Small, Efficient Thermophotovoltaic Power Supply

Abstract

The objective of this contract is to design and build a small, lightweight, stand-alone thermophotovoltaic electric generator, capable of at least 100 Watts useful output for charging 24V batteries. The prototype generator built consists of a pre-mixed burner, a cylindrical selective emitter mantle surrounded by six silicon photovoltaic concentrator arrays. The arrays are cooled with forced-air heat exchangers using self-powered fans. The generator, operated at 117,00 W (40,000 BTU/hr) of fuel input rate, produces 122 W of electrical power at 1.0% of efficiency. The cooling and pre-mix fans consume 35 W of electrical power resulting in a net 85 Watts of electrical output for charging batteries. The generator's output is capable of continuous charging five 12/24V batteries over 10 hours with a 9.07 Kg (20 lbs.) of propane gas.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 23, 1999
Accession Number
ADA365093

Entities

People

  • Ajay J. Prasad
  • Dale Osborn
  • Kevin C. Chen
  • Pedro A. Sarmiento
  • Sunil Earath

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Battery Chargers
  • Combustion
  • Combustion Products
  • Electric Power
  • Energy
  • Fabrication
  • Generators
  • Grain Size
  • Heat Exchangers
  • Heat Transfer
  • Manufacturing
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Measurement
  • Mechanical Working
  • Mechanics
  • Thermal Resistance

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Solar Photovoltaics and Thermoelectric Devices.