Thermal energy can be used to drive a new type of electrical power supply. In a one-shot, destructive heating mode, the amount of electrical power release will be more than 45 megawatt/kg of pyroelectric sheet. Multiple-shot devices are possible with some reduction in this power density. The pyroelectric pulse supply offers several orders of magnitude improvement over conventional technology in power density, energy density and cost. The energy density of this source is over 500 times greater than high energy density capacitors, and 9 times greater than advanced lightweight homopolar generators. The phase i effort will demonstrate rapid electrical pulse extraction from a specific pyroelectric material.
