A review of combustion-driven thermoelectric (TE) and thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power systems

Over the past decade there has been an overwhelming amount of interest in combustion-driven thermoelectric (TE) and thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power systems. These devices are flourishing and can be nurtured into viable options as power sources. This paper presents a review of the recent progress of combustion-driven TE and TPV power generation systems. Most of the discussion in this review is summarized from the collection of the literatures from the year 2000-2016. The pre-combustion process which includes various fuel−air mixing process is first discussed followed by important aspects of the combustion phenomena. This review will then focus on the specific effects of the fuel−air mixtures or the fuel−air equivalence ratio on the thermal, combustion, and electrical characteristics of the TE and TPV systems. The influence of fuel−air equivalence ratio on these characteristics are interpreted and summarized, presenting a new perspective on the critical impacts of fuel−air equivalence ratio on the performance of the TE and TPV devices.