A thermally efficient micro-reactor for thermophotovoltaic power generation

Hydrocarbon fuels exhibit very high energy densities, and micro-generators converting the stored chemical energy into electrical power are interesting alternatives to batteries in certain applications. The increasing demands in power and total energy delivered to portable consumer electronics such as laptops, and to military equipment that most soldiers carry with them today, open up opportunities for the miniaturization of different energy conversion technologies. A thermally efficient MEMS (micro electro mechanical systems) suspended micro-reactor (SpRE) for thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power generation has been designed and fabricated. In TPV systems, photocells convert radiation from a combustion-heated emitter, into electrical power. TPV is an indirect conversion scheme that goes through the thermal domain and therefore does not exhibit very high efficiencies. However. because of its simple structure and because the combustor and photocell fabrication processes do not need to be integrated, the system is simpler to micro-fabricate than other generator types, such as thermoelectric systems and fuel cells. It is also a mechanically passive device that is virtually noiseless and less subject to wear than engines and turbines.

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

• Nielsen, Ole Mattis, 1977-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Martin A. Schmidt and Klavs F. Jensen.

• 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/1721.1/38305
• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Identifier URI

http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/38305

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/38305