Fully solid state thermomagnetoelectric generator: cycle model and proof-of-concept results.

Abstract

Electricity generation from heat in small-scale systems is currently limited to internal and external combustion heat engine generators or thermoelectric elements. This study introduces a new concept for a solid state thermomagnetoelectric power generator and presents a theoretical study of the cycle. While magnetocaloric materials (MCMs) are common in cryogenic cooling applications, in this work the magnetocaloric thermodynamic heat pump cycle is reversed to generate electricity from low-grade heat. A critical distinguishing feature of the approach is that there are no moving parts: the system directly converts heat into electricity with no moving magnet or regenerators (similar to thermoelectric elements). By periodic heating and cooling of the MCM, the magnetic field inside the copper coil changes in time, generating alternating current electricity. This fully solid state system can directly convert heat into electricity and is modeled at 54% of Carnot efficiency. Compared with state-of-the-art thermoelectric elements, the proposed technology has 3-4 times higher heat-to-electricity conversion efficiency at the same driving temperature difference.