Output Power Of Thermoelectric Generator Research Articles

Cost-effective one-time configuration for bridge-linked thermoelectric generator array using INFO optimizer

One of the key mechanisms of enhancing the power output of Thermoelectric Generators (TEG) under nonuniform temperature distribution (NUTD) is to restructure their arrays to disperse the NUTD profiles. Existing research works in this area primarily propose dynamic reconfiguration techniques of TEG arrays as a potential solution to maximize their output powers while taking no notice of the highly associated costs of their implementation, i.e., sensors, switches, and maintenance, in addition to the complexity of operation and limited service lifetime of switches. To alleviate these drawbacks, this paper introduces an optimization model for a one-time configuration (OTC) of TEG arrays to maximize their output powers while accommodating multiple NUTD profiles simultaneously. Using the INFO optimizer, the introduced optimization model yields the OTC layout for both symmetrical and asymmetrical TEG arrays across various NUTD scenarios. Given its superior performance, the optimization model is applied to the bridge-linked (BL) TEG array and compared to other configurations such as series (S), series-parallel (SP), and standard BL. The results of the proposed OTC model are compared with (1) standard, non-optimized SP and BL configurations and (2) different dynamic-based reconfiguration techniques. Further, the performance of the proposed model is tested and validated experimentally in the laboratory for the available symmetrical hardware setup, 5 × 5, TEG array under varying NUTD profiles. Compared to dynamic reconfigurations, the results show that the proposed OTC technique provides a partially optimal and cost-effective solution to enhance the output power of TEG arrays under different NUTD. Specifically, for 9×9 and 10×15 TEG arrays, the OTC saves approximately 1,498.5 ($) and 2750 ($) compared to dynamic reconfigurations, respectively. Moreover, BL-based OTC enhances the TEG array harvested power by maximum values of 1.7532%, 2.43%, and 3.156% compared with the standard S, SP, and BL configurations, respectively, based on the hardware setup. Throughout the detailed comparison between the proposed OTC and dynamic reconfiguration techniques, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the trade-offs between these configuration techniques and addresses a critical gap in the current research landscape of enhancing the output powers of TEG arrays.

Design and optimal coolant flow rate analysis of an annular water-cooled automotive exhaust-based thermoelectric generator

This paper introduces a design of an annular water-cooled automotive exhaust-based thermoelectric generator (TEG). A comprehensive numerical model of TEG system is established to investigate the relationship between automotive exhaust temperature and coolant flow rate. Through numerical simulations, it is demonstrated that the implementation of this device can effectively enhance the temperature uniformity at the hot side of the heat exchanger, consequently increasing the TEG's power output. After introducing the annular water-cooled radiator, the temperature uniformity of the thermoelectric module increased by 18.8%. By utilizing the numerical simulation outcomes alongside empirical formulas, calculations for the pump power consumption, maximum output power, and maximum net output power of the thermoelectric module (TEM) are conducted. The maximum net output power can be increased by 3.30%–53.24% by controlling the coolant flow rate. As a result, a relationship curve depicting the average temperature difference between the hot and cold ends of the TEM, in relation to the optimum coolant flow rate, is obtained. This relationship curve serves as a valuable tool for adjusting the radiator's coolant flow rate and augmenting the TEG's net output power, ultimately achieving the objective of heightening the power generation efficiency of the TEG.

Impacts of distributed thermal and electric contact resistance on performance and geometric optimization of thermoelectric generators

Thermal and electric contact resistance (TCR/ECR) critically impact performance and geometric optimization of thermoelectric generators (TEGs). However, conventional treatments usually ignored or simplified them as lumped variables, neglecting their actual distributions across the TEG system. In this study, we proposed a multi-physical model to characterize TEG performance with explicitly specifying TCRs/ECRs at different TEG interfaces (locations). The numerical results show that the lumped-variabletreatment led to maximal overestimations of 16.9 % and 24.5 % in the TEG output power and efficiency, respectively, compared to the results with distributed TCR in this article. Importantly, it also reveals that the TEG performance was susceptible to the TCR location—the interfaces on the cold side exerted more negative impacts than those on the hot side. Furthermore, reducing both TCR and ECR could improve TEG performance and reducing TCR is more effective. It is shown that an 80 % reduction in TCR increased the maximum TEG output power by 35.6 %, while the same reduction percentage in ECR only improved it by 8.8 %. As to geometric optimization, an optimal TE leg height equal to 0.6 mm was obtained for the maximum output power. This contrasts with previous studies without considering TCR and ECR, which always favoured shorter heights. As for copper electrodes, their optimal heights were in the range of 0.2–0.4 mm corresponding to the maximum efficiency, far smaller than those (0.7–1.2 mm) obtained when TCR/ECR were neglected. The latter even further resulted in a reduction in the maximum efficiency by more than 1 % compared to its true peak. In this study, all these numerical results clearly elucidate the important impacts of distributed TCR and ECR on TEG performance, and provide a comprehensive and balanced guideline for TEG design.

