Thermoradiative Cell Equivalent Circuit Model

• Published in: IEEE transactions on electron devices Vol. 68; no. 2; pp. 928 - 930
• Main Author: Phillips, Jamie D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.02.2021; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Energy conversion; Equivalent circuits; Heat flux; Integrated circuit modeling; optoelectronic devices; Photonic band gap; Photovoltaic cells; radiative recombination; Resistance; Short-circuit currents; Temperature measurement
• ISSN: 0018-9383; 1557-9646
• DOI: 10.1109/TED.2020.3041428

Thermoradiative cells provide a means of electricity generation through direct transfer of energy from heat flux at the cell to radiation from the cell to a colder ambient. While thermodynamic limits and detailed models have been developed for thermoradiative cells, intuitive models to guide the development of thermoradiative cells and associated circuits have not been established. This work presents an equivalent circuit model for thermoradiative cells based on the underlying thermodynamic device description and incorporation of parasitic nonradiative processes. The compact model combines common circuit elements and defines the specific quantitative parameters needed to describe the behavior of these devices, serving as an important tool for the development of thermoradiative energy devices and circuits.