199 results about "Thermophotovoltaic" patented technology

A system and method for lower cost, high efficiency, thermophotovoltaic distributed generation includes: an emitter, a photovoltaic cell, and transient electrical energy storage.

This invention relates to the field of thermophotovoltaic (TPV) direct energy conversion. In particular, TPV systems use filters to minimize parasitic absorption of below bandgap energy. This invention constitutes a novel combination of front surface filters to increase TPV conversion efficiency by reflecting useless below bandgap energy while transmitting a very high percentage of the useful above bandgap energy. In particular, a frequency selective surface is used in combination with an interference filter. The frequency selective surface provides high transmission of above bandgap energy and high reflection of long wavelength below bandgap energy. The interference filter maintains high transmission of above bandgap energy and provides high reflection of short wavelength below bandgap energy and a sharp transition from high transmission to high reflection.

Novel articles and methods to fabricate the same resulting in flexible, {100}<100> or 45°-rotated {100}<100> oriented, semiconductor-based, electronic devices are disclosed. Potential applications of resulting articles are in areas of photovoltaic devices, flat-panel displays, thermophotovoltaic devices, ferroelectric devices, light emitting diode devices, computer hard disc drive devices, magnetoresistance based devices, photoluminescence based devices, non-volatile memory devices, dielectric devices, thermoelectric devices and quantum dot laser devices.

The invention provides a device for generating hydrogen by electrolyzing water by using a solar thermophotovoltaic system and belongs to the technical field of solar utilization and hydrogen production by electrolysis. The device consists of two main parts: an improved solar thermophotovoltaic system and a water electrolysis-based hydrogen generation system. The improved solar thermophotovoltaic system has higher conversion efficiency and high output power than a system based on common photovoltaic technology and can provide sufficient current power supply for a water electrolysis-based hydrogen generation device. The device uses the power generated by the system in hydrogen generation by electrolysis, the hydrogen is stored, and thus, the problem that the output of the photovoltaic power generator varies with the change of weather and the alternation of day and night. In addition, the cooling of a photovoltaic cell in the device is liquid cooling, the aqueous solution for electrolysis is preheated before being introduced into an electrolytic cell, the power consumption in an electrolysis process is reduced, and thus, the solar utilization rate is further improved.

An MTPV thermophotovoltaic chip comprising a photovoltaic cell substrate, micron/sub-micron gap-spaced from a juxtaposed heat or infrared radiation-emitting substrate, with a radiation-transparent intermediate window substrate preferably compliantly adhered to the photovoltaic cell substrate and bounding the gap space therewith.

The invention discloses a split type flat-plate solar photothermal and photovoltaic system, and belongs to the technical field of water heating equipment. The system comprises a solar photovoltaic generation component, a flat-plate solar thermal collector, an adjustment controller, a storage battery, an inverter, a power supply control cabinet, a controller, a water tank and a circulating pump, wherein the solar photovoltaic generation component is connected with one end of the flat-plate solar thermal collector; the flat-plate solar thermal collector is provided with a pipe type heat absorber; a water inlet and a water outlet of the pipe type heat absorber are connected with the water tank; the adjustment controller is connected with the inverter; the inverter is connected with the power supply control cabinet; the power supply control cabinet is connected with the controller; the storage battery is connected with the adjustment controller; an electric heater is arranged in the water tank and is in electrical connection with the controller; the water tank is provided with a tank upper water level sensor and a lower water level sensor; and the circulating pump is arranged on a pipeline and is in electrical connection with the controller through a circuit. The invention has the advantages that the system avoids light influence, and meets requirements of the water tank for continuous water supply.

A cascaded photovoltaic/thermophotovoltaic energy conversion apparatus, a cascaded thermophotovoltaic energy conversion apparatus, and a method for forming the apparatuses are provided. The cascaded photovoltaic/thermophotovoltauc apparatus includes a photovoltaic device that receives solar radiation on an upper surface thereof and produces a first electric current output and a thermal radiation output, and a thermophotovoltaic device disposed a predetermined distance below a lower surface of the photovoltaic device, the thermophotovoltaic device receiving the thermal radiation output and converting the received thermal radiation output into a second electric current output. The cascaded thermophotovoltaic apparatus includes a radiator maintained at constant temperature via an external heat input on its upper surface and produces a thermal radiation output, and a thermophotovoltaic device disposed a predetermined distance below a lower surface of the radiator, the thermophotovoltaic device receiving the thermal radiation output and converting the received thermal radiation output into a first electric current output.

