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Thermoelectric oxide modules tested in a solar cavity-receiver

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Abstract

Four-leg thermoelectric oxide modules (TOMs) consisting of two p-type (La1.98Sr0.02CuO4) and two n-type (CaMn0.98Nb0.02O3) thermoelectric (TE) legs were produced with a manufacturing quality factor between 30 and 60%. The pressed sintered TE legs revealed 90% of the theoretical density to ensure a sufficient mechanical stability of the TE modules. The legs were connected electrically in series and sandwiched thermally in parallel between two Al2O3 plates serving as absorber and cooler, respectively. A solar cavity-receiver packed with an array of TOMs was subjected to concentrated thermal radiation with peak solar radiative flux intensities exceeding 600 kW/m2. Temperature distributions in the cavity, open-circuit voltage (VOC), and maximum output power (Pmax) were measured for different external loads and solar radiative fluxes (qin). Finally, the solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency (η) was calculated.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank the Swiss Federal Office of Energy and Swiss National Foundation for financial support and O. Brunko, D. Alfarug, and U. Gfeller for their help with the synthesis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Solid State Chemistry and Catalysis, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Research, CH-8600, Duebendorf, Switzerland

    Petr Tomeš, Matthias Trottmann, Aldo Steinfeld & Anke Weidenkaff

  2. Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland

    Clemens Suter

  3. Solar Technology Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232, Villigen, Switzerland

    Aldo Steinfeld

Authors
  1. Petr Tomeš
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  2. Clemens Suter
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  3. Matthias Trottmann
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  4. Aldo Steinfeld
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  5. Anke Weidenkaff
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Correspondence to Anke Weidenkaff.

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Tomeš, P., Suter, C., Trottmann, M. et al. Thermoelectric oxide modules tested in a solar cavity-receiver. Journal of Materials Research 26, 1975–1982 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2011.125

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2011.125

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