Title :
A new cascade-type heat conversion system
Author_Institution :
Twenty-First Century Power Co., Northridge, CA, USA
Abstract :
Various heat conversion systems have different operating temperatures. This paper shows how, in a solar energy system, some of the waste heat from a thermophotovoltaic arrangement can be made to operate a thermionic power generator. The waste heat of the thermionic power generator can then be made to operate an alkali-metal thermal electric converter, and the waste heat from the alkali-metal thermal electric converter as well as the rest of the waste heat of the thermophotovoltaic system can be made to operate a methane reformation system. Stored heat from the methane reformation system can be made to operate the system at night. The overall system efficiency of the example shown is 42.6%. As a prime source of heat, a nuclear pile or burning hydrogen may be used
Keywords :
solar absorber-convertors; solar cells; thermal energy storage; thermionic conversion; thermoelectric conversion; thermoelectric power; 42.6 percent; alkali-metal thermal electric converter; cascade-type heat conversion system; heat storage; methane reformation system; thermionic power generator; thermophotovoltaic system; waste heat; waste heat utilisation; Circuits; Hydrogen; Power generation; Solar energy; Solar heating; Solar power generation; Temperature; Thermoelectricity; Tungsten; Waste heat;
Conference_Titel :
Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, 1996. IECEC 96., Proceedings of the 31st Intersociety
Conference_Location :
Washington, DC
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-3547-3
DOI :
10.1109/IECEC.1996.553824
