Thermophotovoltaic generation: A state of the art review

In the last decade thermophotovoltaic (TPV) generator has gained an increasing attention as cogeneration system for the distributed generation sector. Nevertheless, these systems are not fully developed and studied: several aspects need to be further investigated and completely understood. The aim of this study is to analyze the current state of the art technology for TPV generation; more in details, in this study, the characteristics of a TPV generator are analyzed with a particular attention to the physical relationships which govern the behavior of its main components. Moreover, the current technology regarding the combustor, the emitter, the optical filter and the photovoltaic cells are investigated by taking into account both the role of each component and also their integration in the whole system. Finally, a critical review of the realized prototypes is presented and discussed.