SBIR Phase I: High Efficiency Thermoelectric Converter

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在确定一种名为C-TEC的30%效率的发电机的可行性，该发电机用于集中式热电转换器。到目前为止，我们已经建造了18个工作原型，但还没有一个适合效率测量。C-TEC通过电解膜上的热再生浓度梯度直接发电，而不是半导体材料上的热梯度，这提供了像燃料电池一样的高效率，同时具有热电设备的低成本、低维护和长寿命。自20世纪80年代以来，福特和NASA一直在研究AMTEC，这是一种以前的集中式设备。研究论文使用了详细的理论模型和计算，表明这些设备的效率可能超过30%，但实际上，只实现了15%到19%的效率。一种新的设计，加上一种专有的高导电性电解液材料，可能会使低成本的C-TEC突破30%的效率障碍。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是开发低成本、高效率的发电机，这种发电机可以在各种应用中利用任何形式的热量运行。与发动机(汽油)、涡轮机(天然气)、燃料电池(氢)或太阳能电池(阳光)等需要高级特定燃料的其他技术相比，C-TEC发电机天生更具通用性。C-TEC无噪音、无活动部件、无需维护，是长期发电的理想之选。由microCHP(低于5千瓦电力的热电联合系统)提供的清洁、分布式电力可以在家庭中实现突破性的电气效率，并将成为电动汽车广泛采用的关键技术。以C-TEC为动力的电动汽车将使用国内天然气作为通往可再生能源的桥梁，减少对外国石油的依赖，以及与我们电网容量升级相关的巨额基础设施开发成本。其他技术也被提议作为微型热电联产的主要驱动力，包括燃料电池和发动机，但这些技术在成本和维护方面都存在不足。最终，C-TEC的成本和多功能性将提供经济优势，如快速收回投资，以推动新的清洁技术的采用。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is intended to establish the feasibility of a 30% efficient electric power generator called the C-TEC, for Concentration-mode Thermoelectric Converter. To date, we have built 18 working prototypes, but have none have been suitable for efficiency measurements. The C-TEC directly generates electricity from heat using a thermally regenerated concentration gradient across an electrolyte membrane, rather than a thermal gradient across a semiconductor material, which offers the potential for high efficiency like a fuel cell, with the low cost, maintenance and long life of a thermoelectric device. Ford and NASA have researched the AMTEC, a previous concentration-mode device, since the 1980s. Research papers have used detailed theoretical models and calculations to show the potential for greater than 30% efficiency for these devices, but in practice, only 15% to 19% efficiency has ever been realized. A new design, along with a proprietary, high conductivity electrolyte material, may allow the low cost C-TEC to break the 30% efficiency barrier. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be the development of low cost, high efficiency generators that can operate on any form of heat in a wide variety of applications. C-TEC generators are inherently more versatile than other technologies that require high-grade, specific fuels, such as engines (gasoline), turbines (natural gas), fuel cells (hydrogen), or solar cells (sunlight). The C-TEC makes no noise, has no moving parts and requires no maintenance, making it ideal for long-term power generation. Clean, distributed electricity provided by microCHP (Combined Heat and Power systems at less than 5 kW electrical power) enables breakthrough electrical efficiency in the home, and will be a critical technology for the widespread adoption of the electric car. The C-TEC-powered electric car will use domestic natural gas as a bridge to renewables, reducing dependence on foreign oil and massive infrastructure development costs associated with upgrades to our grid capacity. Other technologies have been proposed as prime drivers for microCHP, including fuel cells and engines, but these fall short in terms of cost and maintenance. Ultimately, the cost and versatility of the C-TEC will provide economic advantages such as fast payback to drive the adoption of new clean technologies.