Efficiency Enhancement in Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion: A Comparative Study of Heat Exchanger Designs for Bi2Te3-Based Thermoelectric Generators.

This research focuses on enhancing the efficiency of Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric generators (TEGs) in ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) systems through innovative heat exchanger designs. Our comparative study uses computer simulations to evaluate three types of heat exchangers: cavity, plate-fins, and longitudinal vortex generators (LVGs). We analyze their impact on thermoelectric conversion performance, considering the thermal energy transfer from warm surface seawater to TEGs. The results demonstrate that heat exchangers with plate-fins and LVGs significantly outperform the cavity heat exchanger regarding thermal energy transfer efficiency. Specifically, plate-fins increase TEG output power by approximately 22.92% and enhance thermoelectric conversion efficiency by 38.20%. Similarly, LVGs lead to a 13.02% increase in output power and a 16.83% improvement in conversion efficiency. These advancements are contingent upon specific conditions such as seawater flow rates, fin heights, LVG tilt angles, and locations. The study underscores the importance of optimizing heat exchanger designs in OTEC systems, balancing enhanced heat transfer against the required pump power. Our findings contribute to a broader understanding of materials science in sustainable energy technologies.

Waste heat recovery from the biomass engine for effective power generation using a new array-based system

Thermoelectric generator (TEG)-thermosyphon-based heat recovery system (HRS) for harvesting the heat from the high temperature sources is a well-known technology for power generation. However, various thermal resistances (a total of nine) are involved in the thermosyphon-based HRS between the heat sources and TEGs which generate irreversibility that ultimately reduces its performance. In this work, a new design of HRS i.e. TEG-array-based is proposed for effective power generation even at low temperatures of sustainable heat source by minimizing the thermal resistances. This TEG-array-based HRS is driven by a salt gradient thermal storage device (SGTSD) which is used for efficiently recovering and storing of sustainable waste heat generated from a biomass(renewable energy)-based engine-generator. The proposed system is experimentally studied to analyse the temperature variations in SGTSD, characteristics of sustainable waste heat temperature, and performance features of TEGs in terms of obtained electrical parameters, output power and conversion efficiency. The experimental results showed that the maximum open circuit voltage, output power and conversion efficiency of TEG are obtained as 81.62V, 7.438W and 4.63\\% respectively. With this proposed system, seven thermal resistances (out of total nine) are totally eliminated while the others two are lowered that leads to effectively transfer the energy from sustainable heat source to TEGs via minor equivalent thermal resistance of 0.01198oC/W. The proposed system is found to be capable of charging a 12 V, 80 Ah heavy-duty battery for real life applications.

Photothermal catalytic hydrogen production coupled with thermoelectric waste heat utilization and thermal energy storage for continuous power generation

Photothermal catalytic water splitting is a potential way to produce renewable hydrogen. However, low-grade heat converted from solar energy in the photochemical process is inevitably dissipated to the environment and often wasted. Besides, the intermittency of solar energy causes the devices unable to work continuously. Here, a novel integrated solar to hydrogen-electricity and thermal storage system (STHET) is proposed to solve above problems. STHET consists of a photothermal catalytic system and a thermoelectric generator (TEG) system, which can realize hydrogen-electricity co-production and thermal self-storage. Photothermal effect in STHET is increased by recycling scattered light, leading to an enhancement of 22.7% in hydrogen production than the traditional system without TEG. Meanwhile, the maximum power of waste heat utilization by TEG is 193.53 μW. Furthermore, since strengthened heat exchange in STHET with forced cooling, the output power of TEG can improve to 1578.13 μW, and hydrogen production is reduced by only 1.4% than the traditional system without TEG. Additionally, STHET can continuously generate power using stored thermal by the liquid reaction system to achieve continuous working in the dark, in which 19% (maximum proportion) of the electrical energy output can be obtained at night. The heat exchange methods in STHET can be flexibly selected according to the requirement for hydrogen energy and electric power. As a conceptual model, STHET can also be promoted in other solid-liquid reaction systems.

