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Accuflect®; Reflectors in Thermophotovoltaics
Accuflect®; reflectors are used to improve the efficiency of the next
generation of thermophotovoltaic power sources being researched.
Thermophotovoltaic devices rely on semiconductors with band gaps small enough to
generate electricity when exposed to infrared radiation. Materials such as
germanium and various antimonides with band gaps on the order of 0.7electron
volts are being used to produce usable electric power from a 1000°C emitter.
A typical converter consists of a heated emitter that may be designed to emit
radiation unidirectionally and configured to minimize conductive, convective and
stray radiation energy losses. Various heating methods including joule, solar
and combustion are used to raise the emitter temperature high enough so the
radiative energy exceeds the bandgap of the semiconductor photovoltaic receiver.
The emitted radiation passes through a photonic crystal high pass filter.
Wavelengths with energy levels below the bandgap of the receiver are reflected
back to the emitter, those with usable energy levels are passed through the
crystal and fall on the semiconductor receiver where they generate an electrical
current.
Accuflect®; IR is used on the surrounding insulating structure to
reflect stray radiation away from the walls and back onto the emitter. The
material serves to reduce energy losses at the walls of the converter housing
and the reflected radiation falling on the emitter results in a recuperative
effect reducing the energy requirement to maintain the emitter temperature.
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