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1. Introduction
A thermo-electric power generator (TEG)
is a solid state device that provides direct
energy conversion from thermal energy
(heat) due to a temperature gradient into
electric energy based on Seebeck effect.
The thermo-electric power cycle, with charge
carriers (electrons) serving as the working
fluid, follows the fundamental laws of
thermodynamics and intimately resembles
the power cycle of a conventional heat
engine. Thermo-electric power generators
offer several distinct advantages over other
technologies [1-4]: they are extremely
reliable (typically exceed 100,000 hours of
steady-state operation) and silent in
operation, since they have no mechanical
moving parts and require a considerably less
maintenance; they are simple, compact and
safe; they have very small size and virtually
weightless; they are capable of operating at
elevated temperatures; they are suited for
small-scale and remote applications typical
of rural power supply, where there is limited
or no electricity; they are environmentally
friendly; they are not position-dependent;
and they are flexible power sources.
The major drawback of thermo-electric
power generators is their relatively low
conversion efficiency (typically ~5 % [5]). In
general, the cost of a thermo-electric power
generator essentially consists of the device
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Based on this Seebeck effect, the thermoelectric devices can act as an electric power
generator.
A schematic diagram of a simple thermoelectric power generator operating based on
Seebeck effect is shown in Figure 1.
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Figure. 3, Conversion efficiency as a function of temperature and module material figure-ofmerit [13]
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where:
Pmax = maximum electric power,
obtained from a TE generator,
V = voltage,
I = current,
Ri = internal resistance of TEG,
= Seebeck coefficient of TE
material,
= resistivity of TE material,
l = thickness of TE material,
A = cross sectional area of TE
material,
Pf = 2 = power factor of TE
material,
Df = A/l = dimensional factor of TE
material,
T = temperature gradient = Thot
Tcold,
Depending on the operation regime, we
can have 2 different situations:
a. steady-state operation (a traditionally
one). If we need maximum power, we must
fulfill the following condition:
DN
=
DP
(6)
DN
=
DP
N
P
N
P
kP
kN
(7)
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P = V / 4Rload
have no relevance.
In this NSS operation P = 1/2LI2, L being
electromagnetic inductance of TE unit
including the primar of up converter. For this
issue, we need very high currents, and to
obtain them, we need much more A/h ratio
TE slices.
10. The NSS (Non Steady-State)
thermo-electric generator (TEG) has
four important parts
The four important parts of the NSS (Non
Steady-State) thermo-electric generator
(TEG) are:
1.Thermo-electric unit: made from 40-60
hot paddles, 40-60 N and P thermo-electric
material slices and 44-64 cold paddles
assembled together to give minimum 2 V
open circuit (usually, 3 V) (see Figure 12).
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11. Conclusions
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York, 2004
14. Biography
Marin NEDELCU was born in
Nenciulesti,
Jud.
Teleorman
(Romania), on April 10, 1957.
He graduated the Bucharest
University (Romania), Faculty of
Chemistry in 1981.
He received the PhD degree in electrochemistry
from the Politehnic University of Bucharest
(Romania), in 2000.
He was Senior Scientist at the National Institute
for Physics and Technology of Materials,
Magurele, (Romania).
His research interests concern: Thermo-electrics,
high power converters, electrochemistry, new and
renouble energy sources