Numerical investigation of a thermoelectric generator system with embedded sickle-shaped fins

To enhance the utilization efficiency of exhaust gas in thermoelectric generator (TEG) systems, a polygonal heat exchanger with embedded sickle-shaped fins was proposed in this study. A coupled fluid-thermal-electric multiphysics numerical model was developed to analyze the impact of different fin variables on system performance. Subsequently, the established model was validated on a test bench. The results indicate that embedded sickle fins significantly improve the TEG performance. Higher fins enhance the system's output power and temperature uniformity, albeit with increased pressure drop. Conversely, elongated linear fins and increased arc fin radius decrease pressure drop but reduce its output power. Additionally, increasing the end angle of the arc improves temperature uniformity with minimal effect on output power and pressure drop. Moreover, the TEG system exhibits optimal performance when the linear fin length is 180 mm, the height is 45 mm, the radius of arc fins is 305 mm and the end angle is 8°. At the inlet air temperature of 600 K and the velocity of 40 m/s, the TEG output power, temperature uniformity coefficient and pressure drop for this configuration are 116.59 W, 0.99 and 845 Pa, respectively. This work contributes a theoretical reference for the structural optimization of low-backpressure TEG systems in future automotive exhaust applications.

Thermo-economic and performance analysis of a novel tubular hybrid high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell and thermoelectric generator

This paper proposes a novel tubular design for a hybrid high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) and thermoelectric generator (TEG) system. The wasted heat from the fuel cell is captured by a thermoelectric generator to generate more electricity. Hence, the primary objective of the research is to determine the waste heat recovery performance of the TEG for thermal management of the tubular HT-PEMFC. A validated 3D numerical approach was employed to evaluate the performance of the tubular hybrid system with a tubular TEG integrated into the HT-PEMFC. A parametric study evaluates the impact of various TEG geometrical configurations and operational parameters on the system's performance. The results indicate that boosting the cell voltage improves the fuel cell efficiency, while decreasing the thermoelectric sizing has a notable impact on the TEG's performance. The TEG's conversion efficiency and output power are significantly impacted by changes in the angle ratio and the temperature of the cold side. Increasing the inlet temperature has a positive impact on thermoelectric power generation but leads to a reduction in fuel cell power and efficiency. Overall, the study highlights the importance of optimizing the operating conditions of hybrid tubular HT-PEMFC/TEG to achieve optimal performance and provides valuable insights for the design and development of hybrid energy systems that can potentially contribute to meet the increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions.

Design and optimization of thermoelectric generators

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are gaining significant traction as they are capable of converting waste heat into electrical energy without requiring any moving mechanical parts. Although TEGs are less efficient than other power-generating equipment, they find wide applications in diverse industries such as biomedical, aerospace, automotive, and power generation. To enhance the efficiency, figure of merit, and power output of thermoelectric generators (TEGs), certain aspects need to be addressed. The present work mainly focuses on the impact of design factors, including cross-sectional area and height of the semiconductor, and semiconductor materials, namely SiGe, PbTe, and Bi2Te3, on the TEG's performance. Parametric studies are conducted using the COMSOL Multiphysics program to optimize the TEG's efficiency and power output. The results show that employing Bi2Te3 at an operating temperature of the hot side at 410 °C and the cold side at 20 °C increases TEG efficiency by nearly 10% compared to the SiGe semiconductor whereas the design factors have a marginal impact on the TEG's efficiency. However, the power output maximum is achieved by increasing the TEG cross-sectional area and decreasing the semiconductor height.

Improving the ability of thermoelectric generators to absorb industrial waste heat through three-dimensional structure optimization

A large amount of waste heat in the industrial sector is lost to the environment in the form of radiant heat, causing serious energy loss. In this study, thermoelectric conversion technology is used to recover industrial radiant heat, and the ability of the thermoelectric generator (TEG) to absorb radiant heat is effectively improved by optimizing the heat collector's structure. In order to reduce the research cost, the heat transfer process between the industrial environment and TEG is analyzed by a numerical calculation method. According to the numerical calculation results, the influence of the heat collector's structure on the power generation performance is analyzed, and the optimal structure scheme is determined. Finally, the accuracy of the research results is verified by industrial experiments. This study makes up for the need for related research through many industrial experiments. The results show that increasing the height and number of heat collecting fins will increase the hot end temperature of the heat collector. When the number of fins is 19, and the height is 8 cm, TEG's total heat absorption and output power are the largest. The total heat absorption is 1.0 kW, and the output power is 38.4 W. The longer the length of the heat collector, the more pronounced the temperature inhomogeneity, leading to an increase in the number of the low-efficiency thermoelectric module (TEM). The number of low-efficiency TEM is the least when L = 50 cm, so the conversion efficiency of the TEG is the largest, and the conversion efficiency is 3.76 %.

