Factors influencing the thermoelectric characteristics of a thermoelectric generator with cold-side micro heat pipe arrays

Abstract

The thermoelectric characteristics of a thermoelectric generator with cold-side micro heat pipe arrays are studied owing to their excellent heat dissipation performances. The influence of bending angle and vertical height of micro heat pipe arrays on the cold-side of a thermoelectric generator is examined. The bending angle influence factor is defined to analyze the changing law of thermoelectric characteristics. Three bending angles, five vertical heights, and nine temperature operating points are experimentally estimated with coupling parameters. The temperature difference, output power, and output current increase with increasing heat source temperature. Moreover, the growth trend of output characteristics does not show a significant slowdown over a period of time, indicating its reliability. The thermoelectric characteristics at a 130° bending angle are higher than those at other bending angles owing to the optimum capillary flow, condensation liquid backflow, and small evaporation thermal resistance of micro heat pipe arrays. The optimum vertical height changes as bending angle changes. Furthermore, the output power increases with increasing vertical height at a high heat source temperature. The innovative application of the micro heat pipe arrays in the cold-side heat dissipation of a thermoelectric module has great engineering significance for the optimal design of thermoelectric generators.