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Design of the near-field thermophotovoltaic system for recovering waste heat from high-temperature slag

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Xin
  • Choi, Minwoo
  • Yang, Hyunmin
  • Kim, Minsung
  • Lee, Bong Jae

Abstract

Waste heat recovery is a key strategy for enhancing energy efficiency in high-temperature industrial processes. Near-field thermophotovoltaic (NF-TPV) systems offer strong potential due to their high-power output and solid-state operation. This study proposes a waste heat recovery NF-TPV system tailored for granulated slag, a high-temperature byproduct of steelmaking. Unlike conventional NF-TPV systems with stationary heat sources, this design considers dynamically flowing slag. Gravity-driven granulated slag heats an adjacent emitter, which radiates energy to a photovoltaic (PV) cell. The PV cell is cooled by flowing water to maintain its energy conversion performance. A detailed analysis examines spatial temperature variations and their impact on electrical output, considering coupled radiation and convection effects. To address temperature non-uniformity, the bandgap-optimized In1−xGaxAs PV cell is employed, achieving a 30.9% improvement in net electrical efficiency. In addition, the near-field configuration and multilayer emitter design are shown to be critical for maximizing waste heat recovery. The study also explores how slag and coolant flow characteristics influence system performance. Results show a trade-off between waste heat recovery and net electrical efficiency, with optimal conditions yielding up to 80.4% waste heat recovery efficiency and 20.4% net electrical efficiency. The feasibility of NF-TPV technology for flowing slag heat recovery is examined through the analysis of major engineering challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Xin & Choi, Minwoo & Yang, Hyunmin & Kim, Minsung & Lee, Bong Jae, 2025. "Design of the near-field thermophotovoltaic system for recovering waste heat from high-temperature slag," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 339(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:339:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225047474
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.139105
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    References listed on IDEAS

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