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High‐Performance Micro‐Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator with Large‐Scale Integration of Multilayer Annular Arrays through Screen Printing and Stacking Coupling
Author(s) -
Yuan Zicheng,
Tang Xiaobin,
Cabot Andreu,
Xu Zhiheng,
Liu Kai,
Wang Hongyu,
Liu Yunpeng,
Bian Minxing,
Meng Caifeng,
Jiang Tongxin
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
energy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 2194-4296
pISSN - 2194-4288
DOI - 10.1002/ente.202001047
Subject(s) - stacking , thermoelectric generator , modular design , thermoelectric effect , generator (circuit theory) , voltage , materials science , optoelectronics , coupling (piping) , maximum power principle , power (physics) , electrical engineering , seebeck coefficient , computer science , physics , engineering , composite material , nuclear magnetic resonance , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics , operating system
Small distributed scientific monitoring equipment is an advanced concept in deep space exploration that requires a special power system. A micro‐radioisotope thermoelectric (TE) generator has the advantages of being of small volume, lightweight, and having a long life, which is regarded as the first choice. An annular radial TE conversion structure integrating 30 TE legs in 8.8 cm 3 is designed, and a satisfactory temperature difference of 188.4 K is demonstrated. The p‐type Sb 2 Te 3 and n‐type Bi 2 Te 2.7 Se 0.3 TE thick films are prepared by screen printing, and Seebeck coefficients are 142.4 and −179.8 μV K −2 , respectively. By serial–parallel stacking, modular single‐layer devices are effectively integrated on a large scale. The 900 TE legs are integrated into 15.86 cm 3 , which can provide a high voltage output of up to 13.2 V. When an electric heating source that simulates 3 PuO 2 is loaded, an open circuit voltage of 3.84 V and a maximum power of 1.26 mW can be obtained. As a demonstration, a prototype to drive a wireless sensor network is used. In the future, this kind of independent power source is expected to become a help for small autonomous and distributed scientific instruments.