Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) Conversion for Nuclear Reactor Applications
December 2, 2024
From the essay
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) conversion technology leverages thermal radiation emitted by hightemperature sources to generate electricity using photovoltaic (PV) cells. Its compact design, lack of moving parts, and potential for high efficiency make TPV systems an attractive alternative for integrating with Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and micro-nuclear reactors operating at temperatures above ~800°C. This paper explores the detailed physics, processes, material properties, computational modeling, system designs, challenges, and economic analysis of TPV technology, with a focus on its application in nuclear energy systems.
Adapted from PDF pages 1.