A novel thermoelectric energy harvester using gallium as phase change material for spacecraft power application

Hao Peng, Wenhua Guo, Shiyu Feng and Yijun Shen

Applied Energy, 2022, vol. 322, issue C, No S0306261922008625

Abstract: Thermoelectric generator (TEG) integrated with phase change material (PCM) is suitable for spacecraft power supply under environment with extreme temperature variation, but the low solid–liquid phase change rate restrains system performance. To increase output energy and thermoelectric conversion efficiency, a novel thermoelectric energy harvester (TEH) integrating TEG with gallium (Ga) is proposed. A numerical model for predicting system performance is established, and validated by experimental results. The open circuit voltage (U), maximum output power (Pmax), output energy (E) and thermoelectric conversion efficiency (η) for Ga-TEH system under microgravity and normal gravity with environment temperature ranging from 100 to −50 °C are investigated. The results show that compared with TEH using conventional PCM n-octadecane (C18), the adoption of Ga significantly improves system performance due to higher heat conduction ability and larger volumetric latent heat of Ga; U, Pmax and η for Ga-TEH are maximally 9.5, 101.8 and 12.7 times those for C18-TEH under microgravity respectively, and maximally 7.3, 58.7 and 9.4 times those for C18-TEH under normal gravity respectively; E for Ga-TEH are 9.9 and 9.0 times those for C18-TEH under microgravity and normal gravity respectively. The designed Ga-TEH can be used for wireless sensor networks power supply in spacecraft.

Keywords: Gallium; Microgravity; Phase change material; Spacecraft power supply; Thermoelectric energy harvester (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2022.119548

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