FURI | Spring 2020

Measurement of High-Temperature Thermophotovoltaic Energy Conversion

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) energy conversion is seen as a viable option for efficiently converting heat to electrical energy. A thermal source heats a selective emitter, which in turn releases narrowband thermal radiation above the cell bandgap. This radiation is then absorbed by a TPV cell and converted to usable electricity. This project seeks to develop a high-temperature heater capable of maintaining a temperature of 1000°C, to greatly increase the conversion efficiency. The heater will be machined and integrated into the existing TPV system, and experiments will be conducted to evaluate the efficiency at this high emitter temperature.