Enhanced heat transfer study of thermoelectric generation system based on bidirectional coupling simulation

Abstract

ABSTRACT To improve the performance of thermoelectric generator (TEG) for recovering the waste heat of thermaI fluid, a fluid-thermoelectric multiphysics numerical model is developed by using a bidirectional-coupled simulation method. The interaction between the thermal fluid and the TEG system is considered in this method and the numerical model is experimentally validated. Two numerical models of TEG systems with straight fins and corrugated fins are established, respectively. The temperature and potential distributions of the TEG at different inlet velocities and temperatures are analyzed. The results show that the corrugated fins can enhance the convective heat transfer, thereby improving the output characteristics of TEG. The developed model can predict the output characteristics of TEG system accurately. The error between the simulated and experimentally measured open-circuit voltage does not exceed 2.41%. Increasing the inlet air velocity and temperature improves the TEG hot side temperature, thus increasing its output power. Compared with the TEG system with straight fins, the heat transfer coefficient of the thermal fluid in the TEG system with corrugated fins was improved by about 10%. The output power and conversion efficiency were also improved by 18.9% and 0.12%, respectively, at a higher inlet velocity of 5.36 m/s.