IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v13y2020i9p2297-d354361.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimization of the TEGs Configuration (Series/Parallel) in Energy Harvesting Systems with Low-Voltage Thermoelectric Generators Connected to Ultra-Low Voltage DC–DC Converters

Author

Listed:
  • Flávio Morais

    (Faculty of Science and Engineering, São Paulo State University Júlio de Mesquita, Tupã, SP 17602-496, Brazil)

  • Pedro Carvalhaes-Dias

    (Department of Electrical Engineering—DAELE, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Cornélio Procópio, PR 86300-000, Brazil)

  • Luís Duarte

    (Department of Electrical Engineering—DAELE, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Cornélio Procópio, PR 86300-000, Brazil)

  • Anderson Spengler

    (Department of Mobility Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Joinville, SC 89219-600, Brazil)

  • Kleber de Paiva

    (Department of Mobility Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Joinville, SC 89219-600, Brazil)

  • Thiago Martins

    (Department of Mobility Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Joinville, SC 89219-600, Brazil)

  • Andreu Cabot

    (Catalonia Institute for Energy Research—IREC, 08930 Barcelona, Spain
    Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies—ICREA, 08010 Barcelona, Spain)

  • José Siqueira Dias

    (Department of Semiconductors, Instrumentation and Photonics—DSIF/FEEC, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP 13083-852, Brazil)

Abstract

Solar radiation and human activity generate ubiquitous temperature gradients that could be harvested by thermoelectric generators (TEGs). However, most of these temperature gradients are in the range of very few degrees and, while TEGs are able to harvest them, the resulting output voltages are extremely small (a few hundreds of mV), and DC–DC converters are necessary to boost them to usable levels. Impedance matching between TEGs and DC–DC converter plays a fundamental role in the energy harvesting efficiency. Therefore, it is essential to determine the output power of the system in different configurations, in order to decide on the optimum TEG connection. Here, we present an electronic circuit to measure the maximum power that can be harvested with low-voltage TEGs connected to a DC–DC converter. The developed circuit is an electronic controlled load that drains the maximum current from the output of the DC–DC converter while maintaining its output voltage at the maximum allowed value. Using a mechanical set-up able to apply precise low temperature gradients between the hot and cold side of the TEGs, experimental data using different configurations of TEGs are obtained. The measured results show that, for ultra-low voltages, the TEG ensemble’s output impedance plays an important role not only in the amount of the energy scavenged, but also in the onset temperature of the energy harvesting.

Suggested Citation

  • Flávio Morais & Pedro Carvalhaes-Dias & Luís Duarte & Anderson Spengler & Kleber de Paiva & Thiago Martins & Andreu Cabot & José Siqueira Dias, 2020. "Optimization of the TEGs Configuration (Series/Parallel) in Energy Harvesting Systems with Low-Voltage Thermoelectric Generators Connected to Ultra-Low Voltage DC–DC Converters," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-12, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:9:p:2297-:d:354361
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/9/2297/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/9/2297/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chris Gould, 2020. "Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting," Chapters, in: Reccab Ochieng Manyala (ed.), A Guide to Small-Scale Energy Harvesting Techniques, IntechOpen.
    2. Martí Comamala & Ivan Ruiz Cózar & Albert Massaguer & Eduard Massaguer & Toni Pujol, 2018. "Effects of Design Parameters on Fuel Economy and Output Power in an Automotive Thermoelectric Generator," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-28, November.
    3. Montecucco, Andrea & Siviter, Jonathan & Knox, Andrew R., 2014. "The effect of temperature mismatch on thermoelectric generators electrically connected in series and parallel," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 47-54.
    4. Jong-Pil Im & Jeong Hun Kim & Jae Woo Lee & Ji Yong Woo & Sol Yee Im & Yeriaron Kim & Yong-Sung Eom & Won Chul Choi & Jun Soo Kim & Seung Eon Moon, 2020. "Self-Powered Autonomous Wireless Sensor Node by Using Silicon-Based 3D Thermoelectric Energy Generator for Environmental Monitoring Application," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-17, February.
    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. Guo, Rui & Zhuo, Kai & Li, Qiang & Wang, Tao & Sang, Shengbo & Zhang, Hulin, 2023. "Triboelectric-electromagnetic hybrid generator assisted by a shape memory alloy wire for water quality monitoring and waste heat collecting," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 348(C).
    3. Grzegorz Blakiewicz & Jacek Jakusz & Waldemar Jendernalik, 2021. "Starter for Voltage Boost Converter to Harvest Thermoelectric Energy for Body-Worn Sensors," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-12, July.

