Demonstration of a candle powered radio using GaSb thermophotovoltaic cells

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1996 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.49682· OSTI ID:285292

Williams, D J; Fraas, L M ^[1]

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1. JX Crystals Inc., 1105 12th Ave NW, Suite A2, Issaquah, Washington 98027 (United States)

We have discovered that the flame from a single candle when surrounded by a bracelet-sized ring of GaSb cells can provide enough power to operate a transistor radio. Spectral measurements of the flame show that a large fraction of the flame energy is in the infrared in a blackbody-like emission band centered at 1.3 microns. GaSb cells capture infrared energy out to 1.7 microns, providing enough energy to power the radio. Traditional silicon solar cells only capture energy out to 1.1 microns and produce less than 30{percent} of the power of GaSb cells, which is not enough to operate the radio. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 285292
• Report Number(s): CONF-9507247-; ISSN 0094-243X; TRN: 9610M0194
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 358, Issue 1; Conference: 2. NREL conference on thermophotovoltaic generation of electricity, Colorado Springs, CO (United States), Jul 1995; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
THERMOPHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
GALLIUM ANTIMONIDES
HEAT SOURCES
INFRARED RADIATION
BLACKBODY RADIATION
SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE
RADIO EQUIPMENT