Abstract
Thermoelectricity can be used to generate electrical power from temperature gradients or differences in naturally occurring geothermal heat and rocks, or from waste heat in man-made equipment and industrial processes. Thermoelectric energy harvesting systems are finding commercial applications to replace or recharge batteries in low power electronic systems. This chapter provides the fundamental thermoelectric theory related to power generation, including the theoretical analysis and numerical calculations required to calculate the thermoelectric efficiency and electrical power generated when a single thermoelectric couple, and a 127 couple thermoelectric module, are subject to different temperature gradients. A thermoelectric energy harvesting system, incorporating a low power boost converter and DC to DC converter, coupled with electrical energy storage in supercapacitors, is presented and enables a thermoelectric energy harvesting system to provide sufficient electrical power to operate low power electronic components and systems. The short-term challenge for thermoelectric energy harvesting is to become a cost effective and practical solution to replace batteries, and to be scaled to provide sufficient power to operate electrical rotating machines such as low power motors and pumps. The long-term challenge is to improve the efficiency, power output, and cost of thermoelectric modules and energy harvesting systems, and to develop from low power to low-to-medium power applications.
Highlights
Energy harvesting is an ideal platform to foster research and the commercial application of thermoelectric power generation
The concept of using thermoelectricity to generate electrical power has been discussed for some time, and is considered to be an environmentally friendly and renewable technology, thermoelectricity is often overlooked in discussions surrounding renewable energy sources, partly due to the relatively low levels of electrical power generated from a thermoelectric module, which is typically in the milliwatt to watt range, and the low conversion efficiency of between 5 and 10% [1]
With the addition of power electronics, coupled with electrical energy storage in electric double layer capacitors, known as supercapacitors, the instantaneous electrical power output from a thermoelectric power generation system can be increased to a useful level, and can output sufficient electrical power to operate low power electronic
Summary
Energy harvesting is an ideal platform to foster research and the commercial application of thermoelectric power generation. The technology has several advantages when used for power generation; thermoelectric modules can function in harsh environments; are relatively small in size and weight; there are no moving parts and very low, if any, maintenance requirements; electrically quiet in operation; do not import dust or other particles; can be oriented in any direction; and the same module can be used for power generation, cooling and heating. It should be noted that thermoelectricity can be used for cooling and heating applications, where a source of DC power is applied to a thermoelectric couple or module’s input terminals, resulting in one side of the couple or module reducing in temperature and the other side increasing in temperature and acting as a heat pump. Interest has grown in the use of ambient energy sources to power low power electronic systems, with thermoelectricity being one of the most promising and applicable energy harvesting technologies for commercial exploitation
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