IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v203y2017icp808-815.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Dynamic performance analysis of a cascaded thermoelectric generator

Author

Listed:
  • Shen, Rong
  • Gou, Xiaolong
  • Xu, Haoyu
  • Qiu, Kuanrong

Abstract

Due to its advantages of small size, wide adaptability and high reliability, thermoelectric power generation (TEG) technology is attracting more and more attention in the application prospects of distributed energy, waste heat recovering and clean electricity supply. However, the promotion of the TEG is hindered by its low energy conversion efficiency which has become the most urgent problem in the TEG system. In order to achieve higher efficiency, a novel cascaded thermoelectric generator system (CTEG) with three-stage thermoelectric generators and its dynamic models based on the energy conservation equation, unsteady heat conduction theory and fluid dynamics were proposed and built. Through experimental data and numerical results, the system dynamic performance and the key parameters which affect the characteristics of the TEG system were analyzed. The results show that the efficiency of the new cascaded TEG system is greatly improved by 21.56% compared with the system with single-stage TEG. Furthermore, this study puts forward guidance for system improvement, and it is encouraging that a more appropriate system configuration could be an important means to further increase the system efficiency. Moreover, this dynamic simulation model can be used in the system design and operating improvement.

Suggested Citation

  • Shen, Rong & Gou, Xiaolong & Xu, Haoyu & Qiu, Kuanrong, 2017. "Dynamic performance analysis of a cascaded thermoelectric generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 808-815.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:203:y:2017:i:c:p:808-815
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.06.108
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261917308590
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.06.108?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pietrzyk, Kyle & Soares, Joseph & Ohara, Brandon & Lee, Hohyun, 2016. "Power generation modeling for a wearable thermoelectric energy harvester with practical limitations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 218-228.
    2. Merotto, L. & Fanciulli, C. & Dondè, R. & De Iuliis, S., 2016. "Study of a thermoelectric generator based on a catalytic premixed meso-scale combustor," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 346-353.
    3. Gou, Xiaolong & Xiao, Heng & Yang, Suwen, 2010. "Modeling, experimental study and optimization on low-temperature waste heat thermoelectric generator system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(10), pages 3131-3136, October.
    4. Xiao, Heng & Qiu, Kuanrong & Gou, Xiaolong & Ou, Qiang, 2013. "A flameless catalytic combustion-based thermoelectric generator for powering electronic instruments on gas pipelines," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1161-1165.
    5. Lu, Zhisong & Zhang, Huihui & Mao, Cuiping & Li, Chang Ming, 2016. "Silk fabric-based wearable thermoelectric generator for energy harvesting from the human body," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 57-63.
    6. Kwan, Trevor Hocksun & Wu, Xiaofeng, 2016. "Power and mass optimization of the hybrid solar panel and thermoelectric generators," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 297-307.
    7. He, Wei & Zhang, Gan & Zhang, Xingxing & Ji, Jie & Li, Guiqiang & Zhao, Xudong, 2015. "Recent development and application of thermoelectric generator and cooler," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 1-25.
    8. Hyland, Melissa & Hunter, Haywood & Liu, Jie & Veety, Elena & Vashaee, Daryoosh, 2016. "Wearable thermoelectric generators for human body heat harvesting," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 518-524.
    9. Akram I. Boukai & Yuri Bunimovich & Jamil Tahir-Kheli & Jen-Kan Yu & William A. Goddard III & James R. Heath, 2008. "Silicon nanowires as efficient thermoelectric materials," Nature, Nature, vol. 451(7175), pages 168-171, January.
    10. Qiu, K. & Hayden, A.C.S., 2012. "Integrated thermoelectric and organic Rankine cycles for micro-CHP systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 667-672.
    11. Hsu, Cheng-Ting & Huang, Gia-Yeh & Chu, Hsu-Shen & Yu, Ben & Yao, Da-Jeng, 2011. "Experiments and simulations on low-temperature waste heat harvesting system by thermoelectric power generators," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(4), pages 1291-1297, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Song, Kun & Yin, Deshun & Song, Haopeng & Schiavone, Peter & Wu, Xun & Yuan, Lili, 2022. "Seeking high energy conversion efficiency in a fully temperature-dependent thermoelectric medium," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PE).
    2. Fernández-Yáñez, P. & Armas, O. & Kiwan, R. & Stefanopoulou, A.G. & Boehman, A.L., 2018. "A thermoelectric generator in exhaust systems of spark-ignition and compression-ignition engines. A comparison with an electric turbo-generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 80-87.
    3. Yin, Ershuai & Li, Qiang & Xuan, Yimin, 2019. "Feasibility analysis of a concentrating photovoltaic-thermoelectric-thermal cogeneration," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 560-573.
    4. Ma, Xiaonan & Shu, Gequn & Tian, Hua & Xu, Wen & Chen, Tianyu, 2019. "Performance assessment of engine exhaust-based segmented thermoelectric generators by length ratio optimization," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C), pages 614-625.
    5. Wang, Ruochen & Yu, Wei & Meng, Xiangpeng, 2018. "Performance investigation and energy optimization of a thermoelectric generator for a mild hybrid vehicle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 1016-1028.
