TSUKUBA, Japan, June 27,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers from the Research
Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA) have developed a
thermoelectric generator that can use both radiative cooling and
solar heating to produce electricity, opening doors to applications
in powering small off-grid sensors.
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Daytime radiative cooling is typically used to cool surfaces
that face the sky, like the roof of a building. Since these devices
thermally radiate towards the sky, they also generate a slight
temperature difference with respect to their surroundings. This
difference in temperature can be leveraged to produce electricity
using a thermoelectric generator.
However, most radiative cooling materials also reflect sunlight,
limiting the solar energy that can be utilized for generating
electricity.
This limitation was addressed in a recent study, where a
research team from MANA, including Dr. Satoshi Ishii, Dr. Cedric Bourges, Nicholaus K. Tanjaya, and Dr. Takao Mori, developed a mostly transparent
thermoelectric device that is capable of harnessing both radiative
cooling and solar heating to generate power.
The device consists of a top transparent plate that acts as a
radiative cooler and a bottom plate coated in blackbody paint which
absorbs incoming sunlight. Separated by a transparent
thermoelectric junction, the innovative "co-planar" design of the
device allows sunlight to reach the bottom plate for solar
absorption, unlike previous versions with separate solar absorbing
and radiative cooling regions.
Through several experiments, the researchers demonstrated the
ability of this thermoelectric generator to produce power during
daytime via radiative cooling and solar heating, and through
radiative cooling during nighttime. "The ability of our device to
continuously generate thermoelectric voltage day and night makes it
an ideal standalone power supply for off-grid sensors, which have
become increasingly common in recent years," remarks Dr. Ishii.
Replacing batteries in remote devices can be inconvenient and
expensive. This innovative thermoelectric generator offers a
reliable power solution, eliminating the need for frequent battery
changes and paving the way for the operation of critical devices
even in off-grid locations.
Research Highlights Vol. 89
https://www.nims.go.jp/mana/research/highlights/vol89.html
MANA Research Highlights
https://www.nims.go.jp/mana/ebulletin/index.html
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SOURCE Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA),
National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)