US5057162A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thermophotovoltaic technology
Assignee: White Consolidated Industries Inc
•
Filing: 1990-10-31
•
Granted: 1991-10-15
•
Expires: 2010-10-31
Abstract
Abstract A high-output, narrow band thermally energized radiation source comprises a rare earth oxide radiator member that has a cross-sectional dimension in the range of five to thirty micrometers, the rare earth oxide radiator member, when heated to about 1700° C., having a concentrated radiated flux over the 400-2500 nanometer wavelength range such that at least 50% of the radiated flux is within a spectral band that is less than 400 nanometers wide.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert E. Nelson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:06
CPC Classifications
F; F21; F21H; F21H1/00; F21H1/02; H; H02; H02S; H02S10/00; H02S10/30; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
A method of thermophotovoltaic power generation comprising the steps of providing a rare earth metal oxide radiator member that has a cross-sectional dimension in the range of five-thirty micrometers, disposing a photovoltaic device in optically coupled relation to said radiation member, said photovoltaic device having an electron production threshold, thermally exciting said radiator member to cause it to emit radiation that has a wavelength peak below said electron production threshold, said radiator member, when heated to about 1700° C., having a concentrated radiated flux over the 400-2500 nanometer wavelength range such that at least 50% of said radiated flux is within a band less than 400 nanometers in width, directing the emitted radiation from said radiator onto said photovoltaic device to generate an electrical output, said radiator-photovoltaic system having a photon conversion efficiency of more than fifty percent; monitoring the electrical output of said photovoltaic device with a control circuit; and modulating the flow of fuel to said radiator in response to the monitored electrical output of said photovoltaic device to control the electrical output of said photovoltaic device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
179 words
A method of thermophotovoltaic power generation comprising the steps of providing a rare earth metal oxide radiator member that has a cross-sectional dimension in the range of five-thirty micrometers, disposing a photovoltaic device in optically coupled relation to said radiation member, said photovoltaic device having an electron production threshold, thermally exciting said radiator member to cause it to emit radiation that has a wavelength peak below said electron production threshold, said radiator member, when heated to about 1700° C., having a concentrated radiated flux over the 400-2500 nanometer wavelength range such that at least 50% of said radiated flux is within a band less than 400 nanometers in width, directing the emitted radiation from said radiator onto said photovoltaic device to generate an electrical output, said radiator-photovoltaic system having a photon conversion efficiency of more than fifty percent; monitoring the electrical output of said photovoltaic device with a control circuit; and modulating the flow of fuel to said radiator in response to the monitored electrical output of said photovoltaic device to control the electrical output of said photovoltaic device.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of controlled thermophotovoltaic power generation comprising the steps of providing a radiator of metal oxide material; disposing said radiator in optically coupled relation to a photocell device, igniting a flow of fuel to said radiator to thermally excite said radiator and cause said radiator to emit radiation in a spectral irradiance profile that has a narrow radiated flux peak, said flux peak having a full width at half maximum of less than four hundred nanometers and said spectral irradiance profile of said radiator also having suppressed skirt characteristics such that, at wavelengths five hundred nanometers above and below the flux peak, the radiated flux level of the skirts are less than ten percent of the radiated flux at said peak, directing the emitted radiation from said radiator onto said photocell device to generate an amount of electrical power, said radiator-photocell system having a photon conversion efficiency of more than fifty percent; monitoring the electrical output of said photocell device with a control circuit; and modulating the flow of fuel to said radiator in response to the monitored electrical output of said photocell device to control the electrical output of said photocell device.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of controlled thermophotovoltaic power generation comprising the steps of providing a radiator of metal oxide material; disposing said radiator in optically coupled relation to a photocell device, igniting a flow of fuel to said radiator to thermally excite said radiator and cause said radiator to emit radiation in a spectral irradiance profile that has a narrow radiated flux peak, said flux peak having a full width at half maximum of less than four hundred nanometers and said spectral irradiance profile of said radiator also having suppressed skirt characteristics such that, at wavelengths five hundred nanometers above and below the flux peak, the radiated flux level of the skirts are less than ten percent of the radiated flux at said peak, directing the emitted radiation from said radiator onto said photocell device to generate an amount of electrical power, said radiator-photocell system having a photon conversion efficiency of more than fifty percent; monitoring the electrical output of said photocell device with a control circuit; and modulating the flow of fuel to said radiator in response to the monitored electrical output of said photocell device to control the electrical output of said photocell device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said metal oxide radiator material is in the form of structure that has a cross-sectional dimension in the range of five-thirty micrometers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said step of thermally exciting said radiator to heat said radiator to a temperature in the range of 1500-2000° C. causes said radiator to emit radiation such that said narrow radiated flux peak is located less than four hundred nanometers below the electron production threshold of said photocell.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said radiator is a mantle composed of metal oxide strands.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said mantle is composed of an oxide of ytterbium; and said photocell is of the silicon type.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 5 wherein of said mantle is composed of an oxide of erbium; and said photocell is of the germanium type.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 5 and further including the steps of supporting said mantle adjacent the outlet port of a fuel supply conduit and flowing fuel through said conduit to said mantle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 2 and further including the step of providing a reflector system for directing the radiated flux from said radiator to said photocell.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 9 and further including the step of interposing radiation transmitting thermal isolation means between said radiator and said photocell.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of controlled thermophotovoltaic power generation comprising: heating a metal oxide radiator with a burner to produce radiation within a selected wavelength range; directing the radiation onto a photovoltaic device to generate an amount of electrical power; monitoring the electrical output of said photovoltaic device with a control circuit; and modulating the fuel flow to said burner in response to the monitored electrical output of said photovoltaic device to control the electrical output of said the photovoltaic device.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of controlled thermophotovoltaic power generation comprising: heating a metal oxide radiator with a burner to produce radiation within a selected wavelength range; directing the radiation onto a photovoltaic device to generate an amount of electrical power; monitoring the electrical output of said photovoltaic device with a control circuit; and modulating the fuel flow to said burner in response to the monitored electrical output of said photovoltaic device to control the electrical output of said the photovoltaic device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the radiation has a wavelength within the 400-2500 nanometer range.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the radiation has a wavelength peak having a full width at half maximum of less than 200 nanometers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said metal oxide radiator comprises erbium oxide material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said metal oxide radiator comprises ytterbium oxide material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3331707A
Cited
US3751303A
Cited
US3929510A
Cited
US4313024A
Cited
US4234352A
Cited
US4793799A
Cited
US4584426A
Cited
US4976606A
Cited
US4764104A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-10-14 | 1995-04-15 | 1995-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-10-14 | 1999-04-15 | 1999-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-10-14 | 2003-04-15 | 2003-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |