Palm Size Micron-gap ThermoPhoto Voltaic (MTPV) Energy Converter

摘要

The goal of this project was to demonstrate that enhanced photovoltaic cell output can be achieved as a function of the physical gap between emitter and receiver in a Micron-gap ThermoPhotoVoltaic (MTPV) system. This was successfully demonstrated. Test specimen assemblies were first built for small gap MTPV testing. Tests were then performed with 0.2 micron gap heater chips on InGaAs photovoltaic cells provided by Dave Wilt of NASA Glenn. Small gap (down) and large gap (up) experiments at 300 deg C, 400 deg C, and 500 deg C were performed. Measurements with 0.2 micron gap heater chips were also made with 0.74 eV GaSb photovoltaic cells supplied by EdTek. In all conditions greater than 100% enhancement was measured. In both small gap ('DOWN') and large gap ('UP') positions heater power was shut off and the short circuit currents did not shut off but thermally decayed demonstrating that the short circuit current enhancement demonstrated were not artifacts of the heater electrical power.