Fission Piles

For clarity, please note I have invented this, it is all fiction in what I call fi-sics, apart from the initial historical note.

History

A fission pile as currently known, is literally a pile of fissile material. On top of that generally is a pile of insulation material that absorbs radiation. The heat is used to make electricity.

Fi-Sics

The fission pile is a pair of fissile cans, each generating a charge. They were named cans as they look like traditional tin cans that stored food. To work, one can generates a positive charge and is traditionally at the top, while the other generates a negative charge.

They were designed to power combat suits but the utility has led to them to become like super batteries, acting as a base power source for ships systems and initiating fusion engines.

The core of a can is a fissile element. Although any can be used, plutonium is used as a pure alpha emitter, generating a positive charge with strontium used as a beta emitter, generating a negative charge.

The cores are entirely surrounded by Superamic which entirely contains all material including the fissile products.  Entirely surrounding that is copper which can hold a charge. There is a switch, which can only be moved by magnets, which rotates away a Superamic plug replacing it with a copper plug. The copper absorbs the high energy charge and offers a regular electrical charge. If the switch is closed, the charge is earthed and the metal cooled, then a can can be handled by hand. Even though it is an alive can, it would be safe.

Only Combat Suits have their own pile, which is contained in a Superamic bump along the spine. Over that is armour.