The invention belongs to the field of micro-power electromechanical systems (MEMS), particularly relates to a micro parallel plate burner with a preheating channel. The micro parallel plate burner with a preheating channel consists of a parallel plate burning chamber, a preheating channel and a quartz shade, which are arranged from inside to outside, wherein the upper half section of the parallel plate burner is an oxy-hydrogen premixing zone; and the quartz shade is double-layered and internally vacuumized. Fuels and oxidant can be preheated before being mixed by the preheating channel, thereby more stable burning is realized; and the double-layered vacuumized quartz shade not only can make most of photons generated on the radiation surface of the burner pass through, but also play a heat insulation role, so that the whole transformation efficiency and the working performance of micro thermophotovoltaic systems are greatly improved.

The invention relates to a micro-nano light trap honeycomb energy storage composite power generation device which comprises two types: a laser type micro-nano light trap honeycomb energy storage composite power generation device and a solar concentration type micro-nano light trap honeycomb energy storage composite power generation device, wherein the laser type micro-nano light trap honeycomb energy storage composite power generation device implements composite power generation by use of laser for wireless transmission of energy; the laser type micro-nano light trap honeycomb energy storage composite power generation device comprises a laser part, a micro-nano light trap honeycomb energy storage part, a thermal battery part, a thermal energy power generation part and an intelligent controller; and the micro-nano light trap honeycomb energy storage part can generate a light trap effect as well as absorb laser or solar concentration and store and convert the energy transmitted by laser or solar concentration, and can transmit and provide work energy to the thermal battery part and the thermal energy power generation part respectively in the daytime or at night. The device can outward output comprehensive electric quantity generated by thermophotovoltaic power generation and thermal energy power generation.

A thermophotovoltaic device (10) includes an energy source (12) compatible with thermophotovoltaic cells and thermophotovoltaic cells (14). A filter (16), adapted to filter out long wavelength energy, is positioned between the energy source (12) and the thermophotovoltaic cells (14). The filter (16) has dual walls (30 &32) with a low conductivity space (34) between the walls (30 &32) which is adapted to break the convection heat transfer path from the energy source (12) to the thermophotovoltaic cells (14).

This disclosure generally relates to a hybrid solid-state propulsion system for aerial vehicles. The hybrid propulsion system includes a combustor, a thermophotovoltaic generator, and a thermoelectric generator. The combustor burns a chemical based fuel to produce radiation and heat that are converted into electricity used to power the aerial vehicle. The thermophotovoltaic generator is positioned to receive radiation and remnant heat generated by flames in the combustor while the thermoelectric generator receives heat from exhausted flue gases from the combustor.

Metallic thermal emitters consisting of two layers of differently structured nickel gratings on a homogeneous nickel layer are fabricated by soft lithography and studied for polarized thermal radiation. A thermal emitter in combination with a sub-wavelength grating shows a high extinction ratio, with a maximum value close to 5, in a wide mid-infrared range from 3.2 to 7.8 μm, as well as high emissivity up to 0.65 at a wavelength of 3.7 μm. All measurements show good agreement with theoretical predictions. Numerical simulations reveal that a high electric field exists within the localized air space surrounded by the gratings and the intensified electric-field is only observed for the polarizations perpendicular to the top sub-wavelength grating. This result suggests how the emissivity of a metal can be selectively enhanced at a certain range of wavelengths for a given polarization.

The invention discloses an electric heating type universal thermophotovoltaic system, which comprises a support frame, a heat insulation gasket, a heating pipe, a heat radiator, a filter, a thermophotovoltaic cell, a radiator, heat insulation sealing covers and a temperature control device, wherein the support frame is arranged beneath, the heating pipe is arranged at the center above the support frame, the heat radiator, the filter, the thermophotovoltaic cell and the radiator are respectively and sequentially arranged around the heating pipe from the interior to the exterior in an axial way, the heat insulation sealing covers are arranged in the inner side of the radiator and above the heating pipe, the heat radiator, the filter and the thermophotovoltaic cell, the heat insulating gasket is arranged between the heating pipe and the support frame, and the temperature control device is connected with the heating pipe and the heat radiator. The electric heating type universal thermophotovoltaic system has the advantages that the conversion efficiency and the output power are high, the recovery and utilization efficiency of energy is improved, and the system can be directly suitable for any heat source.