Performance Analysis of Thermoelectric Generator at Different Hot Surface Temperatures

Özbektaş S., Sungur B., Topaloglu B.

JOURNAL OF THERMOPHYSICS AND HEAT TRANSFER, vol.35, no.4, pp.814-823, 2021 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 35 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2021
  • Doi Number: 10.2514/1.t6212
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF THERMOPHYSICS AND HEAT TRANSFER
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Aerospace Database, Chemical Abstracts Core, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, INSPEC, Metadex, zbMATH, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.814-823
  • Keywords: TEG, Heat Exchangers, Electricity Generation, Numerical Modeling, Thermal Performance, Convective Heat Transfer Coefficient, N Type Semiconductor, CFD Analysis, Electrical Resistivity, Thermal Conductivity, WASTE HEAT-RECOVERY, DESIGN, STOVES, SYSTEM, MODEL
  • Ondokuz Mayıs University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The most important point in electricity generation with thermoelectric generators (TEG) is to create a temperature difference between its surfaces. The cooling process is usually carried out by liquid coolers or heat sinks. This study aims to examine experimentally and numerically the cooling and electrical conversion performance of TEG with a heat sink having flat fins at different hot surface temperatures, which are 50, 75, 100, 125, and 150 degrees C, respectively. In this context, the experimental and numerical results were compared in terms of surface temperature, voltage, current, and power outputs. It was determined that the electrical performance increased as the hot surface temperature increased. The highest power output was obtained at a hot surface temperature of 150 degrees C, with the value of 1.41 W experimentally and 1.42 W numerically. As a result, the numerical and experimental results were in good agreement both thermally and electrically. After the validation process, the efficiency, power input, and temperature-difference results were given only numerically. In these numerical calculations, it was observed that the efficiency increased with the hot surface temperature, but the increase decreased gradually after the hot surface temperature of 125 degrees C. The results provided beneficial guidelines for the design, modeling, and application of TEGs.