Review on the conversion of thermoacoustic power into electricity
TL;DR: A review of the four main methods to convert the (thermo)acoustic power into electricity is provided in this article, focusing on possible configurations, operating characteristics, output performance, and analytical and numerical methods to study the devices.
Abstract: Thermoacoustic engines convert heat energy into high amplitude acoustic waves and subsequently into electric power. This article provides a review of the four main methods to convert the (thermo)acoustic power into electricity. First, loudspeakers and linear alternators are discussed in a section on electromagnetic devices. This is followed by sections on piezoelectric transducers, magnetohydrodynamic generators, and bidirectional turbines. Each segment provides a literature review of the given technology for the field of thermoacoustics, focusing on possible configurations, operating characteristics, output performance, and analytical and numerical methods to study the devices. This information is used as an input to discuss the performance and feasibility of each method, and to identify challenges that should be overcome for a more successful implementation in thermoacoustic engines. The work is concluded by a comparison of the four technologies, concentrating on the possible areas of application, the conversion efficiency, maximum electrical power output and more generally the suggested focus for future work in the field.
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TL;DR: In this article , the authors report the fabrication and measurement of high-bandgap tandem thermophotovoltaics (TPV) cells with efficiencies of more than 40% and experimentally demonstrate the efficiency of high bandgap tandem TPV cells.
Abstract: Thermophotovoltaics (TPVs) convert predominantly infrared wavelength light to electricity via the photovoltaic effect, and can enable approaches to energy storage1,2 and conversion3-9 that use higher temperature heat sources than the turbines that are ubiquitous in electricity production today. Since the first demonstration of 29% efficient TPVs (Fig. 1a) using an integrated back surface reflector and a tungsten emitter at 2,000 °C (ref. 10), TPV fabrication and performance have improved11,12. However, despite predictions that TPV efficiencies can exceed 50% (refs. 11,13,14), the demonstrated efficiencies are still only as high as 32%, albeit at much lower temperatures below 1,300 °C (refs. 13-15). Here we report the fabrication and measurement of TPV cells with efficiencies of more than 40% and experimentally demonstrate the efficiency of high-bandgap tandem TPV cells. The TPV cells are two-junction devices comprising III-V materials with bandgaps between 1.0 and 1.4 eV that are optimized for emitter temperatures of 1,900-2,400 °C. The cells exploit the concept of band-edge spectral filtering to obtain high efficiency, using highly reflective back surface reflectors to reject unusable sub-bandgap radiation back to the emitter. A 1.4/1.2 eV device reached a maximum efficiency of (41.1 ± 1)% operating at a power density of 2.39 W cm-2 and an emitter temperature of 2,400 °C. A 1.2/1.0 eV device reached a maximum efficiency of (39.3 ± 1)% operating at a power density of 1.8 W cm-2 and an emitter temperature of 2,127 °C. These cells can be integrated into a TPV system for thermal energy grid storage to enable dispatchable renewable energy. This creates a pathway for thermal energy grid storage to reach sufficiently high efficiency and sufficiently low cost to enable decarbonization of the electricity grid.
64 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a comprehensive review of the multi-physics coupling effects, namely, thermal-acoustic coupling, acoustic-mechanical coupling and mechanical-electric coupling, inside thermoacoustic devices including thermo-acoustically-driven refrigerators, etc.
Abstract: Latest developments in thermoacoustic devices have demonstrated comparable power output and efficiency, but higher reliability and lower cost when compared to conventional low-grade heat recovery technologies. A good coupling between multiple physical fields plays a pivotal role in realizing these potentials. This article provides a comprehensive review of the multi-physics coupling effects, namely, thermal-acoustic coupling, acoustic-mechanical coupling and mechanical-electric coupling, inside thermoacoustic devices including thermoacoustic engines, thermoacoustic electric generators, thermoacoustically-driven refrigerators, etc. The basic principles, operating characteristics, design strategies and future prospects are discussed individually for each coupling effect. System-level design techniques and synthetic optimization methodologies in consideration of the multi-physics coupling effects are presented. This review work gives insights into the underlying mechanisms of various coupling effects in thermoacoustic devices and provides guidelines for improvements of modern thermoacoustic technologies for low-grade thermal energy recovery, refrigeration and electric power generation purposes.
