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Near-field thermophotovoltaics for efficient heat to electricity conversion at high power density

Engineering and Technology

Near-field thermophotovoltaics for efficient heat to electricity conversion at high power density

R. Mittapally, B. Lee, et al.

Discover groundbreaking advances in near-field thermophotovoltaics with record power densities reaching ~5 kW/m² and 6.8% efficiency, as researched by Rohith Mittapally and colleagues at the University of Michigan. This innovative study pushes the limits of thermal energy harvesting using cutting-edge emitters and custom PV cells.

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Playback language: English
Abstract
Near-field thermophotovoltaic (NFTPV) approaches, utilizing evanescent modes for energy conversion, offer potential for high power density and efficiency. This research demonstrates record power densities (~5 kW/m²) at 6.8% efficiency (electrical power output/radiative heat transfer) using novel, thermally robust emitters (up to 1270 K) positioned near (<100 nm) custom InGaAs thin-film PV cells. The study explores device performance across emitter temperatures (800-1270 K) and gap sizes (70 nm-7 µm), providing insights into near-field thermal energy harvesting.
Publisher
Nature Communications
Published On
Jul 16, 2021
Authors
Rohith Mittapally, Byungjun Lee, Linxiao Zhu, Amin Reihani, Ju Won Lim, Dejiu Fan, Stephen R. Forrest, Pramod Reddy, Edgar Meyhofer
Tags
thermophotovoltaics
energy conversion
power density
efficiency
thermal energy harvesting
InGaAs
evanescent modes

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