Importance

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Abstract

A thermionic paired tube bank (100) designed for use as a tubular heat exchanger for generating electricity, preferably heated by combustion products after they leave the combustor of a power plant but before they enter the turbine or steam generator portion of the power generation system. In this case the thermionics act as a topping cycle to increase the overall electrical generation efficiency. The heat could also be supplied by the products of combustion as they leave the gas turbine or steam generator in which case the thermionics would act as a bottoming cycle. The thermionic paired-tube bank comprises a plurality of paired-tube thermoelectric couples (50) and a plurality of electrical connections (66, 68). Each paired-tube thermoelectric couple (50) comprises a first tube comprising n-type semiconductor material and a coolant channel (70) through the first tube, a second tube comprising p-type semiconductor material and a coolant channel (70) through the second tube, and a first electrical connection which connects the first tube and the second tube in parallel relation.

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First Claim