Experimental research and optimization of a thermoelectric generator excited by pulsed combustion mode under limited heat dissipation for combined heat and power supply

Abstract

In this paper, a scheme of pulse combustion mode with pulse input of gas is proposed to solve the problems of low output electrical performance and energy conversion efficiency of combustion-based thermoelectric systems under limited heat dissipation conditions, which is based on experiments. The characteristics of the thermoelectric system show that pulse combustion mode can increase the instantaneous temperature difference, so as to achieve the excitation effect on the output power. The relationships among output power, system efficiency, excitation intensity and pulse input parameters, and the geometry of thermoelectric modules are obtained. The influence of pulse input parameters on the excitation intensity is interactive, and top dead center of pulse inlet power is the parameter that has the greatest influence on the performance. Compared to the constant combustion mode, the pulse combustion mode can increase the output power by up to 28.3%. A maximum output power of 7.15 W with air-cooled heat dissipation and a maximum system efficiency of 3.26% were experimentally obtained, which is a 30% increase in efficiency over current air-cooled heat dissipation thermoelectric systems. Therefore, this paper can provide solutions for more practical power supply, provide effective and feasible guidance for the study of thermoelectric systems, and provide useful insights into the electrical properties of thermoelectric systems.