Exploratory research on natural gas-fired thermophotovoltaic systems. Final report, March 1987-April 1988

Technical Report · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6847908

Parent, C R; Nelson, R E; Olow, J S

The maximum practical efficiency that can be obtained with a natural gas-fired, heat-recirculating, thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system was assessed. The technology uses a fibrous ytterbia ceramic emitter to convert fuel energy into radiant energy and silicon photovoltaic cells to convert radiant energy into electrical energy. The effect of recuperatively preheating combustion air was determined with apparatus consisting of an electric resistance heater capable of heating the combustion air stream to 600 C and a rapid-mixing burner to support combustion on the emitter with elevated temperature air. Efficiency was also calculated with a model which assumed thermal equilibrium between the emitter and the gas stream at the emitter. Agreement with experiment for combustion air temperatures up to 600 C was fair. Calculations for a combustion air temperature of 1300 C, the maximum one might obtain with a ceramic heat exchanger, indicated a maximum system conversion efficiency of 14%.

• Research Organization: TPV Energy Systems, Inc., Waltham, MA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6847908
• Report Number(s): PB-88-236799/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
034000 -- Natural Gas-- Combustion
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300800* -- Direct Energy Conversion-- Miscellaneous Converters
BURNERS
CONVERSION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOCUMENT TYPES
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
ENERGY RECOVERY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS BURNERS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HEAT RECOVERY
HEATING SYSTEMS
METALS
NATURAL GAS
PROGRESS REPORT
RARE EARTHS
RECOVERY
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
THERMOPHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERTERS
YTTERBIUM