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Design of an all-day electrical power generator based on thermoradiative devices

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Abstract

Energy harvesting from sun and outer space using thermoradiative devices (TRDs), despite being promising renewable energy sources, is limited only to daytime and nighttime period, respectively. Such a system with 24-hour continuous electric power generation remains an open question thus far. Here, a TRD-based power generator that harvests solar energy via concentrated solar irradiation during daytime and via thermal infrared emission towards the outer space at nighttime is proposed, thus achieving the much sought-after 24-hour electrical power generation. Correspondingly, a rigorous thermodynamical model is developed to investigate the all-day performance characteristics, parametric optimum design, and the role of various energy loss mechanisms. The calculated results predict that the daytime TRD-based system yields a peak efficiency of 12.6% under 10 suns, thus significantly outperforming the state-of-art record-setting solar thermoelectric generator. This work reveals the potential of TRD towards 24-hour electricity generation and future renewable energy technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China

    Xin Zhang, GuoFeng Yang & MengQi Yan

  2. Science, Mathematics and Technology, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore, 487372, Singapore

    Lay Kee Ang & Yee Sin Ang

  3. Department of Physics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China

    JinCan Chen

Authors
  1. Xin Zhang
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  2. GuoFeng Yang
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  3. MengQi Yan
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  4. Lay Kee Ang
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  5. Yee Sin Ang
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  6. JinCan Chen
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Yee Sin Ang or JinCan Chen.

Additional information

This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (Grant No. JUSRP121049) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 12075197). The Authors acknowledge the insightful suggestions from the anonymous reviewer(s).

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Zhang, X., Yang, G., Yan, M. et al. Design of an all-day electrical power generator based on thermoradiative devices. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 64, 2166–2173 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-021-1873-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-021-1873-9

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