Patent · US Expired

Thermophotovoltaic generator apparatus

US7060891B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
6References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 24, 2003
Grant dateJun 13, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 4, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E10/50
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A thermophotovoltaic generator apparatus has: a burner that is supplied with a fuel and an air, and burns the fuel; an emitter heated by combustion heat produced by the burner; a photoelectric conversion cell that converts radiant light from the emitter into electric power; and a cell holder portion that holds the photoelectric conversion cell. A cooling device is provided for causing a cooling liquid to receive heat from the photoelectric conversion cell by contacting the cooling liquid and a back surface of the cell holder portion with each other. A surface of the cell holder portion that contacts the cooling liquid is a non-horizontal surface. The apparatus employs at least two kinds of cooling liquids.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.