Analytical and Numerical Approach for Performance Evaluation of Thermoelectric Generator

Abstract

Growing demands in energy requirement need more efficient methods to recover waste energy from various energy conversion systems, among them generator set (Genset) run by diesel engines in construction and mining areas are commonly used to generate electrical energy and usually these systems work at an efficiency of around 30-35 %. A large part of energy loss in these systems is resulted from heat carried away by coolant and exhaust gases. The energy lost in the form of heat in the exhaust can be harvested using various heat recovery methods like Thermoelectric Generators [TEG]. Thermoelectric generators are used to convert thermal energy into electrical energy governed by the principle of Seebeck effect. Present work draws attention towards external factors that influence the output voltage of thermoelectric generators attached to a stationary waste heat source like Gensets. Here thermoelectric generator units were modelled by attaching them to the exhaust manifold of pipe of a diesel Genset and were analyzed both analytically and numerically to obtain their dependence of output voltage on thermal conductivity of exhaust pipe material, where TEGs can be mounted. From the analysis of obtained report it was observed that efficiency of waste heat recovery improved on using higher thermal conductive materials. In this preliminary analysis, an increase in thermal conductivity of 20% has resulted in an increase in power output of 11%.