Effect of Convection Heat Transfer on Performance of Waste Heat Thermoelectric Generator

Efficiency of energy conversion processes can be improved if waste heat is converted to electricity. A thermoelectric generator (TEG) can directly convert waste heat to electricity. The TEG typically suffers from low efficiency due to various reasons, such as ohmic heating, surface-to-surrounding convection losses, and unfavorable material properties. In this work, the effect of surface-to-surrounding convection heat transfer losses on the performance of TEG is studied analytically and numerically. A one-dimensional (1-D) analytical model is developed that includes surface convection, conduction, ohmic heating, and Peltier, Seebeck, and Thomson effects with top and bottom surfaces of TEG exposed to convective boundary conditions. Using the analytical solutions, different performance parameters (e.g., heat input, power output, and efficiency) are calculated and expressed graphically as functions of thermal source and sink temperatures and convection heat transfer coefficient. Finally, a two-dimensional (2-D) mathematical model is solved numerically to observe qualitative results of thermal and electric fields inside the TEG. For all calculations, temperature-dependent thermal/electric properties are considered. Increase in thermal source temperature results in an increase in the power output with adiabatic side wall conditions. A change in boundary condition to convection heat transfer from adiabatic boundary has a large impact on thermal efficiency.     

Effects of fuel cell vehicle waste heat temperatures and cruising speeds on the outputs of a thermoelectric generator energy recovery module

A thermoelectric generator (TEG) module is designed to harvest low grade waste heat from a 2 kW fuel cell vehicle and improve its energy utilization. The module integrates a TEG cell with a heat pipe and a finned heat sink. A numerical model is developed based on an experiment setup where the fuel cell temperature is 45–60 °C while the cruise speed is 25 kmh^?1. The numerical model is validated with less than 5% deviation. Extended cases are simulated for series and parallel power train configuration under changes to the waste heat temperature and vehicle speeds to evaluate the power and heat recovery ratio. A single TEG cell output between 2 and 3 W is achievable even at low grade heat. The parallel drive generates 50% more power than the series drive at 100 kmh^?1 speed. A 2% heat recovery is theoretically achievable for a 16 cell module assembly.     

Numerical study of a solar thermoelectric generator with nanofluids based microcooling system

Abstract

Nanofluids have been recently gaining ever-increasing attention in solar thermoelectric applications due to their promising potentials as heat transfer fluids. This research investigates numerically the performance of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) that is cooled by Al₂O₃/water nanofluid flows in zigzag microchannel heat sinks (ZMCHS). The one-way fluid–structure interaction (FSI) tool was used to couple the thermal-electric and fluid flow tools in ANSYS 15.0. The present study focused on the effects of heat flux (2–50?kW/m²), laminar Reynolds number (5–1500), inlet flow temperature (293–303?K) and the nanoparticle concentration (1–6%) on the output electric power and the efficiency of the TEG module. The applied heat flux limitations and its relation to the thermal limitations of thermoelectric materials were considered. The results indicated that the increase of heat flux increased the output power and the efficiency of TEG. Higher Reynolds numbers (Re > 400), inlet temperature and nanofluid concentration had an insignificant impact on the TEG performance.     

Numerical simulation of nanostructured thermoelectric generator considering surface to surrounding convection

Thermoelectric systems (TE) can directly convert heat to electricity and vice-versa by using semiconductor materials. Therefore, coupling between heat transfer and electric field potential is important to predict the performance of thermoelectric generator (TEG) systems. This paper develops a general two-dimensional numerical model of a TEG system using nanostructured thermoelectric semiconductor materials. A TEG with p-type nanostructured material of Bismuth Antimony Telluride (BiSbTe) and n-type Bismuth Telluride (Bi₂Te₃) with 0.1 vol.% Silicon Carbide (SiC) nanoparticles is considered for performance evaluations. Coupled TE equations with temperature dependant transport properties are used after incorporating Fourier heat conduction, Joule heating, Seebeck effect, Peltier effect, and Thomson effect. The effects of temperature difference between the hot and cold junctions and surface to surrounding convective on different output parameters (e.g., thermal and electric fields, power generation, thermal efficiency, and current) are studied. Selected results obtained from current numerical analysis are compared with the results obtained from analytical model available in the literature. There is a good agreement between the numerical and analytical results. The numerical results show that as temperature difference increases output power and amount of current generated increase. Moreover, it is quite apparent that convective boundary condition deteriorates the performance of TEG.     

