New Formula May Help Optimize Devices That Convert Heat to Electricity
Can be used for thermophotovoltaic surfaces that convert thermal energy into electrical energy
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Predicting radiative heat transfer between extremely close objects has proven elusive for the past 50 years. Now, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) mathematicians have derived a formula for determining the maximum amount of heat exchanged between two objects separated by distances shorter than the width of a single hair. For any two objects situated mere nanometers apart, the formula can be used to calculate the most heat one body may transmit to another, based on two parameters: what the objects are made of, and how far apart they are.
The formula may help engineers identify optimal materials and designs for tuning small, intricately patterned devices, such as thermophotovoltaic surfaces that convert thermal energy into electrical energy, and cooling systems for computer chips.