Characteristic of maximum power with temperature difference for thermoelectric generator

Abstract

This paper is associated with the manufacture of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) and the characteristic of TEG. TEG consists of a water heater, pump, 32 thermoelectric modules and aluminum, and hot and cold water flowed through the aluminum containers. It was found that the electric power increased with increasing temperature difference(/spl Delta/ T) in the range between 20/spl sim/50 K. The electric efficiency took a maximum value, 1.04% for /spl Delta/ T=50 K. On the other hand, these electric behaviors could be calculated with the function of temperature difference and the electric current. This simulation may be useful to estimate the capacity of TEG and to develop a thermoelectric generation system which converts unused energy from close-at-hand sources such as garbage incineration heat and industrial exhaust etc. into electricity.