A modeling comparison between a two-stage and three-stage cascaded thermoelectric generator

JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES

卷:365

Article

Kanimba, Eurydice¹  Pearson, Matthew²  Sharp, Jeff³  Stokes, David⁴  Priya, Shashank¹  Tian, Zhiting¹ 

[1] Virginia Polytech Inst & State Univ, Dept Mech Engn, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA

[2] United Technol Res Ctr, Thermal Fluid Sci Dept, E Hartford, CT 06118 USA

[3] Marlow Ind Inc, 10451 Vista Pk Rd, Dallas, TX 75238 USA

[4] RTI Int, Elect & Appl Phys Div, Res Triangle Pk, NC 27709 USA

关键词: Thermoelectric generator (TEG);    Thermal resistance network;    Heat loss;    Two and three-cascaded TEGs analytical comparison;    Seebeck power rate;    Thomson heat dissipation;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.08.091

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

In this work, a comparison between the performance of two- and three-stage cascaded thermoelectric generator (TEG) devices is analyzed based on a prescribed maximum hot side temperature of 973 K, an imposed maximum heat input of 505 W, and a fixed cold side temperature of 473 K. Half-Heusler is used as a thermoelectric (TE) material in the top higher temperature stage and skutterudite as a TE in the bottom lower temperature stage for the two-stage structure. Lead telluride is added in the middle stage to form the three-stage structure. Based on the prescribed constraints, the two-stage cascaded TEG is found to produce a power output of 42 W with an efficiency of 8.3%. The three-stage cascaded TEG produces a power output of 51 W with an efficiency of 10.2%. The three-stage cascaded TEG produces 21% more power than the two-stage does; however, if the system complexity, mechanical robustness, manufacturability, and/or cost of three-stage cascaded TEG outweigh the 21% percent power production increase, the two-stage TEG could be preferable. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

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