Performance improvement of a four-terminal thermal amplifier with multiple energy selective tunnels. (15th June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peng, Wanli; Ye, Zhuolin; Zhang, Xin; Chen, Jincan
• Is Part Of: Energy conversion and management. Volume 166(2018)
• Page Start: 74
• Page End: 80
• Publication Date: 2018-06-15
• Subjects: Thermal amplifier -- Electron reservoir -- Energy filter -- Equivalent system -- Performance evaluation -- Parametric optimization; Direct energy conversion -- Periodicals; Energy storage -- Periodicals; Energy transfer -- Periodicals; Énergie -- Conversion directe -- Périodiques; Direct energy conversion; Periodicals; 621.3105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2018.04.026
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0196-8904

Abstract

Highlights: A new model of the thermal amplifier connected by four energy filters is established. The equivalently coupling system proposed consists of two three-terminal heat humps. The maximum coefficient of performance and rate of heat-pumping are calculated. The operating regions of the amplifier are optimally determined. The optimum selection criteria of main parameters are provided. Abstract: A new model of the energy selective electron (ESE) device composed of four electron reservoirs and four energy filters is proposed. The device can work as a thermal amplifier, which may be equivalent to a coupling system consisting of two three-electron-reservoir heat pumps. Expressions for the heat-pumping rate (HPR) and coefficient of performance (COP) of the device are analytically derived through the heat flows of two-terminal ESE devices. The maximum HPR and COP are calculated. It is found that the maximum HPR of the coupling system can attain 2 times of that of a three-electron-reservoir heat pump while its COP is still equal to that of a three-electron-reservoir heat pump. Moreover, the effects of the chemical potentials of electron reservoirs, central levels of energy filters, half width at half maximum of energy filters on the HPR and COP of the device are discussed in detail. The optimal configuration of the device is determined. The cut-off value of the half width at half maximum of energy filters is calculated. The optimum selection criteria of main parameters are provided.