Thermophotovoltaic technology

A thermophotovoltaic power generation system comprising a rare earth metal oxide fiber mantle that defines a hollow space and includes an oxide of a host metal selected from the class consisting of erbium, holmium, neodymium and ytterbium in the amount of at least about ninety-nine weight percent, a photovoltaic device in optically coupled relation to said radiation member, said photovoltaic device having an electron production threshold,

• means for thermally exciting said radiator member to cause it to emit radiation comprising a fuel supply, a fuel supply conduit connected to said fuel supply, fuel control means for controlling the flow of fuel through said fuel supply conduit, fuel control means for controlling the flow of fuel through said conduit to said radiator member, and an igniter mechanism for igniting said fuel to cause said radiator member to emit radiation that has a wavelength peak below said electron production threshold,
• said radiator member, when heated to about 1700.degree. 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 and
• a control system connected between said photovoltaic device and said fuel control means for monitoring the output of said photovoltaic device and modulating the flow of fuel through said fuel supply conduit for control of said fuel control means to control the electrical output of said photovoltaic device.

A thermophotovoltaic power generation system comprising:

• a rare earth metal oxide radiator,
• a photovoltaic device that is optically coupled to said radiator, said radiator, when heated to 1700.degree. C., emitting radiation in a spectral irradiance profile that has a narrow radiated flux peak that is located less than four hundred nanometers below the electron production threshold of said photovoltaic device, said flux peak having a full width at half maximum of less than four hundred nanometers and said relative spectral irradiance profile of said radiator also having suppressed skirt characteristics such that, at wavelengths five hundred nanometers above and below said flux peak, the radiated flux levels of said skirts are less than ten percent of the radiated flux at said peak, and
• a burner for thermally exciting said radiator to cause it to emit radiation, and
• an electronic control system that electrically connects the photovoltaic device and the burner such that the electrical output of said photovoltaic device controls the flow of fuel through the burner to control the power generated by the photovoltaic device.

A thermophotovoltaic power generation system comprising a photocell device, a rare earth metal oxide radiator disposed in optical coupled relation to said photocell device,

• means for thermally exiting said radiator to cause it to emit radiation comprising a fuel supply,
• a fuel supply conduit connected to said fuel supply fuel control means for controlling the flow of fuel through said fuel supply conduit,
• a fuel control for controlling the flow of fuel through said conduit to said radiator, and an igniter mechanism for igniting said fuel to cause said radiator to emit radiation, said radiator, when heated to 1700.degree. C., emitting radiation in a spectral irradiance profile that has a narrow radiated flux peak that is located less than four hundred nanometers below the electron production threshold of said photocell device, said flux peak having a full width at half maximum of less than four hundred nanometers and said relative spectral irradiance profile of said radiator also having suppressed skirt characteristics such that, at wavelengths five hundred nanometers above and below said flux peak, the radiated flux levels of said skirts are less than ten percent of the radiated flux at said peak, and
• a control system connected between said photocell device and said fuel control for monitoring the output of said photocell device and modulating the flow of fuel through said fuel supply conduit bon control of said fuel control to control the electrical output of said photocell device.

A thermophotovoltaic power generation system comprising:

• a photovoltaic device,
• said photovoltaic device having an electron production threshold,
• a fuel supply,
• a fuel supply conduit connected to said fuel supply and having an outlet port, fuel control means for controlling the flow of fuel through said fuel supply conduit
• a metal oxide fiber mantle supported on said fuel supply conduit adjacent said outlet port,
• said photovoltaic device being in optically coupled relation to said mantle,
• a fuel control for controlling the flow of fuel to said mantle through said conduit,
• an igniter mechanism for igniting said fuel to cause said mantle to emit radiation that has a wavelength peak below said electron production threshold, said peak having a full width at half maximum of less than 400 nanometers and said mantle, when heated to about 1700.degree. C., having a concentrated radiated flux output 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, and
• a control system connected between said photovoltaic device and said fuel control for monitoring the output of said photovoltaic device and modulating the flow of fuel through said fuel supply conduit by control of said fuel control to control the electrical output of said photovoltaic device.