Analysis of boost conversion process for a thermoelectric module

Abstract

Thermoelectric modules are a useful way to extract waste energy from a readily available low quality heat source. However, the voltage generated by these modules varies with the temperature difference across its surfaces which are prone to fluctuations. Furthermore, the amount of voltage generated by individual modules is low. This can be rectified using voltage converters to stabilise the output voltage at the expense of some efficiency. In the case where a minimal number of modules are being used, a boost converter can be used to increase the input voltage from the thermoelectric modules to a higher level. Our previous study showed the results of the boost conversion process for multiple temperature differences, resulting in multiple input voltages and currents and found that the conversion efficiency increases with increasing input voltage at an almost constant input current. In this paper, we compare the experimental results for conversion efficiency against the expected values provided by the manufacturer, and find that when the input voltage is closer to the desired output voltage, the conversion efficiency increases.