Thermoelectric analysis of Americium-241 fuel forms with lead telluride using OpenFOAM and Fusion 360

Abstract

This study investigates the thermoelectric performance of Americium-241 fuel forms, specifically AmO₂ and Am₂O₃, coupled with lead telluride in a Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) designed from the five-watt SNAP-7 model. Using Fusion 360 for thermal simulations and OpenFOAM for thermoelectric analysis, temperature distributions, Seebeck coefficients, and Seebeck Effect were evaluated at 300 K to 1000 K. Results indicate that AmO₂ generates a higher voltage at lower temperatures but exhibits degraded performance with increasing heat. Conversely, Am₂O₃ demonstrates stable thermoelectric behavior across a wide temperature range, with more uniform heat distribution and higher Seebeck coefficients (e.g., 278.85 μV/K vs. 272.76 μV/K at 300 K). These findings suggest that Am₂O₃ is a more suitable fuel form for long-term RTG applications, offering enhanced efficiency and reliability for deep-space and remote terrestrial power systems.