A three-dimensional numerical model of thermoelectric generators in fluid power systems

In thermoelectric generators, the heat sources are usually fluids or flames. To simplify the co-design and co-optimization of the fluid or combustion system and the thermoelectric device, which are crucial for maximizing the system performance, a three-dimensional thermoelectric generator model is proposed and implemented in a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation environment (FLUENT). This model of the thermoelectric power source accounts for all temperature dependent characteristics of the materials, and includes nonlinear fluid-thermal-electric multi-physics coupled effects. In solid regions, the heat conduction equation is solved with ohmic heating and thermoelectric source terms, and user defined scalars are used to determine the electric field produced by the Seebeck potential and electric current throughout the thermoelements. The current is solved in terms of the load value using user defined functions but not a prescribed parameter, and thus the field-circuit coupled effect is included. The model is validated by simulation data from other models and experimental data from real thermoelectric devices. Within the common CFD simulator FLUENT, the thermoelectric model can be connected to various CFD models of heat sources as a continuum domain to predict and optimize the system performance.     

Performance effect on the TEG system for waste heat recovery in automobiles using ZnO and SiO2 nanofluid coolants

Enhancement in heat transfer of the cold side is vital to amplify the performance of a thermoelectric generator (TEG). With enriched thermophysical properties of nanofluids, significant improvement in heat transfer process can be obtained. The current study concerns the performance comparison of an automobile waste heat recovery system with EG‐water (EG‐W) mixture, ZnO, and SiO₂ nanofluid as coolants for the TEG system. The effects on performance parameters, that is, circuit voltage, conversion efficiency, and output power with exhaust inlet temperature, the total area of TEG, Reynolds number, and particle concentration of nanofluids for the TEG system have been investigated. A detailed performance analysis revealed an increase in voltage, power output, and conversion efficiency of the TEG system with SiO ₂ nanofluid, followed by ZnO and EG‐W coolants. The electric power and conversion efficiency for SiO ₂ nanofluid at an exhaust inlet temperature of 500K were enhanced by 11.80% and 11.39% respectively, in comparison with EG‐W coolants. Moreover, the model speculates that an optimal total area of TEGs exists for the maximum power output of the system. With SiO ₂ nanofluid as a coolant, the total area of TEGs can be diminished by up to 34% as compared with EG‐W, which brings significant convenience for the placement of TEGs and reduces the cost of the TEG system.     

Liquid metal based thermoelectric generation system for waste heat recovery

A new type of thermoelectric generator (TEG) system based on liquid metal which serves to harvest and transport waste heat, is proposed in this paper. To demonstrate the feasibility of the new TEG system, an experimental prototype which combined commercially available thermoelectric (TE) modules with the electromagnetic pump was set up. Output voltage from TE modules and temperature changes of the main parts (waste heat source, liquid metal heating plate, water-cooling plates I and II) of the liquid metal based TEG system were experimentally measured, as well as the flow rate of cooling water and the load resistance. It was shown that the maximum open-circuit voltage of 34.7 V was obtained when the temperature of the waste heat source was 195.9 °C and the temperature gap between liquid metal heating plate and cooling-water plates was nearly 100 °C. These experimental results obviously verify that using liquid metal based TEG system for waste heat recovery is highly feasible. In addition, the TEG system performance is discussed and a calculated efficiency of 2% in the whole TEG system is obtained. Possible suggestions to further improve this type of generator in the future are given.     

Thermoelectric conversion of waste heat from IC engine‐driven vehicles: A review of its application,issues, and solutions