    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. Samir Ezzitouni & Pablo Fernández-Yáñez & Luis Sánchez Rodríguez & Octavio Armas & Javier de las Morenas & Eduard Massaguer & Albert Massaguer, 2021. "Electrical Modelling and Mismatch Effects of Thermoelectric Modules on Performance of a Thermoelectric Generator for Energy Recovery in Diesel Exhaust Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, May.
    2. Ezzitouni, S. & Fernández-Yáñez, P. & Sánchez, L. & Armas, O., 2020. "Global energy balance in a diesel engine with a thermoelectric generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    3. Saim Memon & Khawaja Noman Tahir, 2018. "Experimental and Analytical Simulation Analyses on the Electrical Performance of Thermoelectric Generator Modules for Direct and Concentrated Quartz-Halogen Heat Harvesting," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-17, November.
    4. Ding, L.C. & Akbarzadeh, A. & Tan, L., 2018. "A review of power generation with thermoelectric system and its alternative with solar ponds," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 799-812.
    5. Reyes García-Contreras & Andrés Agudelo & Arántzazu Gómez & Pablo Fernández-Yáñez & Octavio Armas & Ángel Ramos, 2019. "Thermoelectric Energy Recovery in a Light-Duty Diesel Vehicle under Real-World Driving Conditions at Different Altitudes with Diesel, Biodiesel and GTL Fuels," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-18, March.
    6. Sripadmanabhan Indira, Sridhar & Aravind Vaithilingam, Chockalingam & Sivasubramanian, Ramsundar & Chong, Kok-Keong & Narasingamurthi, Kulasekharan & Saidur, R., 2022. "Prototype of a novel hybrid concentrator photovoltaic/thermal and solar thermoelectric generator system for outdoor study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(P1), pages 224-239.
    7. 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).
    8. 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.
    9. Daniel Sanin-Villa & Oscar D. Monsalve-Cifuentes & Elkin E. Henao-Bravo, 2021. "Evaluation of Thermoelectric Generators under Mismatching Conditions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-20, December.
    10. Zhong, Fanghao & Liu, Zhuo & Zhao, Shuqi & Ai, Tianchao & Zou, Haoyu & Qu, Ming & Wei, Xiang & Song, Yangfan & Chen, Hongwei, 2024. "A novel concentrated photovoltaic and ionic thermocells hybrid system for full-spectrum solar cascade utilization," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 363(C).
    11. Kwan, Trevor Hocksun & Wu, Xiaofeng & Yao, Qinghe, 2018. "Multi-objective genetic optimization of the thermoelectric system for thermal management of proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 314-327.
    12. Ricardo Marroquín-Arreola & Jinmi Lezama & Héctor Ricardo Hernández-De León & Julio César Martínez-Romo & José Antonio Hoyo-Montaño & Jorge Luis Camas-Anzueto & Elías Neftalí Escobar-Gómez & Jorge Eva, 2022. "Design of an MPPT Technique for the Indirect Measurement of the Open-Circuit Voltage Applied to Thermoelectric Generators," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-20, May.
    13. 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.
    14. Cózar, I.R. & Pujol, T. & Lehocky, M., 2018. "Numerical analysis of the effects of electrical and thermal configurations of thermoelectric modules in large-scale thermoelectric generators," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 264-280.
    15. Denis Artyukhov & Nikolay Gorshkov & Maria Vikulova & Nikolay Kiselev & Artem Zemtsov & Ivan Artyukhov, 2022. "Power Supply of Wireless Sensors Based on Energy Conversion of Separated Gas Flows by Thermoelectrochemical Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-16, February.
    16. Kim, Hoon & Kim, Woochul, 2015. "A way of achieving a low $/W and a decent power output from a thermoelectric device," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 205-211.
    17. Massaguer, A. & Massaguer, E. & Comamala, M. & Pujol, T. & González, J.R. & Cardenas, M.D. & Carbonell, D. & Bueno, A.J., 2018. "A method to assess the fuel economy of automotive thermoelectric generators," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 42-58.
    18. Montecucco, A. & Siviter, J. & Knox, A.R., 2017. "Combined heat and power system for stoves with thermoelectric generators," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1336-1342.
    19. Siviter, J. & Montecucco, A. & Knox, A.R., 2015. "Rankine cycle efficiency gain using thermoelectric heat pumps," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 161-170.
    20. Li, Xiaolong & Xie, Changjun & Quan, Shuhai & Huang, Liang & Fang, Wei, 2018. "Energy management strategy of thermoelectric generation for localized air conditioners in commercial vehicles based on 48 V electrical system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 887-900.

    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:9:p:2297-:d:354361. 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.