by Mr. S. Alfen Nishanth, 3rd Year Student, Sastra University
Need
NDB is green as it has no emission, it is inert to the environment, and does not require cobalt mining. NDB is a more energy-dense, longer-lasting, weather-independent alternative to traditional energy sources. The added values are lack of harmful by-products and recycling of nuclear waste. The technology has the potential to replace other energy sources such as gasoline and lithium-ion batteries, reducing their negative environmental impacts caused by emission and toxic metal waste products.
How it works ?
NDB uses nuclear generate power. The radioactive core is protected with multiple layers of diamonds. It involves technologies or devices such as Diamond Nuclear Voltaic (DNV) and Rapid Conversion from radiation to electricity, etc. DNV is a device consists of individual units of semiconductors connected together in a stack arrangement and fabricated to create a positive and negative contact surface similar to conventional batteries.
All radioactive isotopes produce high amount of heat energy. A single crystalline diamond in DNV unit and strategic placement of radioactive source between the DNV units prevents self-absorption of heat. NDB acts like a tiny generator. It produces energy from heat generated by radioactive decaying.
Advantages
Can be employed in Electric Vehicles, Aviation industry, fuel for space vehicles, smartphones, medical devices like pacemakers, hearing aids etc.
Disadvantages
Since it uses radioactive nuclear particles, it should be properly manufactured, cost will be high because of diamonds. It will require frequent maintenance for checking its proper functioning.