Thermoelectric generator (TEG) is a promising thermoelectric (TE) conversion technology to effectively recover and convert waste heat from vehicle exhaust into useful energy, ie, electricity. Exhaust TEG (ETEG) is a system that is incorporated into the exhaust manifold of a vehicle. Exhaust TEG comprises of a heat exchanger, TEG modules, heat sink, and power conditioning unit. The present work reviews different vehicular ETEGs based on engine type, engine‐rated power, type and number of TEG module, efficiency of ETEG and TEG, exhaust and coolant temperature, and power output of ETEG . In addition to these, the technical issues faced in these ETEGs are addressed under 2 categories, viz., primary (TEG with low ZT TE material and inefficient heat exchanger and heat sink) and secondary issues (low operating temperature TEG modules and installation position of ETEG). In addition to it, effects of vibration and thermal cycling of exhaust system on TEG modules that may arise in ETEG are also discussed. A review of preventive solutions to the issues is also presented. Finally, the economic aspects of an ETEG are also discussed. The review highlights the need of commercialization of TE materials with ZT > 2, high‐temperature operating range, and segmented TEG modules in large volumes so that their practice can be extended in vehicular applications. Heat exchanger modeling using computational fluid dynamics and interfacing with heat transfer theory is essential to maintain temperature uniformity across the TEG modules. Installation of ETEG in the exhaust pipe should be such that it does not affect the performance of the engine. It is also realized that sturdy TEG modules should be developed for long‐term operation to prevent degradation due to mechanical vibration and thermal cycling of the vehicle. Further, ETEG is economically beneficial in vehicles such as trucks owing to availability of high thermal energy in their exhaust stream.     

Thermal effect of a thermoelectric generator on parallel microchannel heat sink

Thermoelectric generators (TEG) convert heat energy to electrical power by means of semiconductor charge carriers serving as working fluid. In this work, a TEG is applied to a parallel microchannel heat sink. The effect of the inlet plenum arrangement on the laminar flow distribution in the channels is considered at a wide range of the pressure drop along the heat sink. The particular focus of this study is geometrical effect of the TEG on the heat transfer characteristics in the micro-heat sink. The hydraulic diameter of the microchannels is 270 μm, and three heat fluxes are applied on the hot surface of the TEG. By considering the maximum temperature limitation for Bi₂Te₃ material and using the microchannel heat sink for cooling down the TEG system, an optimum pumping power is achieved. The results are in a good agreement with the previous experimental and theoretical studies.     

Experimental investigation of a novel heat pipe thermoelectric generator for waste heat recovery and electricity generation

Waste heat recovery helps reduce energy consumption, decreases carbon emissions, and enhances sustainable energy development. In China, energy-intensive industries dominate the industrial sector and have significant potential for waste heat recovery. We propose a novel waste heat recovery system assisted by a heat pipe and thermoelectric generator (TEG) namely, heat pipe TEG (HPTEG)，to simultaneously recover waste heat and achieve electricity generation. Moreover, the HPTEG provides a good approach to bridging the mismatch between energy supply and demand. Based on the technical reserve on high-temperature heat pipe manufacturing and TEG device integration, a laboratory-scale HPTEG prototype was established to investigate the coupling performances of the heat pipes and TEGs. Static energy conversion and passive thermal transport were achieved with the assistance of skutterudite TEGs and potassium heat pipes. Based on the HPTEG prototype, the heat transfer and the thermoelectric conversion performances were investigated. Potassium heat pipes exhibited excellent heat transfer performance with 95% thermal efficiency. The isothermality of such a heat pipe was excellent, and the heat pipe temperature gradient was within 15°C. The TEG's thermoelectric conversion efficiency of 7.5% and HPTEG's prototype system thermoelectric conversion efficiency of 6.2% were achieved. When the TEG hot surface temperature reached 625°C, the maximum electrical output power of the TEG peaked at 183.2 W, and the open-circuit voltage reached 42.2 V. The high performances of the HPTEG prototype demonstrated the potential of the HPTEG for use in engineering applications.     

Experiments and simulations on low-temperature waste heat harvesting system by thermoelectric power generators

In this case study, a system to recover waste heat comprised 24 thermoelectric generators (TEG) to convert heat from the exhaust pipe of an automobile to electrical energy has been constructed. Simulations and experiments for the thermoelectric module in this system are undertaken to assess the feasibility of these applications. A slopping block is designed on the basis of simulation results to uniform the interior thermal field that improves the performance of TEG modules. Besides simulations, the system is designed and assembled. Measurements followed the connection of the system to the middle of an exhaust pipe. Open circuit voltage and maximum power output of the system are characterized as a function of temperature difference. Through these simulations and experiments, the power generated with a commercial TEG module is presented. Overview this case study and our previous work, the results establish the fundamental development of low-temperature waste heat thermoelectric generator system that enhances the TEG efficiency for vehicles.     

