A model to analyze the device level performance of thermoelectric generator

Yongjia Wu, Lei Zuo, Jie Chen and Jackson A. Klein

Energy, 2016, vol. 115, issue P1, 591-603

Abstract: The thermoelectric generator (TEG) is a distinctive solid-state heat engine with great potential in various scale energy harvesting. Device-level heat transfer coupled with energy conversion makes the accurate analysis of the system very complicate. In this paper, the thermodynamic analysis in a TEG module is carried out to study the influence of the contact layer resistance, Thompson Effect, Joule heat, and thermo-pellet gap heat leakage on the performance of the TEG. All expressions of power output, current, matching load resistant factor, and efficiency of the device are derived and compared with a commercial module. The equations for the simplified model are also given concisely in order to give a full picture of TEG modeling. The research can evaluate the combined influence of all the factors and redress some derivations in the existing models.

Keywords: Thermoelectric generator; Power generation; Thompson effect; Contact resistance; Heat leakage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:115:y:2016:i:p1:p:591-603

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2016.09.044

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