Design and Experimental Investigation of Thermoelectric Generators for Wearable Applications

Lee, Yun Goo; Kim, Junsoo; Kang, Min Su; Baek, Seung Hyub; Kim, Seong Keun; Lee, Seung Min; Lee, Jae Woo; Hyun, Dow-Bin; Ju, Byeong Kwon; Moon, Seung Eon; Kim, Jin Sang; Kwon, Beomjin

doi:10.1002/admt.201600292

Cited by 35 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In general, materials based on Bismuth Telluride have high thermal conductivity and therefore have a very low optimum FF [19,20]. As shown in Figure 5b, the optimum FF of a given material A-D is always below 10%.…”

Section: Fill Factor Variationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Material Optimization for a High Power Thermoelectric Generator in Wearable Applications

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Thermoelectric power generation using human body heat can be applied to wearable sensors, and various applications are possible. Because the thermoelectric generator (TEG) is highly dependent on the thermoelectric material, research on improving the performance of the thermoelectric material has been conducted. Thus far, in developing thermoelectric materials, the researchers have focused on improving the figure of merit, ZT. For a TEG placed on the human body, however, the power density does not always increase as the material ZT increases. In this study, the material properties and ZT of P-type BiSbTe 3 were simulated for carrier concentration ranging from 3 × 10 17 to 3 × 10 20 cm −3 , and the power density of a TEG fabricated from the material dataset was calculated using a thermoelectric resistance model for human body application. The results revealed that the maximum ZT and the maximum power density were formed at different carrier concentrations. The material with maximum ZT showed 28.8% lower power density compared to the maximum obtainable power density. Further analysis confirmed that the mismatch in the optimum carrier concentration for the maximum ZT and maximum power density can be minimized when a material with lower thermal conductivity is used in a TEG. This study shows that the ZT enhancement of materials is not the highest priority in the production of a TEG for human body application, and material engineering to lower the thermal conductivity is required to reduce the optimum point mismatch problem.

show abstract

Section: Fill Factor Variationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The optimum conditions regarding device structure have been studied to generate maximum power density on the human body. Variables related to the device structure and the environment such as the fill factor and the TE leg height were optimized for human body application [19][20][21][22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Material Optimization for a High Power Thermoelectric Generator in Wearable Applications

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Different configurations of heat sinks have been investigated by Hsu [62] to find the optimum number of fins. Peak efficiency of 2.1% was achieved, generating 44.1 W at a temperature difference of 88.3 K. A comparative study [63] of various convection methods versus the individual leg length, L, and the results are shown in Figure 9. 3.5%, while the hot side temperature was maintained at 1030 °C [57].…”

Section: Forced Air Coolingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Design of a Thermoelectric Generator and Its Medical Applications

Kumar

Babu

Subramanian

et al. 2019

Designs

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Growing energy demands are driving people to generate power in every possible way. New energy sources are needed to plug the energy gap. There is a growing interest in distributed energy generation due to its remarkable advantages such as flexibility, reliability, adaptability and minimal transmission losses. Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are one such distributed power source that relies on thermal energy for electricity generation. The current review focusses on the design and optimization of TEGs to maximize the power output from the available thermal sources. The basic principle of thermoelectricity generation and suitable architecture for specific applications are explained with an overview of materials and manufacturing processes. Various cooling techniques to dissipate heat from the cold side and their influence on overall efficiency are reviewed in this work. Applications of TEGs for powering biomedical sensors have been discussed in detail. Recent advancements in TEGs for various implantable devices and their power requirements are evaluated. The exploitation of TEGs to generate power for wearable sensors has been presented, along with published experimental data. It is envisioned that this study will provide profound knowledge on TEG design for specific applications, which will be helpful for future endeavours.

show abstract

“…Beyond the conductivity enhancement, those polymer coatings may lead to an inversion of the surface polarity and acidity, as suggested in Figure d . By matching the polarity of the first polymer to the one of the cellulose substrate, these composites could become more stable to mechanical and chemical stress (e.g., washing), making them ideal candidates for the proposed thermoelectric clothing …”

Section: Applications For Functionalized Cellulosementioning

confidence: 99%

Functionalized Cellulose for Water Purification, Antimicrobial Applications, and Sensors

Bethke

Palantöken

Andrei

et al. 2018

Adv Funct Materials

217

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As the most abundant natural polymer, cellulose presents a unique advantage for large-scale applications. To fully unlock its potential, the introduction of desired functional groups onto the cellulose backbone is required, which can be realized by either chemical bonding or physical surface interactions. This review gives an overview of the chemistry behind the state-of-the-art functionalization methods (e.g., oxidation, esterification, grafting) for cellulose in its various forms, from nanocrystals to bacterial cellulose. The existing and foreseeable applications of the obtained products are presented in detail, spanning from water purification and antibacterial action, to sensing, energy harvesting, and catalysis. A special emphasis is put on the interactions of functionalized cellulose with heavy metals, focusing on copper as a prime example. For the latter, its toxicity can either have a harmful influence on aquatic life, or it can be conveniently employed for microbial disinfection. The reader is further introduced to recent sensing technologies based on functionalized cellulose, which are becoming crucial for the near future especially with the emergence of the internet of things. By revealing the potential of water filters and conductive clothing for mass implementation, the near future of cellulose-based technologies is also discussed.not suitable for drinking water treatment in rural areas or not applicable on a large scale. Other methods involving materials which have high adsorption capacities for pollutants, for example activated charcoal have been explored. [27,28] Nevertheless, there are no universal adsorbents for all pollutants, meaning that superior alternatives are still required. In recent years, biodegradable adsorbents such as cellulose and chitosan have attracted much attention for the removal of heavy metals.In particular cellulose has a number of advantages, which include high abundance, low cost, easy access, nontoxicity and biodegradability. It is particularly suited for the removal of low concentrations of heavy metals which occur in contaminated ground or tap water. [26] Beyond the aspects of copper removal from water, in this review we indicate how the metal's increased toxicity for microbial life can present an advantage for medical applications. Moreover, we also take a closer look at further applications of functionalized cellulose, including catalysis and sensing, which can make a great impact regarding energy conversion and management. The inclusion of conductive cellulose sensors within the internet of things global network is of particular interest, since an accurate weather forecast can provide swift adjustments in the usage of the often intermittent renewable energy sources. In order to understand what confers functionalized cellulose its versatility for broad applications, we first exemplify the functionalization techniques on a molecular basis.

show abstract

Design and Experimental Investigation of Thermoelectric Generators for Wearable Applications

Cited by 35 publications

References 31 publications

Material Optimization for a High Power Thermoelectric Generator in Wearable Applications

Material Optimization for a High Power Thermoelectric Generator in Wearable Applications

The Design of a Thermoelectric Generator and Its Medical Applications

Functionalized Cellulose for Water Purification, Antimicrobial Applications, and Sensors

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About