whole unit can now be built at a total 50X1
estimate _
weight of 8 pounds, including the water and glycerine necessary for its
functioning. This would be accomplished by constructing the pile out of three
lava plates, each plate having a dimension of 4" by 4" by 1/8". One plate would
be a matrix of alternate Telkes metal and Constantin rods that would be cast in
the matrix holes of the plate and then machined off to a smooth surface on both
sides. This plate would serve as the middle of a "sandwich" with the outer plates
being similiar lava plates, but having matrices of copper connectors. These plates
would also be machined off to a smooth surface, and the whole pile could then be
put together in the form of a "sandwich" and welded together, thus making a compact
pile with a total overall dimension of 4" by 4" by 3/8". The bottom plate would be
in a glycerine bath, in a closed 'container, with the heat being applied to this
container. The top plate would be immersed in water, in a closed system, for
conducting the heat away. In order to do this, it is proposed that a condenser
be constructed of polyethylene, and having enough surface to cool the water by
air convection. While this would give a condenser with an estimated weight of 7
pounds, including the water, the physical dimensions as presently drawn up would
be 30" high by 18" by 4' long. This would be of rather excessive size for the
Agency's purposes, but thought that this condenser could be fabricated 50X1
out of polyethylene sheets, and possibly it could be made in such a way that it
could be made collapsible. However, on the face of it, this looks like an awkward
solution.
3.
had the estimated weights divided up as follows:
Condenser, including hermetically sealed water - 7 pounds
Thermocouple Element - 6 pounds
Miscellaneous - 5 pounds
Total Weight of Complete Unit 18 Pounds
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CONFIDENTIAL
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/04/07: CIA-RDP78-03424A000400070002-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/04/07: CIA-RDP78-03424A000400070002-0
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4. seemed quite optimistic about this project, and seemed to 50X1
think that something could be worked out that would be quite near the original
specifications as far as weight and output were concerned. The physical size
of the unit is something that seems hard to cut down, unless some sort of
collapsible condenser could be developed.
5. The above facts may help in formulating a decision on whether to cut
this project off, or to go ahead with it under the proposal submitted by the
for the completion of the study phase.
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/04/07: CIA-RDP78-03424A000400070002-0