Insights into the Thermopower of Thermally Regenerative Electrochemical Cycle for Low Grade Heat Harvesting

Chun Cheng; Sijia Wang; Peng Tan; Yawen Dai; Jie Yu; Rui Cheng; Shien Ping Feng; Meng Ni

doi:10.1021/acsenergylett.0c02322

Insights into the Thermopower of Thermally Regenerative Electrochemical Cycle for Low Grade Heat Harvesting

Chun Cheng, Sijia Wang, Peng Tan, Yawen Dai, Jie Yu, Rui Cheng, Shien Ping Feng, Meng Ni

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

57 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The thermally regenerative electrochemical cycle (TREC) is a promising technology for converting low-grade heat (<100 °C) to electrical power. In this work, the TREC with the NiHCF cathode and Zn anode achieves a markedly high thermopower (α) of -1.575 mV K-1 and a heat-to-electricity efficiency of 2.41% at the temperature difference of 30 °C (equivalent to 25.15% of Carnot efficiency), surpassing all the existing TREC systems. For the first time, the mixed membranes with mixed pH electrolytes are introduced in the TREC systems to boost α to a record-high value of -2.270 mV K-1. The proposed thermodynamic framework advances the understanding on the origin of α and electrochemical potential, which will guide people to engineer TRECs.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	329-336
Number of pages	8
Journal	ACS Energy Letters
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.0c02322
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 2021

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Chemistry (miscellaneous)
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Fuel Technology
Energy Engineering and Power Technology
Materials Chemistry

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

More information

10.1021/acsenergylett.0c02322

Cite this

@article{7b642f7618d64540bb438a7ff753ebcd,

title = "Insights into the Thermopower of Thermally Regenerative Electrochemical Cycle for Low Grade Heat Harvesting",

abstract = "The thermally regenerative electrochemical cycle (TREC) is a promising technology for converting low-grade heat (<100 °C) to electrical power. In this work, the TREC with the NiHCF cathode and Zn anode achieves a markedly high thermopower (α) of -1.575 mV K-1 and a heat-to-electricity efficiency of 2.41% at the temperature difference of 30 °C (equivalent to 25.15% of Carnot efficiency), surpassing all the existing TREC systems. For the first time, the mixed membranes with mixed pH electrolytes are introduced in the TREC systems to boost α to a record-high value of -2.270 mV K-1. The proposed thermodynamic framework advances the understanding on the origin of α and electrochemical potential, which will guide people to engineer TRECs. ",

author = "Chun Cheng and Sijia Wang and Peng Tan and Yawen Dai and Jie Yu and Rui Cheng and Feng, {Shien Ping} and Meng Ni",

note = "Funding Information: M. Ni is thankful for the funding support from Hong Kong Polytechnic University (P0014036) and a grant (Project Number: PolyU 152064/18E) from the Research Grant Council, University Grants Committee, Hong Kong SAR. S. P. Feng is thankful for the funding support from the General Research Fund of the Research Grants Council under Award Number 17206519. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2021",

doi = "10.1021/acsenergylett.0c02322",

language = "English",

pages = "329--336",

journal = "ACS Energy Letters",

issn = "2380-8195",

publisher = "American Chemical Society",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Insights into the Thermopower of Thermally Regenerative Electrochemical Cycle for Low Grade Heat Harvesting

AU - Cheng, Chun

AU - Wang, Sijia

AU - Tan, Peng

AU - Dai, Yawen

AU - Yu, Jie

AU - Cheng, Rui

AU - Feng, Shien Ping

AU - Ni, Meng

N1 - Funding Information: M. Ni is thankful for the funding support from Hong Kong Polytechnic University (P0014036) and a grant (Project Number: PolyU 152064/18E) from the Research Grant Council, University Grants Committee, Hong Kong SAR. S. P. Feng is thankful for the funding support from the General Research Fund of the Research Grants Council under Award Number 17206519. Publisher Copyright: © Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - The thermally regenerative electrochemical cycle (TREC) is a promising technology for converting low-grade heat (<100 °C) to electrical power. In this work, the TREC with the NiHCF cathode and Zn anode achieves a markedly high thermopower (α) of -1.575 mV K-1 and a heat-to-electricity efficiency of 2.41% at the temperature difference of 30 °C (equivalent to 25.15% of Carnot efficiency), surpassing all the existing TREC systems. For the first time, the mixed membranes with mixed pH electrolytes are introduced in the TREC systems to boost α to a record-high value of -2.270 mV K-1. The proposed thermodynamic framework advances the understanding on the origin of α and electrochemical potential, which will guide people to engineer TRECs.

AB - The thermally regenerative electrochemical cycle (TREC) is a promising technology for converting low-grade heat (<100 °C) to electrical power. In this work, the TREC with the NiHCF cathode and Zn anode achieves a markedly high thermopower (α) of -1.575 mV K-1 and a heat-to-electricity efficiency of 2.41% at the temperature difference of 30 °C (equivalent to 25.15% of Carnot efficiency), surpassing all the existing TREC systems. For the first time, the mixed membranes with mixed pH electrolytes are introduced in the TREC systems to boost α to a record-high value of -2.270 mV K-1. The proposed thermodynamic framework advances the understanding on the origin of α and electrochemical potential, which will guide people to engineer TRECs.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100000424&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1021/acsenergylett.0c02322

DO - 10.1021/acsenergylett.0c02322

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85100000424

SN - 2380-8195

SP - 329

EP - 336

JO - ACS Energy Letters

JF - ACS Energy Letters

ER -

Insights into the Thermopower of Thermally Regenerative Electrochemical Cycle for Low Grade Heat Harvesting

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

More information

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this