Thermoelectric Oxide Modules (TOMs) for the Direct Conversion of Simulated Solar Radiation into Electrical Energy

DOI Web Site 1 Citations
  • Petr Tomeš
    Solid State Chemistry and Catalysis, EMPA, 8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland
  • Matthias Trottmann
    Solid State Chemistry and Catalysis, EMPA, 8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland
  • Clemens Suter
    Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
  • Myriam Heidi Aguirre
    Solid State Chemistry and Catalysis, EMPA, 8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland
  • Aldo Steinfeld
    Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
  • Philipp Haueter
    Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
  • Anke Weidenkaff
    Solid State Chemistry and Catalysis, EMPA, 8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland

Description

<jats:p>The direct conversion of concentrated high temperature solar heat into electrical energy was demonstrated with a series of four–leg thermoelectric oxide modules (TOM). These temperature stable modules were not yet optimized for high efficiency conversion, but served as proof-of-principle for high temperature conversion. They were constructed by connecting two p- (La1.98Sr0.02CuO4) and two n-type (CaMn0.98Nb0.02O3) thermoelements electrically in series and thermally in parallel. The temperature gradient ΔT was applied by a High–Flux Solar Simulator source (HFSS) which generates a spectrum similar to solar radiation. The influence of the graphite layer coated on the hot side of the Al2O3 substrate compared to the uncoated surface on ΔT, Pmax and η was studied in detail. The measurements show an almost linear temperature profile along the thermoelectric legs. The maximum output power of 88.8 mW was reached for a TOM with leg length of 5 mm at ΔT = 622 K. The highest conversion efficiency η was found for a heat flux of 4–8 W cm-2 and the dependence of η on the leg length was investigated.</jats:p>

Journal

  • Materials

    Materials 3 (4), 2801-2814, 2010-04-15

    MDPI AG

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