Performance of a mesoscale liquid fuel‐film combustion‐driven TPV power system

Abstract

Abstract Combustion‐driven thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems have obtained increasing attention in recent decades, but most studies have focused on developing narrowband photovoltaic cells and selective emitters. In terms of the heat source, conventional combustion configurations and light gaseous fuels are extensively utilized in macro‐ or meso‐scale TPV power systems to simplify thermal management and mechanical fabrication. As far as miniaturization is concerned, however, fuelling these systems with liquid hydrocarbons would provide inherent advantages of high energy density and low volatility. Liquid fuels also promise easy and safe fuel recharging for small‐scale power systems. In this paper, a central porous‐medium combustor was employed in a small scale TPV power system. The combustor incorporated an emitting chamber wall and a heat recuperator. The radiant efficiency and overall efficiency were compared using different liquid hydrocarbon fuels in the system. The electric output characteristics of the combustion driven TPV system have been investigated to demonstrate the feasibility of a GaSb cell‐based TPV power system and to provide design guidance for mesoscale liquid‐burning TPV systems. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Key findings

• ▸Radiant efficiency and overall efficiency were improved using liquid hydrocarbon fuels compared to conventional light gaseous fuels.
• ▸The system showed a high electric output with a GaSb cell-based TPV power system.
• ▸The use of liquid fuels in TPV systems offers advantages of high energy density and low volatility.

Keywords

Identifiers

DOI

10.1002/pip.877

Journal

Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications

Year

2008