Abstract
Growing energy demands are driving people to generate power in every possible way. New energy sources are needed to plug the energy gap. There is a growing interest in distributed energy generation due to its remarkable advantages such as flexibility, reliability, adaptability and minimal transmission losses. Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are one such distributed power source that relies on thermal energy for electricity generation. The current review focusses on the design and optimization of TEGs to maximize the power output from the available thermal sources. The basic principle of thermoelectricity generation and suitable architecture for specific applications are explained with an overview of materials and manufacturing processes. Various cooling techniques to dissipate heat from the cold side and their influence on overall efficiency are reviewed in this work. Applications of TEGs for powering biomedical sensors have been discussed in detail. Recent advancements in TEGs for various implantable devices and their power requirements are evaluated. The exploitation of TEGs to generate power for wearable sensors has been presented, along with published experimental data. It is envisioned that this study will provide profound knowledge on TEG design for specific applications, which will be helpful for future endeavours.
Highlights
Thermoelectric devices (TEDs) were conventionally used for thermal management as early as1950 [1], when they were first conceived
We present a short overview of thermoelectric materials and their manufacturing process section presentsReaders a short who overview of thermoelectric materials their manufacturing with This cost considerations
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Summary
Thermoelectric devices (TEDs) were conventionally used for thermal management as early as. Most of the studies on TEDs focus on the development of materials [3] and associated system components towards enhancing the system-level efficiency, which is comparatively low (~5%) [4] compared to compressor-based refrigeration (40-50%) [5]. TEDs are realized to generate electricity by converting thermal energy, apart from their conventional use as cold sinks. This unique power generation widened its usage from space exploration [6] to powering micro-biomedical sensors. The advancements in thermoelectric materials boost the efficiency of thermal-to-electric conversion, enhancing their commercial potential. The power generation efficiency of TEGs depends on the material, the system-level components and their arrangement. The portable health care devices market is expected to grow in the coming decades, fuelling research into TEDs with a higher coefficient of performance (COP)
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