Direct measurement of the genuine efficiency of thermogalvanic heat-to-electricity conversion in thermocells.

ABSTRACT: Harvesting wasted thermal energy could make important contributions to global energy sustainability. Thermogalvanic devices are simple, chemistry-based devices which can convert heat to electricity, through facile redox chemistry. The efficiency of this process is the ratio of electrical energy generated by the cell (in Watts) to the quantity of thermal energy that passes through the cell (also in Watts). Prior work estimated the quantity of thermal energy passed through a thermocell by applying a conductive heat transfer model to the electrolyte. Here, we employ a heat flux sensor to unambiguously quantify both heat flux and electrical power. By evaluating the effect of electrode separation, temperature difference and gelation of the electrolyte, we found significant discrepancy between t

SUBMITTER: Trosheva MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9068204 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature