Thermoelectric Power Generation Optimization by Thermal Design Means

Abstract

One of the biggest challenges of the twenty-first century is to satisfy the demand for electrical energy in an environmentally speaking clean way. Thus, it is very important to search for new alternative energy sources along with increasing the efficiency of current processes. Thermoelectric power generation, by means of harvesting waste heat and converting it into electricity, can help to achieve above-mentioned goal. Nowadays, efficiency of thermoelectric power generators limits them to become key technology in electric power generation, but their performance has potential of being optimized, if thermal design of such generators is optimized. Heat exchangers located on both sides of thermoelectric modules (TEMs), mass flow of refrigerants and occupancy ratio (the area covered by TEMs related to base area), among others, need to be fine-tuned in order to obtain the maximum net power generation (thermoelectric power generation minus consumption of auxiliary equipment). Finned dissipator, cold plate, heat pipe and thermosiphon are experimentally tested to maximize net thermoelectric generation on real-working furnace based on computational model. Maximum generation of 137 MWh/year using thermosiphons is achieved with 32% of area covered by TEMs.

Improvement of Thermoelectric Generator Model for Exhaust Waste Heat Recovery in a Spark Ignition Engine

“…İçten yanmalı motorlar (İYM)'da silindir içine alınan yakıtın ısı enerjisinin ≈%25-35'i çıkış milinde mekanik enerjiye dönüştürülürken ≈%30'u soğutma kayıpları ve ≈%40'ı egzoz gazları ile birlikte atık ısı enerjisi olarak atmosfere atılmaktadır. İYM'larda çevreye atılan atık ısı enerjisinin çeşitli yöntemler ile elektrik enerjisine dönüştürülerek yakıt ekonomisinin iyileştirilmesi ve genel sistem verimliliğin artırılması mümkündür (Karri, 2011). Son zamanlarda, atık ısı enerjisinden elektrik enerjisinin üretildiği TEJ sitemleri, çevresel kaygılar ve küresel ısınma nedeniyle yenilenebilir enerji kaynakları içinde dikkat çeken bir sistem haline gelmiştir (Chen vd., 2008;Taymaz vd., 2003).…”

Analytical and Numerical Study for the Determination of a Thermoelectric Generator’s Internal Resistance

“…Research into emergent renewable energy sources has become an urgent task due to the reduction of fossil fuel supply and the growth of energy demand. In this context, alternative energy sources and the development of existing clean technologies have been investigated in order to increase their efficiency [1].…”

“…Therefore, TEGss show great applicability in different places, besides being able to be customized as needed. However, they still are an emerging technology whose efficiency is around 5% to 10% [1,11,12]. The great potential for energy recovery of the TEGs and the low efficiency of the thermoelectric materials highlights the importance of studies involving the optimization of TEGs and their respective materials that are responsible for the conversion of energy.…”