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

Authors

  • Deo Angelo T. Gealone Applied Physics Department, Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology
  • Marc Julian Tejada Applied Physics Department, Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology
  • Pierce Cogie M. Acosta Applied Physics Department, Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology
  • Joshua C. Julia Applied Physics Department, Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology
  • Frederick C. Hila Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Nuclear Research Institute
  • Raymund B. Bolalin Applied Physics Department, Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology

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.

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Published

2025-06-18

Issue

2025: Proceedings of the 43rd Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas Physics Conference

Section

High Energy and Nuclear Physics

License

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Upon acceptance of their manuscript, the Authors further agree to grant SPP the non-exclusive, worldwide, and royalty-free rights to record, edit, copy, reproduce, publish, distribute, and use all or part of the manuscript for any purpose, in any media now existing or developed in the future, either individually or as part of a collection.
All other associated economic and moral rights as granted by the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines are maintained by the Authors.

How to Cite

[1]
“Thermoelectric analysis of Americium-241 fuel forms with lead telluride using OpenFOAM and Fusion 360”, Proc. SPP, vol. 43, no. 1, pp. SPP–2025, Jun. 2025, Accessed: Mar. 31, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://proceedings.spp-online.org/article/view/SPP-2025-2B-01