51 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a hybrid thermomagnetic oscillator (TMO) was developed for cooling of the heat load as well as electricity harvesting, where a bulk alloy, with a composition of (MnNiSi 0.7(Fe2Ge)0.3 and Curie temperature of 144°C, was used as the thermmagnetic material.
29 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a standing-wave quarter-wavelength thermo-acoustic engine with a hot buffer, a stack and a resonator has been investigated, and the performance of the engine has been analyzed in four aspects.
25 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a traveling-wave thermo-acoustic engine was proposed, which incorporates phase change of a condensable component into the classical thermoacoustic conversion, and thus can work efficiently at a low temperature difference (40% of the Carnot efficiency when working at a temperature difference).
25 citations
References
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Book•
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01 Jan 1942
TL;DR: In this article, the Laplace's functions of T, F, V are simultaneously reducible to sums of squares, where T is the length of a string, F is the degree of freedom of the string, and V is the size of the chord.
Abstract: Volume 1: Preface 1. Sound due to vibrations 2. Composition of harmonic motions of like period 3. Systems with one degree of freedom 4. Generalized co-ordinates 5. Cases in which the three functions, T, F, V are simultaneously reducible to sums of squares 6. Law of extension of a string 7. Classification of the vibrations of bars 8. Potential energy of bending 9. Tension of a membrane 10. Vibrations of plates. Volume 2: 11. Aerial vibrations 12. Vibrations in tubes 13. Aerial vibrations in a rectangular chamber 14. Arbitrary initial disturbance in an unlimited atmosphere 15. Secondary waves due to a variation in the medium 16. Theory of resonators 17. Applications of Laplace's functions to acoustical problems 18. Problem of a spherical layer of air 19. Fluid friction Appendix.
1,471 citations
01 Jan 1983
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors survey Rayleigh-Taylor instability, describing the phenomenology that occurs at a Taylor unstable interface, and reviewing attempts to understand these phenomena quantitatively, and present a survey of the literature on Rayleigh Taylor instability.
Abstract: The aim of this talk is to survey Rayleigh-Taylor instability, describing the phenomenology that occurs at a Taylor unstable interface, and reviewing attempts to understand these phenomena quantitatively.
866 citations
TL;DR: The Atomic Processes in Plasmas Conference as mentioned in this paper is a bi-annual international conference on topics covering high-energy density plasmas, magnetically confined fusion, astrophysical plasms, fundamental atomic data and advanced modeling and plasma diagnostics, where international researchers share cutting-edge results in plasma creation, plasma experiments and plasma modeling.
Abstract: The Atomic Processes in Plasmas Conference is a bi-annual international conference on topics covering high-energy-density plasmas, magnetically confined fusion plasmas, astrophysical plasmas, fundamental atomic data and advanced modeling and plasma diagnostics. The conference lets international researchers share cutting-edge results in plasma creation, plasma experiments and plasma modeling.
770 citations
TL;DR: A comprehensive review of wave energy converters and air turbines can be found in this paper, together with a survey of theoretical, numerical and experimental modelling techniques of OWC converters.
594 citations
Book•
01 Mar 1997TL;DR: Linear electric actuators and generators (LEAGs) as mentioned in this paper are electromagnetic devices which develop directly short-travel progressive (or oscillatory) linear motion, and have been used in many applications in compressors, pumps, electromagnetic valve actuators, active shock absorbers, vibrators etc.
Abstract: Linear electric actuators and generators (LEAGs) are electromagnetic devices which develop directly short-travel progressive (or oscillatory) linear motion. Machine tool sliding tables, pen recorders and free piston power machines are typical industrial applications for LEAGs. Their recent revival in applications in compressors, pumps, electromagnetic valve actuators, active shock absorbers, vibrators, etc. Prompts this review, which presents main LEAGs configurations, their principles of operations, comparative performance evaluation, motion control and existing as well as potential applications.
591 citations