Harvesting renewable energy from Earth's mid-infrared emissions

被引：150
作者：
Byrnes, Steven J. [1 ]
Blanchard, Romain [1 ]
Capasso, Federico [1 ]
机构：
[1] Harvard Univ, Sch Engn & Appl Sci, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
来源：
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | 2014年 / 111卷 / 11期
关键词：
long-wave infrared; rectenna; EMITTED RADIANCE INTERFEROMETER; WAVE-GUIDE; EFFICIENCY; TERAHERTZ; DIODES;
D O I：
10.1073/pnas.1402036111
中图分类号：
O [数理科学和化学]; P [天文学、地球科学]; Q [生物科学]; N [自然科学总论];
学科分类号：
07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;
摘要：
It is possible to harvest energy from Earth's thermal infrared emission into outer space. We calculate the thermodynamic limit for the amount of power available, and as a case study, we plot how this limit varies daily and seasonally in a location in Oklahoma. We discuss two possible ways to make such an emissive energy harvester (EEH): A thermal EEH (analogous to solar thermal power generation) and an optoelectronic EEH (analogous to photovoltaic power generation). For the latter, we propose using an infrared-frequency rectifying antenna, and we discuss its operating principles, efficiency limits, system design considerations, and possible technological implementations.
引用
收藏
页码：3927 / 3932
页数：6
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