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I Googled for "B-61 Mod 10 replacing radioisotopic thermoelectric generators" and I got this → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B61_nuclear_bomb https://en.wikipe

I Googled for "B-61 Mod 10 replacing radioisotopic thermoelectric generators" and I got this → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B61_nuclear_bomb https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B61_nuclear_bomb and upon further searching, this → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_generator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_generator I need to ask if thermoelectric generator was a part of the B61 nuclear bomb? Please explain.

ygra 8y ago
If so, I guess it'd be a valid way of ensuring the warhead still has power after a decade or two.
- kogepathic 8y ago
  Command and Control (by Eric Schlosser) is a great book if you're interested in the history of US nuclear weapons. According to the author, most warheads in the US arsenal are (or were) equipped with single-use thermal batteries that are activated during the firing sequence. Thermal batteries were originally developed by German scientists, but the concept was taken further in the 1950s when the US armed forces were looking for a more reliable and less maintenance intensive power source for their nuclear weapons once fired. [1] https://books.google.com/books?id=H0-CJckES44C&lpg=PT133&ots=gnciRBIpvi&dq=command%20and%20control%20thermal%20battery&pg=PT133#v=onepage&q=command%20and%20control%20thermal%20battery&f=false https://books.google.com/books?id=H0-CJckES44C&lpg=PT133&ots...
msravi 8y ago
You forgot "radioisotopic": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_ge...
- basicplus2 8y ago
  i wonder if this would be a good use of nuclear waste..
  - jessriedel 8y ago
    It's not. The material used for radioisotope thermoelectric generators needs to have the appropriate half-life (not too long so that it actually produces a useful amount of power per mass, not too short so that it's doesn't exhaust itself) and it needs to not produce destructive types of radiation (which will fry electronics in addition to killing people). The vast majority of nuclear waste doesn't have this property. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator#Fuels https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_ge... The closest thing to what you're looking for appears to be Americium-241, discussed in the above link, which apparently can be extracted from nuclear waste, but it's not a very good choice.
- godelmachine 8y ago
  You got me. I was confused as to how many PnC of search strings I had to create. Thanks for that :)
mcguire 8y ago
"Manufacturer Pantex Plant" Hey, those are from Amarillo! When I was about 20, I was out driving around and decided to see how fast my Oldsmobile could go, on a long, straight county road. Got up to about 110 and decided to slow down when I popped over a low hill and saw the road making a 90° right turn in front of a tall chain link fence with razor-wire on the top. I made the turn, but I assume emergency medical assistance would have arrived quickly---the fence was Pantex.
haloux 8y ago
Yes. Almost all of our nukes have some size/sort of RTG. What else do you want to know?

ygra 8y ago

If so, I guess it'd be a valid way of ensuring the warhead still has power after a decade or two.

kogepathic 8y ago
Command and Control (by Eric Schlosser) is a great book if you're interested in the history of US nuclear weapons. According to the author, most warheads in the US arsenal are (or were) equipped with single-use thermal batteries that are activated during the firing sequence. Thermal batteries were originally developed by German scientists, but the concept was taken further in the 1950s when the US armed forces were looking for a more reliable and less maintenance intensive power source for their nuclear weapons once fired. [1] https://books.google.com/books?id=H0-CJckES44C&lpg=PT133&ots=gnciRBIpvi&dq=command%20and%20control%20thermal%20battery&pg=PT133#v=onepage&q=command%20and%20control%20thermal%20battery&f=false https://books.google.com/books?id=H0-CJckES44C&lpg=PT133&ots...

msravi 8y ago

You forgot "radioisotopic": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_ge...

basicplus2 8y ago
i wonder if this would be a good use of nuclear waste..
- jessriedel 8y ago
  It's not. The material used for radioisotope thermoelectric generators needs to have the appropriate half-life (not too long so that it actually produces a useful amount of power per mass, not too short so that it's doesn't exhaust itself) and it needs to not produce destructive types of radiation (which will fry electronics in addition to killing people). The vast majority of nuclear waste doesn't have this property. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator#Fuels https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_ge... The closest thing to what you're looking for appears to be Americium-241, discussed in the above link, which apparently can be extracted from nuclear waste, but it's not a very good choice.
godelmachine 8y ago
You got me. I was confused as to how many PnC of search strings I had to create. Thanks for that :)

mcguire 8y ago

"Manufacturer Pantex Plant" Hey, those are from Amarillo! When I was about 20, I was out driving around and decided to see how fast my Oldsmobile could go, on a long, straight county road. Got up to about 110 and decided to slow down when I popped over a low hill and saw the road making a 90° right turn in front of a tall chain link fence with razor-wire on the top. I made the turn, but I assume emergency medical assistance would have arrived quickly---the fence was Pantex.

haloux 8y ago

Yes. Almost all of our nukes have some size/sort of RTG. What else do you want to know?