SBIR Phase I: Developing Ultrahigh-Efficiency Thermal-to-Electric Energy Conversion Technique for Harvesting Geothermal Energy

SBIR 第一阶段：开发用于收集地热能的超高效率热能到电能的转换技术

• 批准号: 1045681
• 负责人: Yeshaya Koblick
• 金额: $ 14.93万
• 依托单位: Thermocreek Corporation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-01-01 至 2011-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1045681&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Developing; Ultrahigh; Efficiency

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop a novel technique using nanoporous materials to harvest energy from low-grade heat. Because of their ultra-large surface areas (100-2000 m2/g), nanoporous materials can absorb a large number of ions when immersed in electrolyte solutions. This capacitive effect is thermally dependent. If two nanoporous electrodes are placed at different temperatures, they confine different amounts of ions, generating a net voltage difference. The thermally driven ion motion causes a transient current, which can be reactivated through temperature fluctuation, position shifting, or internal grounding. The two electrodes (high and low temperature poles) are isolated; that is, the direct heat loss between them is minimized. Experimental data has shown encouraging results: the output voltage/power and the energy conversion efficiency are higher than that of conventional thermoelectric materials by orders of magnitude. The goal of this project is to develop a commercial-ready high-performance thermal energy harvesting system that is cost effective and highly efficient. Studies will characterize performance at low temperature differences of 40 to 200 degrees centigrade, including charging/discharging reliability, and material and system costs will be gauged.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be a new scalable method to convert waste heat to electrical energy. The system will be optimized for operation at low temperature differences (less than 200 deg. C), which will allow operation, for example, in the thermal regime of common turbine generators. The development of a high-efficiency energy harvester will enable the push to harvest waste energy from this and other low-temperature waste heat sources. This project will also explore converting automotive, solar thermal, and other waste heat that involves temperature fluctuations. This will in turn have a significant social impact by reducing greenhouse gas emission and the use of fossil fuels.

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将开发一种利用纳米多孔材料从低品位热量中收集能量的新技术。纳米多孔材料由于其超大表面积（100- 2000m2 /g），在浸泡在电解质溶液中时可以吸收大量离子。这种电容效应是热相关的。如果将两个纳米孔电极置于不同的温度下，它们就会限制不同数量的离子，从而产生净电压差。热驱动离子运动产生瞬态电流，该电流可通过温度波动、位置移动或内部接地重新激活。两个电极（高低温极）是隔离的；也就是说，它们之间的直接热损失是最小的。实验数据显示了令人鼓舞的结果：输出电压/功率和能量转换效率比传统热电材料提高了几个数量级。该项目的目标是开发一种具有成本效益和高效率的商用高性能热能收集系统。研究将描述在40至200摄氏度的低温差异下的性能，包括充电/放电可靠性，以及材料和系统成本。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是一种可扩展的将废热转化为电能的新方法。该系统将被优化为在低温差（小于200摄氏度）下运行，这将允许在普通涡轮发电机的热状态下运行。高效能量收集器的开发将推动从这种和其他低温废热源中收集废能。该项目还将探索转换汽车、太阳能热能和其他涉及温度波动的废热。这将通过减少温室气体排放和化石燃料的使用而产生重大的社会影响。