Comprehensive comparison and applicable range of separating and coupling numerical models of thermoelectric generation device for waste heat recovery

There are two different numerical modelling approaches of thermoelectric generation (TEG) device: separating model that is one-way coupling from CFD model to thermal-electric model and coupling model that is two-way coupling between CFD model and thermal-electric model. With the change of application conditions, the TEG device is subjected extensive changes of fluid parameters. To determine the applicable fluid range of sharing two models of TEG device, a comprehensive comparison between two models is conducted in this study. The results indicated that for the coupling numerical model, the Peltier heat has a negative effect on the temperature difference and output performance of thermoelectric module compared with the prediction results of separating numerical model. Therefore, an output error is induced between the prediction results of separating and coupling numerical models. This error can be decreased by increasing fluid mass flow rate and decreasing fluid temperature. Consequently, the applicable fluid ranges of sharing two models are divided by setting the different error bounds. It is suggested that the separating numerical model is given priority to reduce the calculation complexity when the fluid range of practical application is within a small error bound.