Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: Waste not, want not: In considerations of efficiency, the recovery of energy dissipated as heat addresses a large chunk of present-day production. Here we often think of thermoelectric modules, but the author points out that a different approach could be better. This comprehensive analysis of solid-state thermionic generators includes analytic calculations of their efficiency and power in the nonlinear regime, and provides guidelines for designing such devices. In contrast to earlier studies, it shows that these thermal-to-electrical energy converters could be more efficient than state-of-the-art thermoelectric modules.
Source: Physical Review Applied
Author: M. Zebarjadi
Institution: University of Virginia
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: U.S. Air Force
OpenAlex ID: W2607836060