Material Property Characterization and Parameter Estimation of Thermoelectric Generator by Using a Master–Slave Strategy Based on Metaheuristics Techniques

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) have gained significant interest as a sustainable energy source, due to their ability to convert thermal energy into electrical energy through the Seebeck effect. However, the power output of TEGs is highly dependent on the thermoelectric material properties and operational conditions. Accurate modeling and parameter estimation are essential for optimizing and designing TEGs, as well as for integrating them into smart grids to meet fluctuating energy demands. This work examines the challenges of accurate modeling and parameter estimation of TEGs and explores various optimization metaheuristics techniques to find TEGs parameters in real applications from experimental conditions. The paper stresses the importance of determining the properties of TEGs with precision and using parameter estimation as a technique for determining the optimal values for parameters in a TEG mathematical model that represent the actual behavior of a thermoelectric module. This methodological approach can improve TEG performance and aid in efficient energy supply and demand management, thus reducing the reliance on traditional fossil fuel-based power generation.

Experimental Evaluation of Thermoelectric Generator Performance under Different Heat Conduction Boundary Conditions

Heat conduction boundary conditions play a crucial role in the performance of thermoelectric generators (TEG). The TEG output voltage and power were measured under constant temperature boundary and heat flux conditions to evaluate the TEG performance under different heat conduction boundary conditions. External loading pressure and thermal interface material (TIM) were applied to reduce the interfacial thermal contact resistance. In our measurement setup, a fast-response electronic load was used for the rapid current-voltage scan, which can eliminate the thermal drift caused by the Peltier effect. A guard heater arrangement is used to minimize heat loss. In constant temperature boundary conditions, reducing the thermal contact resistance can increase the effective temperature drop across the TEG module and significantly improve the output voltage and power. But in the constant heat flux conditions, since the heat flux flow through the TEG is unchanged, the temperature drop across the TEG was unaffected by the thermal contact resistance. As a result, the TEG performance was lightly influenced by the thermal contact resistance.

Numerical study on the performance of the thermoelectric generator with different air-water mixtures

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) have been widely used to convert thermal energy into electrical energy directly. Nowadays, the most popular TEG applications, such as vehicle heat recovery and geothermal power generation, typically utilize water as the cooling working fluid. Water sources, however, may not be available or extremely limited in some cases. Therefore, in this study, we proposed a new method of mixing water and air as the working fluid to save water. It is necessary to find out the suitable ratio of water to air, under which the performance loss could be minimized. A numerical model of TEG was built utilizing COMSOL Multiphysics to investigate the effect of water mole fraction (WMF, representing water to air ratio) on the performance of TEG, where the properties of the air-water mixture (AWM) could vary with WMF. In this study, 5 cases were considered at different flow velocities, different WMFs, and different combinations of air, water, and AWMs. The effects of these parameters on the voltage and the output power of TEGs were studied and analyzed. The TEG module could generate higher voltage and power output with increasing velocity and WMF. When air fixed on one side, only 0.2 of WMF on the other side could boost over 1.5 times of voltage and 3 times of power generation than only using air. Based on the simulation results, TEGs reach the best performance when the value of WMF is equal to 0.5 on both sides.

Comparison and Parametric Analysis of Thermoelectric Generator System for Industrial Waste Heat Recovery with Three Types of Heat Sinks: Numerical Study

In this study, a fluid–thermal–electrical multiphysics numerical model was developed for the thermal and electrical analyses of a heat sink-based thermoelectric generator (TEG) in a waste heat recovery system used for casting a bronze ingot mold. Moreover, the model was validated based on experimental data. Heat sinks were installed on the hot side of the TEG module to recover the waste heat from the flue gas generated in the casting process. The numerical results of the thermal and electrical characteristics of a plate fin (PF)-based TEG showed good agreement with the experimental findings. Numerical simulations of heat sinks with three different fin structures—PF, cylinder pin fin (CPF), and rectangular pin fin (RPF)—were conducted. The simulated system pressure drop, hot- and cold-side temperature difference in the TEG module, TEG power output, and TEG efficiency were compared for the differently designed fin structures. The results showed that for the same fin area, the CPF heat sink-based TEG system achieved a lower pressure drop, higher power output, and higher efficiency than the other two designs. This was particularly true when the velocity of the flue gas and the fin height exceed 5 m/s and 28.6 mm, respectively. Therefore, for low and high flue gas velocities, PF and CPF heat sinks are recommended as the best choices, respectively.

