TPV Power Generation System using Super-Adiabatic Combustion in Porous Quartz Glass.

Electric power was obtained using the super-adiabatic combustion TPV power generation system. In the system, a porous emitter made of alumina (Ceramic Foam) is installed at the middle. At both sides of the emitter, porous quartz glass plates with many pores are set up. A mixture of air and methane is introduced into the porous media, and flows uniformly across the cross section, where the flow direction changes regularly. Combustion occurs around the surface of the porous emitter. Through energy recirculation, the temperature of the emitter reaches about 1500K under the condition of the equivalence ratio of 0.2. Furthermore, the long-wavelength components of the radiation emitted from the porous emitter are partially absorbed by the porous quartz glass, then, the short wavelength components are introduced into the TPV cell. Though the view factor was very small and there was multiple-surface reflection by the quartz glass, we obtained the output power, which was small, using the super-adiabatic combustion TPV system. © 2004 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]