Selective-Spectrum Thermophotovoltaics for Primary Power Generation and Energy Harvesting

非技术：自19世纪以来，发电的方式基本相同。热量被用来烧开水来产生蒸汽，蒸汽带动涡轮机，涡轮机带动发电机。每一个阶段都会导致热量和能量损失的效率低下，以及运动部件的损坏和需要更换。热光伏电池（TPVs）是一种新型的设备，可以减少或消除这些低效率。它们类似于我们更熟悉的太阳能电池，后者被广泛用于发电。太阳能电池主要吸收可见光，而TPV电池吸收红外光（辐射热）。它们可以潜在地用于从任何热源产生电力，而不需要移动部件或产生热电之间的任何阶段。该项目将开发TPV发电系统的每个主要组件，以使该技术实现。一旦实现，这些TPV发电机可用于提高现有能源转换技术（天然气、煤炭、核能和太阳能热）的效率，并允许从炉子和发动机等热源收集废热。甚至有可能用人体自身的热量为植入的医疗设备供电，比如起搏器。技术：热光伏（TPV）系统与太阳能（光伏，PV）电池相似，它们通过光伏效应起作用。入射光促进电荷载流子穿过带隙，这些载流子被光电二极管的内置电压驱动分开。这些载流子变成电流。然而，PV电池主要吸收可见光，而TPV电池主要在红外线中起作用，并包括额外的“主机机器”，由三个主要组件组成：1)频率选择发射器；2)过滤器；3) TPV光电二极管。这些元素结合在一起，创造了一个高效的能量转换过程。在这项工作中，我们正在解决三个组件中每个组件的重大挑战：1)频率选择发射器在高温下不能很好地工作，所以我们正在使用新的材料来解决这个问题；2)单独的滤波器效率较低，因此我们将它们合并到光电二极管中；3) TPV光电二极管在较长的波长（即较小的带隙）下不能很好地工作，因此我们正在使用新的材料和器件结构来延长工作波长。总的来说，如果成功的话，这些TPV装置将使一系列新的技术应用成为可能。它们将提高效率，减少大量设备产生的废热；包括民用和海军核电站、计算机芯片、汽车发动机和许多工业过程。甚至有可能用自己的体温为植入的医疗设备（如起搏器和神经植入物）供电。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Nontechnical:Electricity has been generated in largely the same way since the 1800s. Heat is used to boil water to make steam, the steam turns a turbine, and the turbine turns an electrical generator. Each of those stages introduces inefficiencies of lost heat and energy as well as moving parts that break and need to be replaced. Thermophotovoltaic cells (TPVs) are a new type of device that can reduce or eliminate some of these inefficiencies. They are similar to the more familiar solar cells that are widely used to generate electricity. Whereas solar cells primarily absorb visible light, TPV cells absorb infrared light (radiated heat). They can potentially be used to generate electrical power from any heat source, without moving parts or any of the stages between generating heat and electricity. This project will develop each of the primary components of the TPV generator system to bring this technology to fruition. Once realized, these TPV generators can be used to improve the efficiency of existing energy conversion technologies (natural gas, coal, nuclear, and solar thermal) and allow for the harvesting of waste heat from heat source such as furnaces and engines. It may even be possible to power implanted medical devices like pacemakers with one's own body heat.Technical:Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems are similar to solar (photovoltaic, PV) cells in that they function through the photovoltaic effect. Incident light promotes charge carriers across the bandgap, which are driven apart by the built in voltage of the photodiode. These carriers become electrical current. However, whereas PV cells absorb primarily visible light, TPV cells function primarily in the infrared and include additional "host machinery," consisting of three primary components: 1) a frequency-selective emitter; 2) a filter; and 3) a TPV photodiode. These elements are combined to create a highly efficient energy conversion process. In this work, we are addressing the significant challenges in each of the three components 1) frequency-selective emitters do not function well at higher temperatures, so we are employing new materials that will solve that problem; 2) filters that are separate are less efficient, so we are incorporating them into the photodiode; and 3) TPV photodiodes do not work well at longer wavelengths (i.e. smaller bandgaps), so we are using new materials and device structures to extend the operational wavelength. In general, if successful, these TPV devices will make possible a new array of technological applications. They will increase the efficiency and reduce the waste heat from a multitude of devices; including, civilian and naval nuclear power plants, computer chips, car engines, and many industrial processes. It may even be possible to power implanted medical devices (e.g. pacemakers, and neural implants) with one's own body heat.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.