A comprehensive analytical model for thermoelectric body heat harvesting incorporating the impact of human metabolism and physical activity

Wearable electronic devices, which can provide hassle-free, long-term, continuous monitoring for different health parameters are of interest for a variety of applications including managing chronic diseases and post-operative patient care. Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) that rely on the Seebeck effect provide a promising path to self-powered wearable electronics via harvesting body heat. The net harvested energy depends on several factors including metabolic heat, core body temperature, and skin resistance, which are regulated by the human thermoregulatory system. These factors are influenced by age, sex, height and body mass index (BMI) and they can cause appreciable differences in the amount of harvested energy. In this paper, we present a comprehensive model, which combines an analytical TEG model with established biological models for the human body to accurately predict the performance of a wearable TEG. The model calculates variations in metabolic rate and core body temperature during physical activity, which are then used to calculate the skin resistance and the skin temperature following an iterative procedure. These parameters are then used to determine the temperature differential across the TEG and the resulting output power delivered to an external load. Experimental validation of the model was achieved using a wrist worn flexible TEG during different physical activities, which were carefully designed to separate the impact of convection from the human thermoregulatory response. It was determined that increase in metabolism from normal walking could lead to a 20% increase in the TEG output voltage. The model was used to predict the impact of age and sex on TEG output power. The results indicate that age can have a significant impact on TEG performance. It is shown that the power generated by adults over the age of 65 can be 30%–35% less than the power generated by younger adults under the age of 30. This reduction in power was attributed to an increase in skin resistance, which was found to be 13% for females and 25% for males. The skin resistance of females was also found to be higher, which correlated well with their higher average fat content. The overall impact of sex was found to be smaller than age, females generating 5%–10% less power than males. The model takes into account all pertinent TEG parameters including properties of the semiconductor materials, physical dimensions of the semiconductor legs, fill factor and electrical and thermal parasitic resistances. Using these input parameters, and modeling of the human body as a heat source, the model can help optimize TEG module design for a specific wearable application.

Assessment of the integration of Three-Way Catalytic converter and Thermoelectric Generator

Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) in automobiles is a promising way to recover the exhaust heat, and can effectively increase energy utilization. The integration of a Three-Way Catalytic converter (TWC) and TEG can improve the performance by using the heat generated during catalytic operation but still has poor compatibility. Therefore, it is essential that how to improve the compatibility between TWC and TEG. This paper proposed a new method of the coupled carrier of the TWC to enhance the catalytic efficiency and increase the output of TEG. The new TEG was tested under steady and transient conditions. The results showed that the temperature uniformity of TEG is improved. The maximum output power of TEG is increased when TWC with the coupled carrier is working stably. The new TEG with coupled TWC carrier has the highest conversion efficiency for CO, NO, and H2 gases. Under the steady and transient conditions, reaction energy is transferred to the hot side of TEG and the performance of the one-sixth TEG output power can be increased to 306.2W by using the appropriate coupled carrier. Theoretically, this research provides the basis for further study.

Study of the performance of thermoelectric generator for waste heat recovery from chimney: impact of nanofluid-microchannel cooling system.

A huge number of chimneys all over the world utilized in many industrial applications and applications like restaurants, homes, etc. contribute badly on the global warming and climate change due to their waste heat. So, in this paper, the performance of thermoelectric generator (TEG) cooled by microchannel heat spreader having nanofluid and used for waste heat recovery from vertical chimney is investigated. Using heat spreader with microchannel cooling system increases the output TEG power compared to natural convection cooling system. In this paper, the impact of microchannel sizes, using nanofluid and heat spreader with different sizes on the TEG performance and cooling, is considered. Three-dimensional mathematical models including TEG, microchannel, nanofluid, and heat spreader are presented and solved by Ansys Fluent software utilizing user-defined memory, user-defined function, and user-defined scalar. All TEG effects (Joule, Seebeck, and Thomson) are considered in TEG model. Results indicate that TEG power rises with increasing the heat spreader and microchannel sizes together. Increasing microchannel and heat spreader sizes four times of TEG size raises the TEG output power by 10%. This also achieves the maximum cooling system efficiency of 88.9% and the maximum net output power. Microchannel heat spreader cooling system raises the system (TEG power-pumping power) net power by 125.2% compared to the normal channel and decreases the required cooling fluid flow rate. Utilizing copper-water and Al2O3-water nanofluids rises maximally the TEG output power by 14% and 4%, respectively; however, it increases the pumping power. Moreover, using nanofluids increases the net output power at low Reynolds number and decreases it at higher Reynolds number.

