Thermoelectric Generator with Passive Biphasic Thermosyphon Heat Exchanger for Waste Heat Recovery: Design and Experimentation

Miguel Araiz,Patricia Aranguren,David Astrain,Leyre Catalán,Álvaro Casi

doi:10.3390/en14185815

Abstract

One of the measures to fight against the current energy situation and reduce the energy consumption at an industrial process is to recover waste heat and transform it into electric power. Thermoelectric generators can be used for that purpose but there is a lack of experimental studies that can bring this technology closer to reality. This work presents the design, optimizations and development of two devices that are experimented and compared under the same working conditions. The hot side heat exchanger of both generators has been designed using a computational fluid dynamics software and for the cold side of the generators two technologies have been analysed: a finned dissipater that uses a fan and free convection biphasic thermosyphon. The results obtained show a maximum net generation of 6.9W in the thermoelectric generator with the finned dissipater; and 10.6W of power output in the generator with the biphasic thermosyphon. These results remark the importance of a proper design of the heat exchangers, trying to get low thermal resistances at both sides of the thermoelectric modules, as well as, the necessity of considering the auxiliary consumption of the equipment employed.

Highlights

The current global energy situation is pushing every activity to proper use of the resources
The purpose of this work is to build and experimentally test how a thermoelectric generator can be used for waste heat recovery
In order to properly analyse the results obtained from the experimental tests, a calculation methodology has been developed to explain the thermal behaviour of the elements that form the thermoelectric generator

Summary

Introduction

The current global energy situation is pushing every activity to proper use of the resources. In this sense, it is quite common the implementation of energy efficiency measures in domestic and industrial processes. It is quite common the implementation of energy efficiency measures in domestic and industrial processes One of these measures is the recovery and reuse of the excess heat that is available in many activities, the so called waste heat [1]. Other ideas include the use of that waste heat to increase the efficiency and environmental operation of a process by employing heat recuperators [4]

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Conclusion