Thermoelectric generator power conversion efficiency

Passive or active power conversion devices can be used to convert the heat generated by the nuclear core into electricity. Passive systems, such as thermoelectric or thermophotovoltaic, are solid state and have no moving components. The lack of moving components can lead to high reliability, but these devices presently have thermal power conversion efficiencies less than 10%. Active systems convert thermal power first into shaft power and then into electrical power. Active systems typically have thermal... 

Thermoelectric materials have been used extensively for thermal sensing, energy conversion (heat to electricity), and for cooling (Peltier effect). In general, thermoelectric devices consist of n-type and p-type semiconductor constituents connected electrically in series and thermally in parallel [151]. While energy conversion efficiencies for thermoelectric devices are not yet competitive with conventional refrigerator or power generation systems, it is possible to achieve enhanced efficiencies... 

Energy conversion efficiency 12%. A thermoelectric (TE) energy conversion system was adopted because of reliability, absence of maintenance and simple operation these are definitive advantages over steam turbine generators in spite of the inferior energy eonversion efficiency, which is not rated as very important for a small power reactor such as the RAPID. 

Effective conversion from the thermal energy to the electricity is very important in the modernized society. Thermoelectric conversion looks attractive because of direct conversion between the heat and electricity. In the thermoelectric power generation, the efficient materials with high performance are critically important to obtain the higher electric power from the temperature difference. Many and strong efforts have been paid to raise the Seebeck coefficient, to increase the electric conductivity and to suppress the thermal conductivity [1],... 

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