IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v13y2020i11p2782-d365762.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting Scheme with Passive Cooling for Outdoor IoT Sensors

Author

Listed:
  • Daniela Charris

    (Robotics and Intelligent Systems Research Group from Universidad Del Norte, Barranquilla, Atlántico 8600, Colombia)

  • Diego Gomez

    (Robotics and Intelligent Systems Research Group from Universidad Del Norte, Barranquilla, Atlántico 8600, Colombia)

  • Angie Rincon Ortega

    (Rational Use of Energy and Environment Preservation Research Group from Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Atlántico 8600, Colombia)

  • Mauricio Carmona

    (Rational Use of Energy and Environment Preservation Research Group from Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Atlántico 8600, Colombia)

  • Mauricio Pardo

    (Robotics and Intelligent Systems Research Group from Universidad Del Norte, Barranquilla, Atlántico 8600, Colombia)

Abstract

This paper presents an energetically autonomous IoT sensor powered via thermoelectric harvesting. The operation of thermal harvesting is based on maintaining a temperature gradient of at least 26.31 K between the thermoelectric-generator sides. While the hot side employs a metal plate, the cold side is attached with a phase-change material acting as an effective passive dissipative material. The desired temperature gradient allows claiming power conversion efficiencies of about 26.43%, without efficiency reductions associated with heating and soiling. This work presents the characterization of a low-cost off-the-shelf thermoelectric generator that allows estimating the production of at least 407.3 mW corresponding to 2.44 Wh of available energy considering specific operation hours—determined statistically for a given geographic location. Then, the energy production is experimentally verified with the construction of an outdoor IoT sensor powered by a passively-cooled thermoelectric generator. The prototype contains a low-power microcontroller, environmental sensors, and a low-power radio to report selected environmental variables to a central node. This work shows that the proposed supply mechanism provides sufficient energy for continuous operation even during times with no solar resource through an on-board Li-Po battery. Such a battery can be recharged once the solar radiation is available without compromising sensor operation.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniela Charris & Diego Gomez & Angie Rincon Ortega & Mauricio Carmona & Mauricio Pardo, 2020. "A Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting Scheme with Passive Cooling for Outdoor IoT Sensors," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-25, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:11:p:2782-:d:365762
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/11/2782/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/11/2782/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jiang, Wei & Yuan, Dongdong & Xu, Shudong & Hu, Huitao & Xiao, Jingjing & Sha, Aimin & Huang, Yue, 2017. "Energy harvesting from asphalt pavement using thermoelectric technology," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 941-950.
    2. Weng, Ying-Che & Cho, Hung-Pin & Chang, Chih-Chung & Chen, Sih-Li, 2011. "Heat pipe with PCM for electronic cooling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(5), pages 1825-1833, May.
    3. Al-Maghalseh, Maher & Mahkamov, Khamid, 2018. "Methods of heat transfer intensification in PCM thermal storage systems: Review paper," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 62-94.
    4. Ando Junior, O.H. & Maran, A.L.O. & Henao, N.C., 2018. "A review of the development and applications of thermoelectric microgenerators for energy harvesting," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 376-393.
    5. Dehghani-Sanij, A.R. & Tharumalingam, E. & Dusseault, M.B. & Fraser, R., 2019. "Study of energy storage systems and environmental challenges of batteries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 192-208.
    6. Sharma, Atul & Tyagi, V.V. & Chen, C.R. & Buddhi, D., 2009. "Review on thermal energy storage with phase change materials and applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 318-345, February.
    7. Karami, Nabil & Moubayed, Nazih & Outbib, Rachid, 2017. "General review and classification of different MPPT Techniques," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 68(P1), pages 1-18.
    8. Gil, Antoni & Medrano, Marc & Martorell, Ingrid & Lázaro, Ana & Dolado, Pablo & Zalba, Belén & Cabeza, Luisa F., 2010. "State of the art on high temperature thermal energy storage for power generation. Part 1--Concepts, materials and modellization," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 31-55, January.
    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. Eduard Massaguer & Albert Massaguer & Eudald Balló & Ivan Ruiz Cózar & Toni Pujol & Lino Montoro & Martí Comamala, 2020. "Electrical Generation of a Ground-Level Solar Thermoelectric Generator: Experimental Tests and One-Year Cycle Simulation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-18, July.
    2. N. Kanagaraj & Hegazy Rezk & Mohamed R. Gomaa, 2020. "A Variable Fractional Order Fuzzy Logic Control Based MPPT Technique for Improving Energy Conversion Efficiency of Thermoelectric Power Generator," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Zdenek Machacek & Wojciech Walendziuk & Vojtech Sotola & Zdenek Slanina & Radek Petras & Miroslav Schneider & Zdenek Masny & Adam Idzkowski & Jiri Koziorek, 2021. "An Investigation of Thermoelectric Generators Used as Energy Harvesters in a Water Consumption Meter Application," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-22, June.
    4. Wenxiong Xi & Mengyao Xu & Chaoyang Liu & Jian Liu, 2022. "Recent Developments of Heat Transfer Enhancement and Thermal Management Technology," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-3, August.

