Enhanced Energy Harvesting from Thermoelectric Modules: Strategic Manipulation of Element Quantity and Geometry for Optimized Power Output

Chun-I Wu (), Kung-Wen Du and Yu-Hsuan Tu
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Chun-I Wu: Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan
Kung-Wen Du: Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan
Yu-Hsuan Tu: Department of Green Energy and Information Technology, National Taitung University, Taitung 95092, Taiwan

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-17

Abstract: Rising environmental concerns and increasing electricity generation costs have sparked significant interest in waste heat recovery systems, particularly thermoelectric modules. Given the challenge of breakthroughs in thermoelectric materials, improving module structure has become a key strategy for enhancing efficiency. This study examines the commercially available TGM1-127-1.0-0.8 thermoelectric module through comparative simulation of flat plate and annular configurations. By maintaining consistent conditions across designs—including total volume of thermoelectric material, element geometry, heat source contact area, temperature differential, and connecting copper plate volume—we investigated the relationship between thermoelectric element quantity and module performance. Results demonstrate that the number of thermoelectric elements not only determines the open-circuit voltage but also significantly influences output power. Notably, the output power trend remains consistent across temperature differentials, independent of load resistance variations, suggesting a fundamental relationship between element quantity and module efficiency.

Keywords: thermoelectric generators; annular thermoelectric generators; waste heat recovery; energy harvesting; module design and optimization; energy conversion efficiency; thermocouple optimization (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: 2024
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