Enhanced Efficiency of Thermoelectric Generator by Optimizing Mechanical and Electrical Structures

Jinlong Chen, Kewen Li, Changwei Liu, Mao Li, Youchang Lv, Lin Jia and Shanshan Jiang
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Jinlong Chen: School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Kewen Li: School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Changwei Liu: School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Mao Li: State Key Laboratory of Development and Utilization of Coking-coal Resources, China Pingmei Shenma Group, Pingdingshan 467000, China
Youchang Lv: State Key Laboratory of Development and Utilization of Coking-coal Resources, China Pingmei Shenma Group, Pingdingshan 467000, China
Lin Jia: School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Shanshan Jiang: School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: Much attention has been paid to the application of low temperature thermal resources, especially for power generation in recent years. Most of the current commercialized thermal (including geothermal) power-generation technologies convert thermal energy to electric energy indirectly, that is, making mechanical work before producing electricity. Technology using a thermoelectric generator (TEG), however, can directly transform thermal energy into electricity through the Seebeck effect. TEG technology has many advantages such as compactness, quietness, and reliability because there are no moving parts. One of the biggest disadvantages of TEGs is the low efficiency from thermal to electric energy. For this reason, we redesigned and modified our previous 1 KW (at a temperature difference of around 120 °C) TEG system. The output power of the system was improved significantly, about 34.6% greater; the instantaneous efficiency of the TEG system could reach about 6.5%. Laboratory experiments have been conducted to measure the output power at different conditions: different connection modes between TEG modules, different mechanical structures, and different temperature differences between hot and cold sides. The TEG apparatus has been tested and the data have been presented. This kind of TEG power system can be applied in many thermal and geothermal sites with low temperature resources, including oil fields where fossil and geothermal energies are coproduced.

Keywords: thermoelectric generator system (TEGs); direct power generation; thermoelectric effect; thermal efficiency (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 (13)

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