An electrochemical system for efficiently harvesting low-grade heat energy

Seok Woo Lee, Yuan Yang, Hyun-Wook Lee, Hadi Ghasemi, Daniel Kraemer, Gang Chen () and Yi Cui ()
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Seok Woo Lee: Stanford University
Yuan Yang: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Hyun-Wook Lee: Stanford University
Hadi Ghasemi: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Daniel Kraemer: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Gang Chen: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Yi Cui: Stanford University

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract Efficient and low-cost thermal energy-harvesting systems are needed to utilize the tremendous low-grade heat sources. Although thermoelectric devices are attractive, its efficiency is limited by the relatively low figure-of-merit and low-temperature differential. An alternative approach is to explore thermodynamic cycles. Thermogalvanic effect, the dependence of electrode potential on temperature, can construct such cycles. In one cycle, an electrochemical cell is charged at a temperature and then discharged at a different temperature with higher cell voltage, thereby converting heat to electricity. Here we report an electrochemical system using a copper hexacyanoferrate cathode and a Cu/Cu2+ anode to convert heat into electricity. The electrode materials have low polarization, high charge capacity, moderate temperature coefficients and low specific heat. These features lead to a high heat-to-electricity energy conversion efficiency of 5.7% when cycled between 10 and 60 °C, opening a promising way to utilize low-grade heat.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4942

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