Laboratory for Micro- and Nanotechnology: Thermophotovoltaics

The principle of Thermophotovoltaics (TPV) is the conversion of heat into electricity. A combustion heated emitter produces electromagnetic radiation, which illuminates photocells. A selective filter transmits that part of the radiation with photon energies above the bandgap of the photocells and reflects the lower energy radiation back to the emitter.

For more details see the following PFD files:

• Electrical Power from Heat (English Version, 467kB)

• Strom aus Wärme (Deutsche Version, 468kB)

B. Bitnar, J.-C. Mayor, W. Durisch, A. Meyer, G. Palfinger, F. von Roth, H. Sigg, “Record electricity-to-gas power efficiency of a silicon solar cell based TPV system”, Thermophotovoltaic Generation of Electricity: Fifth Conf. on Thermophotovoltaic Gen. of Electr. (AIP Conf. Proc. 653) ed Coutts, Guazzoni, Luther (2003), pp. 18 - 28.

B. Bitnar, W. Durisch, A. Meyer, G. Palfinger, “New flexible photocell module for thermophotovoltaic applications”, Thermophotovoltaic Generation of Electricity: Fifth Conf. on Thermophotovoltaic Gen. of Electr. (AIP Conf. Proc. 653) ed Coutts, Guazzoni, Luther (2003), pp. 465 – 472.

G. Palfinger, B. Bitnar, W. Durisch, J.-C. Mayor, D. Grützmacher, J. Gobrecht, „Cost estimates of electricity from a TPV residential heating system“, Thermophotovoltaic Generation of Electricity: Fifth Conf. on Thermophotovoltaic Gen. of Electr. (AIP Conf. Proc. 653) ed Coutts, Guazzoni, Luther (2003), pp. 29 - 37.

W. Durisch, B. Bitnar, F. von Roth, G. Palfinger, “Small thermophotovoltaic prototype systems”, Thermophotovoltaic Generation of Electricity: Fifth Conf. on Thermophotovoltaic Gen. of Electr. (AIP Conf. Proc. 653) ed Coutts, Guazzoni, Luther (2003), pp. 71 – 78.

B. Bitnar, „Silicon-, germanium- and silicon/germanium photocells for TPV applications“, Semicond. Sci. Technol. 18 (2003), Special Ed. Thermophotovoltaics, pp. 221 - 227.

G. Palfinger, B. Bitnar, W. Durisch, J.-C. Mayor, D. Grützmacher, J. Gobrecht, „Cost estimate of electricity produced by TPV“, Semicond. Sci. Technol. 18 (2003), Special Ed. Thermophotovoltaics, pp. 254 – 261.

Funding

Paul Scherrer Institut
Kommission für Technologie und Innovation (KTI)