Improved Design of a Thermophotovoltaic Device

摘要

In this article, we further study the parametric optimum design of a far-field thermophotovoltaic device (FTPD) that consists of a radiator and a photovoltaic (PV) cell. These two basic components are made of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and narrowband semiconductor, respectively. The irreversible radiative and nonradiative recombination losses within the PV cell are considered. Expressions for the power density and energy conversion efficiency of the FTPD are given. The maximum power density and efficiency of the FTPD are calculated numerically for the given output voltage and the thickness of the PV cell. Making tradeoffs between the power density and the efficiency, the optimum regions of some key performance parameters are provided. The optimum operating conditions of FTPDs for three different semiconductors are presented. The effects of the radiator temperature on the optimum performances of FTPDs are discussed. The results may provide optimal design strategies for the practical manufacture of FTPDs.