Entropic Analysis of the Maximum Output Power of Thermoradiative Cells

Abstract

In this study, entropic analysis is combined with the detailed balance model to determine the maximum output power of thermoradiative (TR) cells, which are semiconductor devices that generate electric power from a heat source that emits photons to a cold reservoir. Previous studies used different models without addressing their interconnections and inherent assumptions. This work unifies these models by considering the modified Bose–Einstein distribution of photons and reveals the underlying relationship between different models. The findings provide useful insights on the application and optimization of emissive power generation devices for harvesting low-grade heat and space power generation.