Yu Jianlin1,Michio Ikura2
(1.School of Energy and Power Engineering,Xi'an Jiaotong University,Xi'an 710049, China;2.CANMET Energy Technology Centre,Natural Resources Canada,Canada)
Abstract:The pyroelectric conversion cycle of heat to electricity is conducted adopting a single copolymer P(VDF-TrFE)(60/40)film of 40 μm thickness for low-grade wasteheat power recovery. Experimental results show that the continuous pyroelectric conversion cycle can be directly realized under the proper conditions without the loss of spontaneous polarization.The external voltage affects strongly the pyroelectric current and electrical energy output.Within the same temperature range and at the same changing rate,the pyroelectric current is enhanced with the increasing external voltages. Heightening lower voltage and the difference between upper voltage and lower voltage facilitates electrical energy output. The net output energy density of pyroelectric conversion cycle reaches 40 mJ/cm3 under the condition of the temperature 40~70 ℃, upper voltage 900 V(electric field intensity approaches 225 kV/cm).This heat-to-electricity conversion can be expected to apply to low-grade waste-heat power recovery.
Keywords:pyroelectric effect;wasteheat;power recovery