Thermal Energy Harvesting
Thermal energy harvesting converts temperature differences and heat flow into usable electrical power. Heat represents one of the most abundant and ubiquitous energy sources available, from industrial waste heat and automotive exhaust to body heat and solar thermal radiation. By capturing even small temperature gradients, thermal harvesting technologies can power sensors, wireless transmitters, and low-power electronics in applications where other energy sources are unavailable or impractical.
The fundamental principle underlying most thermal harvesting approaches is the direct conversion of thermal energy to electricity without intermediate mechanical steps. Thermoelectric generators exploit temperature-dependent charge carrier behavior in semiconductor materials, while pyroelectric devices respond to temperature changes over time. Thermophotovoltaic systems convert thermal radiation to electricity using specialized photovoltaic cells. Each approach offers distinct advantages for particular temperature ranges, power levels, and application requirements.
Articles
Pyroelectric Energy Harvesting
Generate power from temperature fluctuations over time. Coverage encompasses pyroelectric materials, temporal temperature variation harvesting, Olsen cycle implementation for enhanced efficiency, synchronized switch harvesting techniques, waste heat recovery from cyclic processes, building and body heat harvesting, infrared energy harvesting, and hybrid pyroelectric-piezoelectric devices.
Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting
Convert temperature differences into electricity using the Seebeck effect. Topics include thermoelectric materials, generator design, heat sink optimization, thermal interface materials, wearable generators, automotive waste heat recovery, industrial applications, micro thermoelectric generators, and radioisotope thermoelectric systems.
Thermophotovoltaic Systems
Convert thermal radiation to electricity. This section covers selective emitters, photonic crystals for TPV, near-field thermophotovoltaics, micro-TPV systems, combustion-driven TPV, nuclear thermophotovoltaics, waste heat TPV recovery, TPV cell materials, spectral control techniques, cavity designs for TPV, thermal management in TPV, concentrator TPV systems, portable TPV generators, TPV for space applications, and hybrid TPV systems.
About This Category
Thermal energy harvesting enables autonomous operation of electronic systems in environments where temperature differences exist. From capturing body heat to power wearable devices to recovering megawatts of waste heat from industrial processes, thermal harvesting spans an enormous range of scales and applications. This category explores the physics, materials, and engineering principles that enable practical thermal energy conversion, providing the foundation for designing efficient thermal harvesting systems.