Conceptual design and performance analysis of concentrated solar‐driven TIC/AMTEC/TEG hybrid system

• Published in: International journal of energy research Vol. 42; no. 15; pp. 4674 - 4686
• Main Authors: Wu, Shuang‐Ying, Zhang, Yi‐Chen, Xiao, Lan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bognor Regis John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.12.2018
• Subjects: alkali metal thermal electric converter (AMTEC); Alkali metals; AMTEC (converter); Area; Conceptual design; Conversion; Current density; Electrodes; Emitters; Energy conservation law; hybrid system; Hybrid systems; Parameters; parametric analysis; Parametric statistics; performance evaluation; thermionic converter (TIC); Thermionic converters; thermoelectric generator (TEG); Thermoelectric generators; Thermoelectricity
• DOI: 10.1002/er.4209
• ISSN: 0363-907X

Summary Three kinds of static thermal to electrical conversion devices thermionic converter (TIC), alkali metal thermal electric converter (AMTEC), and thermoelectric generator (TEG) are incorporated into a novel thermoelectric hybrid system‐TIC/AMTEC/TEG hybrid system, driven by concentrated solar. To evaluate the performance of concentrated solar‐driven TIC/AMTEC/TEG hybrid system accurately, a comprehensive theoretical model based on the first law of thermodynamics has been established for the first time. The effects of load parameters (voltage output of TIC subsystem V1, electrode current density of AMTEC subsystem J2, dimensionless current of TEG subsystem i) and dimensionless geometric parameters (the ratio of total electrode area of AMTEC subsystem to emitter area of TIC subsystem r, the ratio of TEG subsystem area to total electrode area of AMTEC subsystem c) on the conversion efficiency of TIC/AMTEC/TEG hybrid system (ηALL) were discussed. Furthermore, in order to demonstrate the contribution of the hybrid system, the comparisons with two‐stage hybrid systems and subsystems were explored. The results show that both V1 and i make a positive effect on ηALL; however, V1 is of greater importance for ηALL. ηALL increases first and then decreases under the influence of J2 and r. Smaller c can sometimes achieve better ηALL. The comparison results reveal that the TIC/AMTEC/TEG hybrid system is outstanding in most cases.