新型能量转换微器件的热力学特性及研究进展

Thermodynamic properties and research progress of novel energy conversion micro-devices

热光伏电池、热离子器件和热辐射电池等新型热电转换微器件,为新能源的开发应用和余、废热回收利用提供了有效途径.这些固态能量转换器件工作在两个温度不同的热源之间,以物理方式将热能部分转换为电能,具有高功率密度和高转换效率的特点.在微纳尺度下,器件中的电子输运和热流输运呈现出与宏观尺度不同的独特效应,如空间电荷积累、量子隧穿和近场热辐射效应等.在不同材料和尺度下,根据不同物理效应,深入探讨微器件的热力学特性与优化理论是近年来物理学的重要研究课题之一.本文将以这3类器件为基础,总结新型微纳结构能量转换器件的热力学性能与研究进展,展望物理与能源科学交叉领域中能量转换器件发展的新方向和新趋势.

New thermoelectric conversion microdevices,including thermophotovoltaic cells,thermionic devices,and thermoradiative cells,provide effective ways for developments and applications of new energy sources and the recovery and the utilization of waste heat.These solid-state energy conversion devices are operated between two heat sources at different temperatures.They convert a part of thermal energy into electrical energy in a physical way and secure characteristics of large power density and high conversion efficiency.Electron and heat transports in devices at micro and nano scales exhibit unique effects that differ from those at macroscales,such as space charge accumulation,quantum tunneling effect,near-field thermal radiation among others.In recent years,these transports are regarded as one of the most important research topics in physics to deeply explore thermodynamic properties and optimization theories of microdevices with different materials and scales according to different physical effects.Based on these three types of devices,thermodynamic properties and research progress of novel energy conversion devices at micro and nano scales are summarized,and new development directions and trends of energy conversion devices in the cross-field of physics and energy science are presented.