Accession Number:

ADA379643

Title:

A Solar Thermophotovoltaic Electric Generator for Remote Power Applications

Descriptive Note:

Phase 2 Final rept. Dec 1996-Dec 1998

Corporate Author:

ESSENTIAL RESEARCH INC CLEVELAND OH

Personal Author(s):

• Fatemi, Navid S.

Report Date:

1998-12-14

Pagination or Media Count:

31.0

Abstract:

We have successfully demonstrated that a solar thermophotovoltaic TPV system with a SiC graybody emitter and the monolithic interconnected module device technology can be realized. A custom-designed solar cavity was made to house the SiC emitter and the MIM strings for testing in a Stirling dish solar concentrator. Five 1x1-cm MIMs, with a bandgap of 0.74 eV,were mounted on a specially designed water-cooled heatsink and were electrically connected in series to form a string. Two such strings were fabricated and tested, as well as high-performance 2x2-cm MIMs with a bandgap of 0.74 eV. Very high output power density values between 0.82 and 0.90 Wsq cm were observed for an average emitter temperature of 1501 K.

Descriptors:

• *SOLAR ENERGY
• *ELECTRIC POWER
• *PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
• *REMOTE SYSTEMS
• *THERMAL UTILIZATION
• ANTIMISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEMS
• GALLIUM ARSENIDES
• SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
• EMITTERS
• SILICON CARBIDES
• HEAT SINKS
• THERMOELECTRIC POWER GENERATION
• WATER COOLING
• SPACE BASED
• INDIUM ARSENIDES

Subject Categories:

• Electric Power Production and Distribution

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE