Combining elements of a heat engine with photovoltaic cells might be the ticket to replacing traditional steam engines.
, the new engine shares some common characteristics with traditional photovoltaic cells, but it captures high-energy photons from a white-hot source to generate electricity. This new engine is able to generate power from temperatures between 3,400 and 4,300 degrees Fahrenheit .
Once that has been achieved, they then hope to scale the thing up with the long-term goal of replacing“Thermophotovoltaic cells were the last key step toward demonstrating that thermal batteries are a viable concept,” explains Asegun Henry, the Robert N. Noyce Career Development Professor in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. “This is an absolutely critical step on the path to proliferate renewable energy and get to a fully decarbonized grid.
Parts must also be able to tolerate high temperatures for long periods of time. Parts will eventually wear out over time.
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