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New world record in TPV efficiency
With efficiency of over 40 percent, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have set a new world record for thermophotovoltaic cells. greenteg’s sensor technology was put to use in the research series.
Background
In thermophotovoltaics (TPV), radiant energy is converted into electricity by means of photovoltaic cells. Unlike with solar cells, the radiant energy does not come from the sun, but is emitted from a hot object in the form of thermal radiation (long-wave photons). TPV cells with a high conversion efficiency are required to achieve the highest possible efficiency rate.
In the MIT test series, the TPV cells achieved an efficiency rate of over 40 percent, breaking the previous record of 32 percent. This is a new world record that shows modern TPV technologies are playing their part in the renewable energy mix, and that they can definitely keep up with wind turbines. In the US, the average efficiency of wind turbines is less than 40 percent.
To measure the heat absorption of the photovoltaic cells, gSKIN XP sensors were installed between the TPV cell and the heat sink.
Solution
gSKIN XP is a sensor for measuring heat flux in thermophotovoltaic cells.