Numerical investigation of thermal and electrical management during hydrogen reversible solid-state storage using a novel heat exchanger based on thermoelectric modules

In order to reduce the costs generated by the hydrogen solid storage tank's accessories such as the heat exchanger, this work was carried out. It shows thermal and electrical investigations of transient hydrogen (H₂) solid storage in a tank filled with porous medium (LaNi₅) to activate a potential PEM automotive fuel cell. For this purpose, we use a novel heat exchanger with a heat sink combined with thermoelectric modules (TEMs). We realize a simulation that helps us verify if thermoelectric exchanger will be an alternative to the conventional ones. The main results are that a thermoelectric cooler and heater with 127 couples of semiconductors coupled with 19 fins heat sink could be used during the reversible hydrogen solid storage. Also, results show that we can avoid the water freezing at negative temperatures when using a conventional heat exchanger by using TEM during hydrogen absorption. Finally, during the endothermic desorption of the hydrogen, TEG use can avoid boiling water used in the heating system. Also, the hydrogen tank will be lighter and compact without fins and water tubes.     

Integrating high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell with duplex thermoelectric cooler for electricity and cooling cogeneration

To harvest the waste heat from exothermic reaction processes, a novel hybrid system model mainly incorporating a high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) and a duplex thermoelectric cooler is conceptualized to theoretically predict the potential performance limit. The duplex thermoelectric cooler is composed of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) and a thermoelectric cooler (TEC), where the TEG harvests the waste heat to generate electricity and the TEC utilizes the generated electricity for cooling production. A mathematical model is established to estimate the proposed system performance from both exergetic and energetic perspectives considering various irreversible effects, from which effectiveness and practicality of the proposed system can be examined. The hybrid system maximal output power density allows 14.1% greater than that of the basic HT-PEMFC, whereas the according destruction rate density of exergy is decreased by 7.7%. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed system configuration are verified. Moreover, substantial parametric analyses indicate that the proposed system performance can be improved by elevating the HT-PEMFC operating temperature, inlet relative humidity and doping level while worsened by enhancing the leak current density, electrolyte thickness and Thomson coefficient. The results acquired may be helpful in designing and optimizing such an actual hybrid system.     

A mathematic model of thermoelectric module with applications on waste heat recovery from automobile engine

Over two-thirds energy of fuel consumed by an automobile is discharged to the surroundings as waste heat. The fuel usage can be more efficient if thermoelectric generators (TEG) are used to convert heat energy into electricity. In this study, a thermoelectric module composed of thermoelectric generators and a cooling system is developed to improve the efficiency of an IC engine. Two potential positions on an automobile are chosen to apply this module, e.g. exhaust pipe and radiator to examine the feasibility. To predict the behaviors of this module, a one dimensional thermal resistance model is also build, and the results are verified with experiments.     

Energy efficiency analysis and impact evaluation of the application of thermoelectric power cycle to today’s CHP systems

High efficiency thermoelectric generators (TEG) can recover waste heat from both industrial and private sectors. Thus, the development and deployment of TEG may represent one of the main drives for technological change and fuel substitution. This paper will present an analysis of system efficiency related to the integration of TEG into thermal energy systems, especially Combined Heat and Power production (CHP). Representative implementations of installing TEG in CHP plants to utilize waste heat, wherein electricity can be generated in situ as a by-product, will be described to show advantageous configurations for combustion systems. The feasible deployment of TEG in various CHP plants will be examined in terms of heat source temperature range, influences on CHP power specification and thermal environment, as well as potential benefits. The overall conversion efficiency improvements and economic benefits, together with the environmental impact of this deployment, will then be estimated. By using the Danish thermal energy system as a paradigm, this paper will consider the TEG application to district heating systems and power plants through the EnergyPLAN model, which has been created to design suitable energy strategies for the integration of electricity production into the overall energy system.     