    6. Zhu, Xingzhuang & Zuo, Zhengxing & Wang, Wei & Jia, Boru & Zhan, Tianzhuo, 2023. "Experimental research and optimization of a thermoelectric generator excited by pulsed combustion mode under limited heat dissipation for combined heat and power supply," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 349(C).
    7. Fan, Shifa & Gao, Yuanwen, 2019. "Numerical analysis on the segmented annular thermoelectric generator for waste heat recovery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 35-47.
    8. Aljaghtham, Mutabe & Celik, Emrah, 2022. "Design of cascade thermoelectric generation systems with improved thermal reliability," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    9. Liu, Junrong & Wang, Zhe & Shi, Kaiyuan & Li, Yiqiang & Liu, Longxu & Wu, Xingru, 2020. "Analysis and modeling of thermoelectric power generation in oil wells: A potential power supply for downhole instruments using in-situ geothermal energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 561-569.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chengshuo Xia & Daxing Zhang & Witold Pedrycz & Kangqi Fan & Yongxian Guo, 2019. "Human Body Heat Based Thermoelectric Harvester with Ultra-Low Input Power Management System for Wireless Sensors Powering," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Wang, Yuchao & Dai, Chuanshan & Wang, Shixue, 2013. "Theoretical analysis of a thermoelectric generator using exhaust gas of vehicles as heat source," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1171-1180.
    3. Karalis, George & Tzounis, Lazaros & Lambrou, Eleftherios & Gergidis, Leonidas N. & Paipetis, Alkiviadis S., 2019. "A carbon fiber thermoelectric generator integrated as a lamina within an 8-ply laminate epoxy composite: Efficient thermal energy harvesting by advanced structural materials," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Yin, Ershuai & Li, Qiang & Xuan, Yimin, 2018. "Optimal design method for concentrating photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 320-329.
    5. Ding, L.C. & Akbarzadeh, A. & Date, Abhijit, 2016. "Electric power generation via plate type power generation unit from solar pond using thermoelectric cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 61-76.
    6. Fanciulli, C. & Abedi, H. & Merotto, L. & Dondè, R. & De Iuliis, S. & Passaretti, F., 2018. "Portable thermoelectric power generation based on catalytic combustor for low power electronic equipment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 300-308.
    7. Meng, Jing-Hui & Wang, Xiao-Dong & Zhang, Xin-Xin, 2013. "Transient modeling and dynamic characteristics of thermoelectric cooler," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 340-348.
    8. Chen, Wei-Hsin & Wu, Po-Hua & Lin, Yu-Li, 2018. "Performance optimization of thermoelectric generators designed by multi-objective genetic algorithm," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C), pages 211-223.
    9. Liu, Shuang & Hu, Bingkun & Liu, Dawei & Li, Fu & Li, Jing-Feng & Li, Bo & Li, Liangliang & Lin, Yuan-Hua & Nan, Ce-Wen, 2018. "Micro-thermoelectric generators based on through glass pillars with high output voltage enabled by large temperature difference," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 600-610.
    10. Zhu, Xingzhuang & Zuo, Zhengxing & Wang, Wei & Jia, Boru & Zhan, Tianzhuo, 2023. "Experimental research and optimization of a thermoelectric generator excited by pulsed combustion mode under limited heat dissipation for combined heat and power supply," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 349(C).
    11. Eom, Yoomin & Wijethunge, Dimuthu & Park, Hwanjoo & Park, Sang Hyun & Kim, Woochul, 2017. "Flexible thermoelectric power generation system based on rigid inorganic bulk materials," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 649-656.
    12. Liu, Zhichun & Zhu, Shiping & Ge, Ya & Shan, Feng & Zeng, Lingping & Liu, Wei, 2017. "Geometry optimization of two-stage thermoelectric generators using simplified conjugate-gradient method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 540-552.
    13. Liu, Yi-Hua & Chiu, Yi-Hsun & Huang, Jia-Wei & Wang, Shun-Chung, 2016. "A novel maximum power point tracker for thermoelectric generation system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 306-318.
    14. Darkwa, J. & Calautit, J. & Du, D. & Kokogianakis, G., 2019. "A numerical and experimental analysis of an integrated TEG-PCM power enhancement system for photovoltaic cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C), pages 688-701.
    15. Liang, Gaowei & Zhou, Jiemin & Huang, Xuezhang, 2011. "Analytical model of parallel thermoelectric generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 5193-5199.
    16. Mustafa, K.F. & Abdullah, S. & Abdullah, M.Z. & Sopian, K., 2017. "A review of combustion-driven thermoelectric (TE) and thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 572-584.
    17. Chen, Wei-Hsin & Liao, Chen-Yeh & Hung, Chen-I & Huang, Wei-Lun, 2012. "Experimental study on thermoelectric modules for power generation at various operating conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 874-881.
    18. Aravind, B. & Khandelwal, Bhupendra & Kumar, Sudarshan, 2018. "Experimental investigations on a new high intensity dual microcombustor based thermoelectric micropower generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 1173-1181.
    19. Cui, Tengfei & Xuan, Yimin & Yin, Ershuai & Li, Qiang & Li, Dianhong, 2017. "Experimental investigation on potential of a concentrated photovoltaic-thermoelectric system with phase change materials," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 94-102.
    20. Zaher, M.H. & Abdelsalam, M.Y. & Cotton, J.S., 2020. "Study of the effects of axial conduction on the performance of thermoelectric generators integrated in a heat exchanger for waste heat recovery applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:203:y:2017:i:c:p:808-815. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.