Development of a novel cascading TPV and TE power generation system

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells can convert infrared radiation into electricity. They open up possibilities for silent and stand-alone power production in fuel-fired heating equipment. Similarly, thermoelectric (TE) devices convert thermal energy directly into electricity with no moving parts. However, TE devices have relatively low efficiency for electric power generation. In this study, the concept of cascading TPV and TE power generation was developed where the used heat stream is taken from the TPV and applied to the input of a TE converter. A prototype cascading TPV and TE generation system was built and tested. GaSb TPV cells and an integrated semiconductor TE converter were used in the cascading power system. The electric output characteristics of the TPV cells and the TE converter have been investigated in the power generation system at various operating conditions. Experimental results show that the cascading power generation is feasible and has the potential for certain applications.