Progress in the Research of Thermionic and Thermophotovoltaic Converters and the Hybrid Systems in the Near-Field
Thermoionic converters and thermophotovoltaic converters are two primary solid-state thermoelectric converters capable of operating at extreme temperatures with the potential for high efficiency,making them suitable for ultra-high temperature thermal energy storage applications.Both rely on the transfer of fundamental energy carriers through highly non-isothermal junctions:electrons in thermoionic converters and photons in thermophotovoltaic converters.However,the performance of both converters is constrained by factors such as the Stefan-Boltzmann law and space charge effects,preventing further enhancement.Nevertheless,when the distance between the emitter and absorber is comparable to or less than the thermal radiation characteristic wavelength,the performance of both converters can be significantly enhanced due to the photon tunneling effect generated by evanescent waves and the mitigation of space charge effects.Therefore,it holds significant importance in fields such as waste heat recovery and renewable energy utilization.This paper reviews the research progress of domestic and foreign scholars in the two types of solid-state thermoelectric converters and their hybrid systems,summarizes and analyzes potential future directions and key challenges.
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维普
