A stove-top generator for cold areas

Abstract

This paper discusses the development and test of a prototype thermoelectric generator which is designed to use the heat of existing wood fired stoves that are typically used in the area for home heating. This generator is being developed by the Royal Institute of Technology, in Sweden, to provide small amounts of power to homes in the remote northern areas of the country which are beyond the electric grid. The paper discusses some of the aspects of the generator design, as well as the early results obtained and some of the lessons learned from the first home test site in Skerfa, Sweden, which is located near the Arctic Circle. The bismuth-telluride thermoelectric modules used in the generator are also discussed.