Analysis and Design of a Silicide-Tetrahedrite Thermoelectric Generator Concept Suitable for Large-Scale Industrial Waste Heat Recovery

Abstract

Industrial Waste Heat Recovery (IWHR) is one of the areas with strong potential for energy efficiency and emissions reductions in industry. Thermoelectric (TE) generators (TEGs) are among the few technologies that are intrinsically modular and can convert heat directly into electricity without moving parts, so they are nearly maintenance-free and can work unattended for long periods of time. However, most existing TEGs are only suitable for small-scale niche applications because they typically display a cost per unit power and a conversion efficiency that is not competitive with competing technologies, and they also tend to rely on rare and/or toxic materials. Moreover, their geometric configuration, manufacturing methods and heat exchangers are often not suitable for large-scale applications. The present analysis aims to tackle several of these challenges. A module incorporating constructive solutions suitable for upscaling, namely, using larger than usual TE elements (up to 24 mm in diameter) made from affordable p-tetrahedrite and n-magnesium silicide materials, was assessed with a multiphysics tool for conditions typical of IWHR. Geometric configurations optimized for efficiency, power per pair and power density, as well as an efficiency/power balanced solution, were extracted from these simulations. A balanced solution provided 0.62 kWe/m2 with a 3.9% efficiency. Good prospects for large-scale IWHR with TEGs are anticipated if these figures could be replicated in a real-world application and implemented with constructive solutions suitable for large-scale systems.

Complex Fluid Flow in Microchannels and Heat Pipes with Enhanced Surfaces for Advanced Heat Conversion and Recovery Systems

“…An alternative way of implementing thermal control would be to also use a variable conductance (VC) device, this time a VC HP, but now in a parallel configuration; this means that the heat will reach the TEGs both through the conduction across the heat exchanger and the phase change in parallel, as proposed by the authors in a recently published patent application [41][42][43]. The HPs would be embedded along the exhaust heat exchanger, between the heat source (exhaust gases) and the modules, as seen in Figure 8.…”

“…Moreover, advances have recently been made in affordable TE materials, which could make these devices viable in the midterm [6][7][8]. More specifically, the authors were involved in the development of affordable silicide and tetrahedrite TE materials for automotive and industrial TEGs [42,43].…”

Experimental and Theoretical Study on Mechanical Performance of a Sustainable Method to Simultaneously Generate Power and Fresh Water

“…Recovery and reuse of industrial waste heat is an important research area due to the efficiency gains required for reductions in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions [8,9]. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, as much as 20 to 50% of industrial energy consumption is ultimately discharged as waste heat [10].…”

A BP-IPSO Algorithm Suitable for Centralized Thermoelectric Generation System Power Tracking under Nonuniform Temperature Distribution

“…It can use various forms of thermal energy to generate electricity and has the advantages of long working life, compact structure, and high reliability, which has broad application prospects [3]. At present, it is widely used in the power supply of wearable personal electronic products [4], waste heat recovery in automobiles [5], photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid power generation [6,7], and large-scale industrial waste heat recovery [8,9]. Using thermoelectric technology to recover industrial waste heat is one of the methods to improve energy utilization.…”