    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. Anisur, M.R. & Mahfuz, M.H. & Kibria, M.A. & Saidur, R. & Metselaar, I.H.S.C. & Mahlia, T.M.I., 2013. "Curbing global warming with phase change materials for energy storage," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 23-30.
    2. Hu, Nan & Li, Zi-Rui & Xu, Zhe-Wen & Fan, Li-Wu, 2022. "Rapid charging for latent heat thermal energy storage: A state-of-the-art review of close-contact melting," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    3. Thi Kim Tuoi, Truong & Van Toan, Nguyen & Ono, Takahito, 2022. "Self-powered wireless sensing system driven by daily ambient temperature energy harvesting," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 311(C).
    4. Tahami, Seyed Amid & Gholikhani, Mohammadreza & Nasouri, Reza & Dessouky, Samer & Papagiannakis, A.T., 2019. "Developing a new thermoelectric approach for energy harvesting from asphalt pavements," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 786-795.
    5. Arteconi, A. & Hewitt, N.J. & Polonara, F., 2012. "State of the art of thermal storage for demand-side management," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 371-389.
    6. Jayathunga, D.S. & Karunathilake, H.P. & Narayana, M. & Witharana, S., 2024. "Phase change material (PCM) candidates for latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) in concentrated solar power (CSP) based thermal applications - A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).
    7. Fernandes, D. & Pitié, F. & Cáceres, G. & Baeyens, J., 2012. "Thermal energy storage: “How previous findings determine current research priorities”," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 246-257.
    8. Islam, Md. Parvez & Morimoto, Tetsuo, 2018. "Advances in low to medium temperature non-concentrating solar thermal technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 2066-2093.
    9. Aneke, Mathew & Wang, Meihong, 2016. "Energy storage technologies and real life applications – A state of the art review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 350-377.
    10. Fornarelli, F. & Camporeale, S.M. & Fortunato, B. & Torresi, M. & Oresta, P. & Magliocchetti, L. & Miliozzi, A. & Santo, G., 2016. "CFD analysis of melting process in a shell-and-tube latent heat storage for concentrated solar power plants," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 711-722.
    11. Wang, Y. & Barde, A. & Jin, K. & Wirz, R.E., 2020. "System performance analyses of sulfur-based thermal energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    12. Khamlich, Imane & Zeng, Kuo & Flamant, Gilles & Baeyens, Jan & Zou, Chongzhe & Li, Jun & Yang, Xinyi & He, Xiao & Liu, Qingchuan & Yang, Haiping & Yang, Qing & Chen, Hanping, 2021. "Technical and economic assessment of thermal energy storage in concentrated solar power plants within a spot electricity market," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    13. Costa, Sol Carolina & Kenisarin, Murat, 2022. "A review of metallic materials for latent heat thermal energy storage: Thermophysical properties, applications, and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    14. Qiu, Xiaolin & Li, Wei & Song, Guolin & Chu, Xiaodong & Tang, Guoyi, 2012. "Microencapsulated n-octadecane with different methylmethacrylate-based copolymer shells as phase change materials for thermal energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 188-199.
    15. Han, Lipeng & Xie, Shaolei & Liu, Shang & Sun, Jinhe & Jia, Yongzhong & Jing, Yan, 2017. "Effects of sodium chloride on the thermal behavior of oxalic acid dihydrate for thermal energy storage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 762-767.
    16. Gutierrez, Andrea & Ushak, Svetlana & Galleguillos, Hector & Fernandez, Angel & Cabeza, Luisa F. & Grágeda, Mario, 2015. "Use of polyethylene glycol for the improvement of the cycling stability of bischofite as thermal energy storage material," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 616-621.
    17. Zhang, Hanfei & Shin, Donghyun & Santhanagopalan, Sunand, 2019. "Microencapsulated binary carbonate salt mixture in silica shell with enhanced effective heat capacity for high temperature latent heat storage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 1156-1162.
    18. ELSihy, ELSaeed Saad & Mokhtar, Omar & Xu, Chao & Du, Xiaoze & Adel, Mohamed, 2023. "Cyclic performance characterization of a high-temperature thermal energy storage system packed with rock/slag pebbles granules combined with encapsulated phase change materials," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 331(C).
    19. Opolot, Michael & Zhao, Chunrong & Liu, Ming & Mancin, Simone & Bruno, Frank & Hooman, Kamel, 2022. "A review of high temperature (≥ 500 °C) latent heat thermal energy storage," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    20. Sara Pascual & Pilar Lisbona & Luis M. Romeo, 2022. "Thermal Energy Storage in Concentrating Solar Power Plants: A Review of European and North American R&D Projects," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-32, November.

    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:13:y:2020:i:11:p:2782-:d:365762. 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.