Thermophotovoltaics : shaping the flow of thermal radiation

This thesis explores the modeling, design, and optimization of photonic crystals as spectral control components for high-performance thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power conversion. In particular, we focus on the use of one-dimensional and two dimensional photonic crystals as optical filters and selective thermal emitters for thermophotovoltaic and micro-thermophotovoltaic (micro-TPV)) applications. In addition, we explore fundamental limitations of photonic crystal thermal emitters and provide new insights into the limiting power transfer mechanisms that are relevant for TPV, micro-TPV, lighting and sensor applications. Ideal thermodynamic models that capture dominant power transfer mechanism for TPV and micro-TPV case, are developed and used for the design, optimization and system performance estimation of TPV systems with photonic-crystals. Furthermore, we propose for the first time two new classes of narrow-band thermal emitters that use the resonant cavity effect. The first type of narrow-band thermal emitters rely on vertical-cavity to enhance the thermal emission of highly reflective materials (e.g metals). This class of emitters was named the vertical cavity enhanced resonant thermal emitter (VERTE).

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Čelanović, Ivan

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• John G. Kassakian.

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/37918

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/37918