IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v350y2023ics0306261923011406.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A skutterudite thermoelectric module with high aspect ratio applied to milliwatt radioisotope thermoelectric generator

Author

Listed:
  • Jing, Hang
  • Xiang, Qingpei
  • Ze, Rende
  • Chen, Xiaoxi
  • Li, Jing
  • Liao, Jincheng
  • Bai, Shengqiang

Abstract

This study focuses on the design and optimization of a high aspect ratio skutterudite (SKD) thermoelectric module (TEM) for a milliwatt Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG). The RTG is a solid-state energy conversion device that utilizes the heat generated by radioactive isotope decay to generate electrical energy through the Seebeck effect. The aim of this work is to enhance the output performance of the RTG by investigating the influence of TEM structure on temperature distribution and overall performance using thermal resistance network and finite element analysis (FEA) methods. In this work, the RTG's Radioisotope Heater Unit (RHU) and diameter are kept constant as 4 W and 70 mm, while the effects of leg length (L), number of legs (n), and cross-sectional area (A) on voltage, output power, and conversion efficiency are studied. It is observed that increasing L, selecting an appropriate A, and reducing n result in a larger temperature gradient within the TEM, ultimately improving the output power and conversion efficiency of the milliwatt RTG. For A = 0.64 mm2, L = 25 mm, and n = 36, the milliwatt RTG generates maximum output power (Pmax) of 86.95 mW and maximum conversion efficiency (ηrmax) of 2.17%. To optimize the output power and conversion efficiency of the milliwatt RTG while simultaneously assuring the large voltage and manufacturability, a SKD TEM with 64 legs, each with dimensions of 0.8 × 0.8 × 25 mm3, is chosen. The milliwatt RTG installed with this SKD TEM will provide a voltage output (Vout) of 1.13 V, maximum output power (Pmax) of 63.30 mW, and maximum conversion efficiency (ηrmax) of 1.58%. Furthermore, it exhibits excellent environmental adaptability, capable of operating in ambient temperatures (T∞) up to 538 K. The thermal stress distribution in the high aspect ratio SKD TEM is also analyzed. Due to the varying coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between the SKD material and the adhesive, the maximum stress within the SKD TEM occurs inside and around the p-SKD legs. Finally, a SKD TEM of 9.9 × 9.9 × 25 mm3 containing 64 legs with each leg's dimension of 0.8 × 0.8 × 25 mm3 is fabricated. It shows an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 3.51 V, a maximum output power (Pmax) of 194.45 mW, and a maximum conversion efficiency (ηtmax) of 3.4% at the hot side temperature (Th) of 723 K and cold side temperature (Tc) of 296 K.

Suggested Citation

  • Jing, Hang & Xiang, Qingpei & Ze, Rende & Chen, Xiaoxi & Li, Jing & Liao, Jincheng & Bai, Shengqiang, 2023. "A skutterudite thermoelectric module with high aspect ratio applied to milliwatt radioisotope thermoelectric generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 350(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:350:y:2023:i:c:s0306261923011406
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.121776
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261923011406
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.121776?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. Yuan, Zicheng & Tang, Xiaobin & Xu, Zhiheng & Li, Junqin & Chen, Wang & Liu, Kai & Liu, Yunpeng & Zhang, Zhengrong, 2018. "Screen-printed radial structure micro radioisotope thermoelectric generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 746-754.
    2. Jing Chu & Jian Huang & Ruiheng Liu & Jincheng Liao & Xugui Xia & Qihao Zhang & Chao Wang & Ming Gu & Shengqiang Bai & Xun Shi & Lidong Chen, 2020. "Electrode interface optimization advances conversion efficiency and stability of thermoelectric devices," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Jang, Eunhwa & Banerjee, Priyanshu & Huang, Jiyuan & Madan, Deepa, 2021. "High performance scalable and cost-effective thermoelectric devices fabricated using energy efficient methods and naturally occuring materials," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    2. Kim, Seonggon & Ko, Yunmo & Lee, Geun Jeong & Lee, Jae Won & Xu, Ronghuan & Ahn, Hyungseop & Kang, Yong Tae, 2023. "Sustainable energy harvesting from post-combustion CO2 capture using amine-functionalized solvents," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    3. Eunhwa Jang & Rohan B. Ambade & Priyanshu Banerjee & L. D. Timmie Topoleski & Deepa Madan, 2024. "Stencil-Printed Scalable Radial Thermoelectric Device Using Sustainable Manufacturing Methods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-11, April.
    4. Wang, Hongyu & Xu, Zhiheng & Yuan, Zicheng & Liu, Kai & Meng, Caifeng & Tang, Xiaobin, 2022. "High-temperature and radiation-resistant spinel-type ferrite coating for thermo-optical conversion in radioisotope thermophotovoltaic generators," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PD).
    5. Wang, Xiawa & Liang, Renrong & Fisher, Peter & Chan, Walker & Xu, Jun, 2020. "Critical design features of thermal-based radioisotope generators: A review of the power solution for polar regions and space," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    6. Xu, Zhiheng & Li, Junqin & Tang, Xiaobin & Liu, Yunpeng & Jiang, Tongxin & Yuan, Zicheng & Liu, Kai, 2020. "Electrodeposition preparation and optimization of fan-shaped miniaturized radioisotope thermoelectric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    7. Ruiheng Liu & Yunfei Xing & Jincheng Liao & Xugui Xia & Chao Wang & Chenxi Zhu & Fangfang Xu & Zhi-Gang Chen & Lidong Chen & Jian Huang & Shengqiang Bai, 2022. "Thermal-inert and ohmic-contact interface for high performance half-Heusler based thermoelectric generator," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    8. Borhani, S.M. & Hosseini, M.J. & Pakrouh, R. & Ranjbar, A.A. & Nourian, A., 2021. "Performance enhancement of a thermoelectric harvester with a PCM/Metal foam composite," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 1122-1140.
    9. Li Yin & Xiaofang Li & Xin Bao & Jinxuan Cheng & Chen Chen & Zongwei Zhang & Xingjun Liu & Feng Cao & Jun Mao & Qian Zhang, 2024. "CALPHAD accelerated design of advanced full-Zintl thermoelectric device," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    10. Zhao, Xiaohuan & Jiang, Jiang & Zuo, Hongyan & Mao, Zhengsong, 2023. "Performance analysis of diesel particulate filter thermoelectric conversion mobile energy storage system under engine conditions of low-speed and light-load," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    11. Wang, Hongyu & Xu, Zhiheng & Wang, Chen & Hou, Zongbin & Bian, Mingxin & Zhuang, Nailiang & Tao, Haijun & Wang, Yuqiao & Tang, Xiaobin, 2024. "Optimized design and application performance analysis of heat recovery hybrid system for radioisotope thermophotovoltaic based on thermoelectric heat dissipation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 355(C).
    12. Peng Li & Pengfei Qiu & Qing Xu & Jun Luo & Yifei Xiong & Jie Xiao & Niraj Aryal & Qiang Li & Lidong Chen & Xun Shi, 2022. "Colossal Nernst power factor in topological semimetal NbSb2," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.

    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:350:y:2023:i:c:s0306261923011406. 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.