Design a high-performance thermoelectric generator by analyzing industrial heat transfer

Abstract

Industrial production will release a large amount of waste heat into the environment and cause serious energy waste. Currently, most waste heat recovery technologies cannot directly convert waste heat into energy required for industrial production, and there is a problem of low energy conversion efficiency problem. Thermoelectric conversion technology can convert industrial waste heat into electrical energy and directly use it in industrial production. This study uses a numerical method to analyze the heat transfer behavior between an industrial thermal environment and a thermoelectric generator (TEG). According to the numerical calculation results, the deficiencies of the original TEG are optimized, and a new TEG with high power generation performance and stability is designed. Finally, the accuracy of numerical calculation results and the industrial application feasibility of new TEG are verified through on-site tests. The results show that the power generation performance of the new TEG has been greatly improved, and it can operate stably for a long time in an industrial environment. The best economic benefit can be obtained by installing new TEGs in the x = 20 m-21 m, the power generation cost is 3.45$/W, and the total output power is 0.55 kW. The cost of power generation for new TEGs will increase as the installation area increases. When new TEGs are installed in the x = 20 m-24 m, the power generation cost is 3.97$/W, and the total output power is 1.96 kW. It can be known from the on-site testing results that the new TEG has high practical value and can be widely used in industrial waste heat recovery.