An effective Seebeck coefficient obtained by experimental results of a thermoelectric generator module

Cheng-Ting Hsu, Gia-Yeh Huang, Hsu-Shen Chu, Ben Yu and Da-Jeng Yao

Applied Energy, 2011, vol. 88, issue 12, 5173-5179

Abstract: This article proposes a concept of “effective Seebeck coefficient”, which discusses the inconsistency between the theoretical Seebeck coefficient and the measured one. The inconsistency can be explained via contact effect and thermal resistor network. Two different clamping forces are applied to the TEG module to observe the contact effect. Throughout the experiments, the electric resistance seems insensitive to the clamping force; somehow the thermal contact effect dominates the TEG module performance. In addition, a thermal resistor network, which is used to calculate the exact temperature difference traverse the TE ingot, has been constructed. After applying a suitable clamping pressure and modifying the actual ΔT with thermal resistor network, the “effective Seebeck coefficient” has been proposed. Notably, this proposed value is very helpful for better understanding characteristics of the behavior of the TEG module operating in the actual conditions we provided, and it can be used to predict the performance of the TEG module under any other condition.

Keywords: Seebeck coefficient; Temperature dependence; Thermoelectric generator; TEG module; Contact effect; Thermal resistor network (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (33)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.07.033

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