TY - JOUR
T1 - Optimization of thermoelectric generator module spacing and spreader thickness used in a waste heat recovery system
AU - Jang, Jiin Yuh
AU - Tsai, Ying Chi
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - When thermoelectric generator (TEG) modules are attached to a rectangular chimney plate for venting hot flue gases, the power generated per unit surface area (power density) is strongly dependent on the TEG module spacing. The thermoelectric module consists of a hot plate, a spreader, a thermoelectric generator and a cold plate based on water cooling. In this study, the optimization of TEG module spacing and its spreader thickness as used in a waste heat recovery system is investigated and solved numerically using the finite difference method along with a simplified conjugate-gradient method. The power density for a thermoelectric module is the objective function to be maximized. A search for the optimum module spacing (S) and spreader thickness (H sp), ranging from 40 mm < S < 300 mm and 1 mm < H sp < 30 mm, respectively, is performed. The effects of different operating conditions, including the temperature difference between the waste gas and the cooling water (ΔT = 200-800 K), and effective waste gas heat transfer coefficients (hh = 20-80 W/m2 K) are discussed in detail. The predicted numerical data for the power vs. current (P-I) curve are in good agreement (within 8%) with the experimental data.
AB - When thermoelectric generator (TEG) modules are attached to a rectangular chimney plate for venting hot flue gases, the power generated per unit surface area (power density) is strongly dependent on the TEG module spacing. The thermoelectric module consists of a hot plate, a spreader, a thermoelectric generator and a cold plate based on water cooling. In this study, the optimization of TEG module spacing and its spreader thickness as used in a waste heat recovery system is investigated and solved numerically using the finite difference method along with a simplified conjugate-gradient method. The power density for a thermoelectric module is the objective function to be maximized. A search for the optimum module spacing (S) and spreader thickness (H sp), ranging from 40 mm < S < 300 mm and 1 mm < H sp < 30 mm, respectively, is performed. The effects of different operating conditions, including the temperature difference between the waste gas and the cooling water (ΔT = 200-800 K), and effective waste gas heat transfer coefficients (hh = 20-80 W/m2 K) are discussed in detail. The predicted numerical data for the power vs. current (P-I) curve are in good agreement (within 8%) with the experimental data.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2012.10.024
DO - 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2012.10.024
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84868533251
VL - 51
SP - 677
EP - 689
JO - Journal of Heat Recovery Systems
JF - Journal of Heat Recovery Systems
SN - 1359-4311
IS - 1-2
ER -