Equivalent Electrical Circuits of Thermoelectric Generators under Different Operating Conditions

Saima Siouane, Slaviša Jovanović and Philippe Poure
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Saima Siouane: Institut Jean Lamour (UMR7198), Université de Lorraine, BP 70239, F-54506 Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France
Slaviša Jovanović: Institut Jean Lamour (UMR7198), Université de Lorraine, BP 70239, F-54506 Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France
Philippe Poure: Institut Jean Lamour (UMR7198), Université de Lorraine, BP 70239, F-54506 Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 3, 1-15

Abstract: Energy harvesting has become a promising and alternative solution to conventional energy generation patterns to overcome the problem of supplying autonomous electrical systems. More particularly, thermal energy harvesting technologies have drawn a major interest in both research and industry. Thermoelectric Generators (TEGs) can be used in two different operating conditions, under constant temperature gradient or constant heat flow. The commonly used TEG electrical model, based on a voltage source in series with an electrical resistance, shows its limitations especially under constant heat flow conditions. Here, the analytical electrical modeling, taking into consideration the internal and contact thermal resistances of a TEG under constant temperature gradient and constant heat flow conditions, is first given. To give further insight into the electrical behavior of a TEG module in different operating conditions, we propose a new and original way of emulating the above analytical expressions with usual electronics components (voltage source, resistors, diode), whose values are determined with the TEG’s parameters. Note that such a TEG emulation is particularly suited when designing the electronic circuitry commonly associated to the TEG, to realize both Maximum Power Point Tracking and output voltage regulation. First, the proposed equivalent electrical circuits are validated through simulation with a SPICE environment in static operating conditions using only one value of either temperature gradient or heat flow. Then, they are also analyzed in dynamic operating conditions where both temperature gradient and heat flow are considered as time-varying functions.

Keywords: thermoelectric generator; equivalent electrical circuit; electrical modeling; constant temperature gradient; constant heat flow (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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