Unidirectional thermal conduction in electrically insulating phase change composites for superior power output of thermoelectric generators

Owing to their ability to absorb excess heat within narrow temperature ranges, phase change materials (PCMs) have attracted significant interest in the thermal management of power equipment and energy devices. However, the low thermal conductivity of PCMs severely limit their application in high-power devices. Current methods for increasing the thermal conductivity are generally at the cost of lowering the phase change enthalpy (i.e., latent heat) of PCMs. In this study, we developed phase change composites (PCCs) based on highly oriented aramid nanofiber/boron nitride nanosheets (ANF/BNNS) aerogels impregnated with paraffin; the aerogels were prepared by unidirectional freeze-drying method and were impregnated with the PCM, namely, paraffin, by a vacuum assisted method. The ANF/BNNS PCCs exhibited high thermal conductivity enhancement efficiency (TCEE), ultra-high latent heat retention, and superior electrical insulation. For a loading of 2.21 wt% BNNS, the TCEE and the latent heat retention of the PCCs reached impressive values of 89.2%, and 93.64%, respectively. In addition, the PCCs are highly electrically insulating with an electrical conductivity of <1.17 × 10−14 S cm−1. The PCCs also maintain good shape stability even at temperatures higher than the melting point of the PCM (i.e., paraffin). The ANF/BNNS PCCs were shown to reduce the cold-side temperature of thermoelectric generators by more than 10 °C in comparison to that achieved by those operated by air-cooling, resulting in an approximately 300% increase in power output. These PCCs, with both high latent heat retention and TCEE, offer new opportunities for use as advanced thermal management materials in future high-power devices.

Advantage of a Thermoelectric Generator with Hybridization of Segmented Materials and Irregularly Variable Cross-Section Design

As a direct energy converter between heat and electricity, thermoelectric generators (TEGs) have potential applications including recovery of waste heat, and solar thermoelectric power generation. Geometric parameter and material are two critical factors to improve the TEG performance. However, the strategies base on structure design and material development are always separated. There are limited studies on the effects of consolidating them simultaneously. Here, an idea of segmented material coupled with irregularly variable cross-section design was conceived to further improve the TEG output power. The performance of TEGs with rectangular leg, segmented leg, variable cross-sectional leg, and the new design are compared. The coupling effects between various mechanisms are revealed, which are responsible for the superior performance provided by the developed design. Based on this knowledge, a multiparameters optimization was performed through the genetic algorithm to reach the optimal combination of design parameters. The results show that, with a constraint of certain material volume, the optimal performance of the TEG can be further enhanced by coupling segmented material and irregularly variable cross-section design. An improvement of 51.71% was achieved when compared with the conventional counterpart. This work offers a simple route to enhance the TEG performance when the device materials are specified, without an increase in the cost of manufacturing.

Nanocomposites of GO/D-Mannitol Assisted Thermoelectric Power Generator for Transient Waste Heat Recovery

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) have received a great attention in the field of renewable energy resources due to their superior ability of converting untapped waste heat into usable electricity. In order to boost the conversion efficiency of TEG and to retrieve the transient heat, this paper demonstrates the role of nanostructured graphite (G) and graphene oxide (GO) decorated phase-change material (PCM) of D-mannitol attached with the hot end of commercial thermoelectric module on enhancement of conversion efficiency and power output. Presence of G and GO on the matric of D-mannitol has been confirmed by powder XRD and FE-SEM. The open circuit voltage ( V oc ) and short circuit current ( I sc ) of TEG attached with PDM, G/PDM, and GO/PDM were recorded for the heating and cooling cycles in the temperature range of 325-450 K. Particularly, the experimentally measured V oc and I sc of TEG with only PDM are 1.23 V and 90 mA, respectively, for the temperature difference of ΔT ∽ 118 K, whereas the maximum V oc of TEG attached with GO/PDM drawn in presence of an external heater is 4.5 V for ΔT ∽ 118 K. Further, the maximum output power of TEG with GO-PCM drawn in the heater-ON and heater-OFF is 1012.5 mW and 450 mW, respectively.