Study of the Process of Generation of Thermoelectricity in Low Grade Heat Recovery of Waste Gases

Abstract

Purpose of research.The purpose of the study is to develop an experimental design of an integrated air heater, conduct and analyze experiments as well as to determine the main characteristics of a thermoelectric generator in low-grade heat recovery of waste gases.Methods. The experimental unit consists of two blocks – a thermoelectric generator operating on the principle of cross heat exchange for heat recovery with concurrent heating of the incoming air, which is supplied as a mixture to the burner device of the boiler unit; and an adsorber block filled with blast furnace slag for cleaning the waste gases from nitrogen, sulphur and carbon oxides. To achieve these goals, the work is based on the proposed thermoelectricity effect, which works on the principle of converting thermal energy into electricity at a temperature difference between hot and cold junctions in thermoelectric sections consisting of two metals different in their electronegativity. At the same time, in an integrated air heater, the intensification of the process of adsorption of harmful components by granulated blast furnace slag takes place, which reduces the heat content and temperature of waste gases, reduces emissions of flue gases and, as a result, increases environmental safety of the area adjacent to the boiler. In particular, the study of countercurrent heat exchange in the design of the thermoelectric generator was carried out.Results.The main result of the research work is the development of an experimental design of an integrated air heater, an experimental technique and the determination of the main characteristics of the thermoelectricity generation process.Conclusion.The use of such an integrated air heater can improve the efficiency of heat-generating units of low, medium and high power installed in the central heating stations, multi-family and single-family houses. The gained electric power with the subsequent transformation can be used for power supply of automatiс equipment of boilers of low, medium and high power, and for power supply of the stations of cathodic protection against electrochemical corrosion of back-end surfaces formed as a result of the presence of water vapors in waste gases.