Design and Optimization of a Gas Burner for TPV Application

Abstract

A thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system is able to convert directly thermal energy, generated by a high temperature heat source, into electricity through thermophotovoltaic cells. Although the energy flux has three steps, designing a TPV system with high efficiency is a challenging task. This particular device has been studied for house heating applications in order to reach better performances and higher efficiency values, compared to traditional boilers. The main issue is to achieve high and uniform temperature values on the emitter surface. In the first step of this project a novel swirl gas burner is being developed and optimized in order to fulfill these objectives. Experimental tests have been performed on a first prototype considering different values of input power, thus fuel flow rate and air mass flow rate, changing some geometrical characteristics of the burner. Collected results have then be used to create response surface functions, to be used in a multi-objective optimization considering efficiency, maximum and mean temperature of the emitter.