Modeling,experimental study and optimization on low-temperature waste heat thermoelectric generator system

Thermoelectric generation technology, due to its several kinds of merits, especially its promising applications to waste heat recovery, is becoming a noticeable research direction. Based on basic principles of thermoelectric generation technology and finite time thermodynamics, thermoelectric generator system model has been established. In order to investigate viability and further performance of the thermoelectric generator for waste heat recovery in industry area, a low-temperature waste heat thermoelectric generator setup has been constructed. Through the comparison of results between theoretic analysis and experiment, reasonability of this system model has been verified. Testing results and discussion show the promising potential of using thermoelectric generator for low-temperature waste heat recovery, especially in industrial fields. Several suggestions for system performance improvement have been proposed through the analysis on this system model, which guide optimization and modification of this experimental setup. By integrating theoretic analysis and experiment, it is found that besides increasing waste heat temperature and TE modules in series, expanding heat sink surface area in a proper range and enhancing cold-side heat transfer capacity in a proper range can also be employed to enhance performance of this setup.     

Coupled thermal model of photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid panel for sample cities in Europe

In general, modeling of photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV/TEG) hybrid panels have been mostly simplified and disconnected from the actual ambient conditions and thermal losses from the panel. In this study, a thermally coupled model of PV/TEG panel is established to precisely predict performance of the hybrid system under different weather conditions. The model takes into account solar irradiation, wind speed and ambient temperature as well as convective and radiated heat losses from the front and rear surfaces of the panel. The model is developed for three sample cities in Europe with different weather conditions. The results show that radiated heat loss from the front surface and the convective heat loss due to the wind speed are the most critical parameters on performance of the hybrid panel performance. The results also indicate that, with existing thermoelectric materials, the power generation by the TEG is insignificant compared to electrical output by the PV panel, and the TEG plays only a small role on power generation in the hybrid PV/TEG panel. However, contribution of the TEG in the power generation can be improved via higher ZT thermoelectric materials and geometry optimization of the TEG.     

Experimental investigation of thermoelectric power generation versus coolant pumping power in a microchannel heat sink

The coolant heat sinks in thermoelectric generators (TEG) play an important role in order to power generation in the energy systems. This paper explores the effective pumping power required for the TEGs cooling at five temperature difference of the hot and cold sides of the TEG. In addition, the temperature distribution and the pressure drop in sample microchannels are considered at four sample coolant flow rates. The heat sink contains twenty plate-fin microchannels with hydraulic diameter equal to 0.93 mm. The experimental results show that there is a unique flow rate that gives maximum net-power in the system at the each temperature difference.     

Design and characterization of a cylindrical,water‐cooled heat sink for thermoelectric air‐conditioners

Thermoelectric air‐conditioners (TEACs) are becoming much concerned due to their many advantages, but the low COPs limit their broad applications. The two key factors to raise the COPs of TEACs are both the improvement of thermoelectric materials and the optimum design of hot side heat sinks. This paper provides a thermoelectric air‐conditioning system with a water‐cooled sleeve heat sink in the hot side of the thermoelectric pellets, and compares the overall heat transfer rates q_t, the total heat resistances R_t between the water‐cooled and air‐cooled heat sinks as well as the optimum fin length, the optimum fluid flow velocity and the optimum fin gap distance. The simulation results show that the overall heat transfer rate of water‐cooled heat sink is more than 20 times that of air‐cooled heat sink under the other same circumstances, as a result of the improvement of heat sink, the optimum COP of the thermoelectric air‐conditioning system with the water‐cooled heat sink proximately doubles that with the air‐cooled heat sink. This novel system could be simply installed and applied all the year round for cooling in summer and heating in winter. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A review and selection of engine waste heat recovery technologies using analytic hierarchy process and grey relational analysis

In this paper, a brief review and comparison of the engine waste heat recovery technologies have been made. These five technologies are electric turbocompounding systems (ETC), thermodynamic organic Rankine cycle (ORC), thermoelectric generators (TEG), hydrogen generation by using exhaust gas heat energy, and hybrid pneumatic power systems (HPPS). According to comparison results, the HPPS system can achieve the highest fuel economy improvement among the five technologies. Though there are their own benefits by utilizing these different technologies, their disadvantages prevent the application of these advanced technologies to different extent. Besides, a combined evaluation method consisting of grey relational analysis and analytic hierarchy process has been applied to assess the five new engine waste heat recovery technologies from the perspective of technical, economic, and environmental aspect. Based on the final results of the new evaluation method, the HPPS was found to be the most promising WHR technology for vehicle engines. But because of the emphasis on economic benefit, TEG was found to be more favorable for working conditions, like power plant and marine engine. What is more, as is shown in the sensibility analysis, the weighing of the environment relevant factors can prominently influence the comparison results between ETC and HPPS. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.