Use of radioactive materials on solar panels.

Good morning ATS,

I had an idea that hit me out of nowhere, and I'm sure there is a reason this hasn't been tried or it was looked into and it didn't work. The thought occurred to me that sunlight is a type of radiation. And I wondered if you could just expose solar panels to radioactive materials without relying on fission and the resulting heat negating the possibility of a meltdown.

According to wikipedia among other sources "Sunlight is a portion of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun"

"Some sources of EM radiation include sources in the cosmos (e.g., the sun and stars), radioactive elements, and manufactured devices." - sciencedirect.com

Would it be possible to construct a hollow sphere of lead, the inside coated in inward facing solar panels and have an EMR emitting element suspended in the middle?

What are the flaws in my idea?

How would I get my idea out to the scientific community (assuming my idea isn't crushed here)?

I believe that if there are no huge flaws in my thinking this could be a safer alternative to current nuclear power plants, would not take up as much space as solar plant fields (maybe, facility would have to be larger to account for security) The plant would have no emissions that I could think of and could be a good use of nuclear waste as long as it emits EMR.

If anyone thinks it is relevant I do NOT have a scientific background.

If this is the wrong spot for such a post do as you must mods.

a reply to: DeviantMortal

Solve the problem of contained fusion and you are golden.

I'm not sure how that would impact this idea, my thought is simply suspending raw radioactive elements that naturally emit EMR. Not processing it in anyway. I'm sure I'm just missing something, I am not pretending to be any kind of of an expert here. a reply to: PiratesCut

a reply to: DeviantMortal

I think what you’re referring to is called radiovoltaic conversion. Read about it here:

en.wikipedia.org...

a reply to: DeviantMortal

Uuhhm fission is not fusion...

Not sure about the efficiency, solar panels need lot of energy to produce, and maintain... They also work with a specific range of EM. I don't see why they wont be able to produce one that works with the em range of nuclear waste, I also don't see any comercial applications.

They might power a flashy warning sign for post cataclysmic civilizations

I think your right. I read the description and I can't find a meaningful difference between it and my idea. Another idea that's a bust.

It was worth a shot though!

a reply to: 1947boomer

My idea would not require the material to be processed at all, with fission or fusion. Just suspended so it could emit EMR. That being said as 1947boomer pointed out my idea is neither original nor practical. So it doesn't matter anyway. a reply to: Terpene

originally posted by: DeviantMortal
My idea would not require the material to be processed at all, with fission or fusion. Just suspended so it could emit EMR. That being said as 1947boomer pointed out my idea is neither original nor practical. So it doesn't matter anyway. a reply to: Terpene

But that requires one or the other type of reaction and Fusion is very hard to establish anyway. Uranium is sending out packets of energy neutrons that deteriorate the atoms nearby changing their Atomic number and therefore creating an element using the old atom and the energized piece from the lump of Uranium which will likely become one atom of Krypton and one of Barium. This is called Fission and occurs naturally. The H bomb of WW2 used a fission reaction.

a reply to: DeviantMortal
Betavoltaic works in this way. Electrons are emitted by an isotope of Tritium, or another beta decaying isotope and it hits a nearby doped semiconductor. Electrons flow in the circuit and are captured.

a reply to: DeviantMortal

You're getting electromagnetic and nuclear radiations confused.

No, some radioactive elements also give off EMR. And it's a moot point. Another user already pointed out that it is neither an original idea nor practical. a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

Yeah another user suggested I read up on radiovoltaic conversion and what your talking about was in the description. I see now why it's not done and that I was not the first to think of it. a reply to: machineintelligence

It was my very incomplete understanding that certain elements just gave off the EMR without having to be processed. And that "my idea" is pretty much just radiovoltaic conversion as another user already pointed out. a reply to: Justoneman

homer simpson is that you, so everyone goin to have lead lined panels? it would no longer need to be a panel on a roof just a stand alone box lol, what about the rain?

I feel like him right now! ::looks for a donut::

a reply to: MConnalley

Hey, not everyone on ATS has a degree in Chemistry. I am one. I also had a double major of Biology but am an Environmental Chemist who analyzes data for toxic pollution. My skills in Biology not near as sharp as you might imagine now that I concentrate on pollutants, but I do read and follow certain Biologic oriented data.

a reply to: DeviantMortal

My fusion fission comment was directed at PiratesCut

I did not express my self coherent enough... I see the wiki link brought you to the same conclusions

originally posted by: DeviantMortal
No, some radioactive elements also give off EMR. And it's a moot point. Another user already pointed out that it is neither an original idea nor practical. a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

Correct, it's not practical on large scales, though there are some scams going on now by companies trying to promote the idea it is practical...some of them claim to use nuclear waste as the source, and try to sell the idea as a win-win by finding a productive way to dispose of the waste, and use it to generate power for centuries via betavoltaic radiation. But when you dig into the technical details, what they suggest is not practical on large scales.

However betavoltaic batteries can be practical for some niche applications, like for example, if you need a very expensive and very long lasting low-power battery for satellite electronics or something. You can actually buy such batteries. Here is an old price list of batteries that use Tritium as the radioactive source. I suspect prices have come down since these but I don't know how much, but they still won't be cheap: