IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v12y2019i19p3797-d274193.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Experimental and Numerical Study on the Effect of Interfacial Heat Transfer on Performance of Thermoelectric Generators

Author

Listed:
  • Gen Li

    (Merchant Marine College, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China)

  • Zhongcheng Wang

    (Merchant Marine College, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China)

  • Feng Wang

    (Merchant Marine College, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China)

  • Xiaozhong Wang

    (Merchant Marine College, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China)

  • Shibo Li

    (Merchant Marine College, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China)

  • Mingsuo Xue

    (Merchant Marine College, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China)

Abstract

The application of thermoelectric generator (TEG) systems in waste heat recovery has attracted more and more attention. In this work, the effect of interfacial heat transfer on the performance of TEG module was experimentally and numerically investigated. Three kinds of thermal greases with thermal conductivities of 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 W/(m∙K) were used as thermal interface materials (TIMs) to improve interfacial heat transfer at different external pressures ranging from 0.1 to 0.4 MPa. The open-circuit voltage, output power, and thermal interfacial resistance were measured at different experimental conditions. It was found that the performance of the TEG module can be greatly improved by using thermal greases as TIMs. The open-circuit voltages increased from 1.73 to either 3.07, 3.4, or 3.57 V with k = 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 W/(m∙K) thermal greases respectively used as TIMs when the temperature difference was 60 °C and external pressure was 0.1 MPa. However, the performance of the TEG was slightly affected by external pressure when thermal greases used as TIMs. The open-circuit voltages were 3.07, 3.13, 3.17, and 3.20 V at external pressures of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 MPa when the temperature difference ΔT = 60 °C and k = 2.0 W/(m∙K) thermal greases were used as TIMs.

Suggested Citation

  • Gen Li & Zhongcheng Wang & Feng Wang & Xiaozhong Wang & Shibo Li & Mingsuo Xue, 2019. "Experimental and Numerical Study on the Effect of Interfacial Heat Transfer on Performance of Thermoelectric Generators," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:19:p:3797-:d:274193
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/19/3797/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/19/3797/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wang, Chien-Chang & Hung, Chen-I & Chen, Wei-Hsin, 2012. "Design of heat sink for improving the performance of thermoelectric generator using two-stage optimization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 236-245.
    2. Yin, Ershuai & Li, Qiang & Li, Dianhong & Xuan, Yimin, 2019. "Experimental investigation on effects of thermal resistances on a photovoltaic-thermoelectric system integrated with phase change materials," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 172-185.
    3. Zhao, Yulong & Wang, Shixue & Ge, Minghui & Li, Yanzhe & Liang, Zhaojun & Yang, Yurong, 2018. "Performance analysis of a thermoelectric generator applied to wet flue gas waste heat recovery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 2080-2089.
    4. Wang, Yiping & Li, Shuai & Xie, Xu & Deng, Yadong & Liu, Xun & Su, Chuqi, 2018. "Performance evaluation of an automotive thermoelectric generator with inserted fins or dimpled-surface hot heat exchanger," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 391-401.
    5. Li, Guiqiang & Shittu, Samson & Diallo, Thierno M.O. & Yu, Min & Zhao, Xudong & Ji, Jie, 2018. "A review of solar photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid system for electricity generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 41-58.
    6. Astrain, D. & Vián, J.G. & Martínez, A. & Rodríguez, A., 2010. "Study of the influence of heat exchangers' thermal resistances on a thermoelectric generation system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 602-610.
    7. Zhao, Yulong & Wang, Shixue & Ge, Minghui & Liang, Zhaojun & Liang, Yifan & Li, Yanzhe, 2019. "Performance investigation of an intermediate fluid thermoelectric generator for automobile exhaust waste heat recovery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(C), pages 425-433.
    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 Lv & Zuoqin Qian & Dengyun Hu & Xiaoyuan Li & Wei He, 2020. "A Comprehensive Review of Strategies and Approaches for Enhancing the Performance of Thermoelectric Module," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-24, June.
    2. Lingen Chen & Kang Ma & Huijun Feng & Yanlin Ge, 2020. "Optimal Configuration of a Gas Expansion Process in a Piston-Type Cylinder with Generalized Convective Heat Transfer Law," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-20, June.
    3. Daniarta, S. & Sowa, D. & Błasiak, P. & Imre, A.R. & Kolasiński, P., 2024. "Techno-economic survey of enhancing Power-to-Methane efficiency via waste heat recovery from electrolysis and biomethanation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).

    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. Li, Yanzhe & Wang, Shixue & Zhao, Yulong & Yue, Like, 2022. "Effect of thermoelectric modules with different characteristics on the performance of thermoelectric generators inserted in the central flow region with porous foam copper," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 327(C).
    2. Zhao, Yulong & Lu, Mingjie & Li, Yanzhe & Ge, Minghui & Xie, Liyao & Liu, Liansheng, 2021. "Characteristics analysis of an exhaust thermoelectric generator system with heat transfer fluid circulation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    3. Lorenzi, Bruno & Mariani, Paolo & Reale, Andrea & Di Carlo, Aldo & Chen, Gang & Narducci, Dario, 2021. "Practical development of efficient thermoelectric – Photovoltaic hybrid systems based on wide-gap solar cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    4. Aljaghtham, Mutabe & Celik, Emrah, 2020. "Design optimization of oil pan thermoelectric generator to recover waste heat from internal combustion engines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    5. Chen, Wei-Hsin & Wang, Chi-Ming & Lee, Da-Sheng & Kwon, Eilhann E. & Ashokkumar, Veeramuthu & Culaba, Alvin B., 2022. "Optimization design by evolutionary computation for minimizing thermal stress of a thermoelectric generator with varied numbers of square pin fins," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    6. Elghool, Ali & Basrawi, Firdaus & Ibrahim, Thamir Khalil & Ibrahim, Hassan & Ishak, M. & Hazwan bin Yusof, Mohd & Bagaber, Salem Abdullah, 2020. "Multi-objective optimization to enhance the performance of thermo-electric generator combined with heat pipe-heat sink under forced convection," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    7. Singh, Preeti & Mudgal, Vijay & Khanna, Sourav & Mallick, Tapas K. & Reddy, K.S., 2020. "Experimental investigation of solar photovoltaic panel integrated with phase change material and multiple conductivity-enhancing-containers," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    8. Luo, Zhenyu & Zhu, Na & Hu, Pingfang & Lei, Fei & Zhang, Yaxi, 2022. "Simulation study on performance of PV-PCM-TE system for year-round analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 263-273.
    9. Luo, Ding & Yan, Yuying & Li, Ying & Yang, Xuelin & Chen, Hao, 2023. "Exhaust channel optimization of the automobile thermoelectric generator to produce the highest net power," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    10. Ge, Minghui & Li, Zhenhua & Zhao, Yuntong & Xuan, Zhiwei & Li, Yanzhe & Zhao, Yulong, 2022. "Experimental study of thermoelectric generator with different numbers of modules for waste heat recovery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    11. Luo, Ding & Wang, Ruochen & Yan, Yuying & Yu, Wei & Zhou, Weiqi, 2021. "Transient numerical modelling of a thermoelectric generator system used for automotive exhaust waste heat recovery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    12. Huang, Yu-Xian & Wang, Xiao-Dong & Cheng, Chin-Hsiang & Lin, David Ta-Wei, 2013. "Geometry optimization of thermoelectric coolers using simplified conjugate-gradient method," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 689-697.
    13. Ko, Jinyoung & Jeong, Jae-Weon, 2021. "Annual performance evaluation of thermoelectric generator-assisted building-integrated photovoltaic system with phase change material," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    14. Zheng, Liang Jun & Lim, Sungmook & Kim, Na Kyong & Kang, Dong Hee & Youn, Young Jik & Lee, Wonoh & Kang, Hyun Wook, 2020. "Experimental study of a thin water-film evaporative cooling system to enhance the energy conversion efficiency of a thermoelectric device," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    15. Ge, Minghui & Zhao, Yuntong & Li, Yanzhe & He, Wei & Xie, Liyao & Zhao, Yulong, 2022. "Structural optimization of thermoelectric modules in a concentration photovoltaic–thermoelectric hybrid system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PB).
    16. Luo, Ding & Wang, Ruochen & Yan, Yuying & Sun, Zeyu & Zhou, Weiqi & Ding, Renkai, 2021. "Comparison of different fluid-thermal-electric multiphysics modeling approaches for thermoelectric generator systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 1266-1277.
    17. Zhao, Yulong & Wang, Shixue & Ge, Minghui & Liang, Zhaojun & Liang, Yifan & Li, Yanzhe, 2019. "Performance investigation of an intermediate fluid thermoelectric generator for automobile exhaust waste heat recovery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(C), pages 425-433.
    18. Luo, Ding & Sun, Zeyu & Wang, Ruochen, 2022. "Performance investigation of a thermoelectric generator system applied in automobile exhaust waste heat recovery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PB).
    19. Sahin, Ahmet Z. & Yilbas, Bekir S., 2013. "Thermodynamic irreversibility and performance characteristics of thermoelectric power generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 899-904.
    20. Martínez, A. & Astrain, D. & Rodríguez, A., 2013. "Dynamic model for simulation of thermoelectric self cooling applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 1114-1126.

    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:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:19:p:3797-:d:274193. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.