IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v147y2018icp1060-1069.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimal design of a segmented thermoelectric generator based on three-dimensional numerical simulation and multi-objective genetic algorithm

Author

Listed:
  • Ge, Ya
  • Liu, Zhichun
  • Sun, Henan
  • Liu, Wei

Abstract

This paper proposes a general method to optimize the structure and load current for a segmented thermoelectric generator (TEG) module, where the bismuth telluride is selected as the cold side material, and the skutterudite is selected as the hot side material, respectively. Two objectives, minimum semiconductor volume V′ and maximum output power P, are simultaneously considered to assess the performance of the TEG module. All the simulation models to be optimized by the multi-objective genetic algorithm are established and solved by finite element method, where the Thomson effect, in conjunction with Peltier effect, Joule heating, and Fourier heat conduction are simultaneously considered. In order to achieve the ultimate optimal design, TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution) is employed to determine the best compromise solution. The results of Pareto solutions show that V′ varies from 432 mm3 to 3868 mm3, while P varies from 5.523 W to 56.293 W, respectively. Meanwhile, optimal design variables are investigated to provide practical guidance for the industrial applications. The mechanism of performance improvement has also been explained in this work by comparing the optimal segmented TEG and the skutterudite TEG.

Suggested Citation

  • Ge, Ya & Liu, Zhichun & Sun, Henan & Liu, Wei, 2018. "Optimal design of a segmented thermoelectric generator based on three-dimensional numerical simulation and multi-objective genetic algorithm," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 1060-1069.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:147:y:2018:i:c:p:1060-1069
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2018.01.099
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544218301178
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2018.01.099?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Arora, Ranjana & Kaushik, S.C. & Arora, Rajesh, 2015. "Multi-objective and multi-parameter optimization of two-stage thermoelectric generator in electrically series and parallel configurations through NSGA-II," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 242-254.
    2. Hsu, Cheng-Ting & Huang, Gia-Yeh & Chu, Hsu-Shen & Yu, Ben & Yao, Da-Jeng, 2011. "An effective Seebeck coefficient obtained by experimental results of a thermoelectric generator module," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 5173-5179.
    3. Chen, Lingen & Li, Jun & Sun, Fengrui & Wu, Chih, 2008. "Performance optimization for a two-stage thermoelectric heat-pump with internal and external irreversibilities," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(7), pages 641-649, July.
    4. Chen, Lingen & Li, Jun & Sun, Fengrui & Wu, Chih, 2005. "Performance optimization of a two-stage semiconductor thermoelectric-generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 82(4), pages 300-312, December.
    5. Meng, Fankai & Chen, Lingen & Sun, Fengrui & Yang, Bo, 2014. "Thermoelectric power generation driven by blast furnace slag flushing water," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 965-972.
    6. Liu, Zhichun & Zhu, Shiping & Ge, Ya & Shan, Feng & Zeng, Lingping & Liu, Wei, 2017. "Geometry optimization of two-stage thermoelectric generators using simplified conjugate-gradient method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 540-552.
    7. Manikandan, S. & Kaushik, S.C., 2016. "The influence of Thomson effect in the performance optimization of a two stage thermoelectric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 227-237.
    8. Xiao, Jinsheng & Yang, Tianqi & Li, Peng & Zhai, Pengcheng & Zhang, Qingjie, 2012. "Thermal design and management for performance optimization of solar thermoelectric generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 33-38.
    9. Meng, Jing-Hui & Zhang, Xin-Xin & Wang, Xiao-Dong, 2014. "Multi-objective and multi-parameter optimization of a thermoelectric generator module," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 367-376.
    10. Liang, Xingyu & Sun, Xiuxiu & Tian, Hua & Shu, Gequn & Wang, Yuesen & Wang, Xu, 2014. "Comparison and parameter optimization of a two-stage thermoelectric generator using high temperature exhaust of internal combustion engine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 190-199.
    11. Tian, Hua & Sun, Xiuxiu & Jia, Qi & Liang, Xingyu & Shu, Gequn & Wang, Xu, 2015. "Comparison and parameter optimization of a segmented thermoelectric generator by using the high temperature exhaust of a diesel engine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 121-130.
    12. Ming, T. & Wu, Y. & Peng, C. & Tao, Y., 2015. "Thermal analysis on a segmented thermoelectric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 388-399.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Ge, Ya & Lin, Yousheng & He, Qing & Wang, Wenhao & Chen, Jiechao & Huang, Si-Min, 2021. "Geometric optimization of segmented thermoelectric generators for waste heat recovery systems using genetic algorithm," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    2. Shittu, Samson & Li, Guiqiang & Zhao, Xudong & Ma, Xiaoli, 2020. "Review of thermoelectric geometry and structure optimization for performance enhancement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    3. Ge, Ya & He, Kui & Xiao, Liehui & Yuan, Wuzhi & Huang, Si-Min, 2022. "Geometric optimization for the thermoelectric generator with variable cross-section legs by coupling finite element method and optimization algorithm," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 294-303.
    4. Meng, Fankai & Chen, Lingen & Feng, Yuanli & Xiong, Bing, 2017. "Thermoelectric generator for industrial gas phase waste heat recovery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 83-90.
    5. Jia, Xiao-Dong & Wang, Yuan-Jing & Gao, Yuan-Wen, 2017. "Numerical simulation of thermoelectric performance of linear-shaped thermoelectric generators under transient heat supply," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 276-285.
    6. Liu, Zhichun & Zhu, Shiping & Ge, Ya & Shan, Feng & Zeng, Lingping & Liu, Wei, 2017. "Geometry optimization of two-stage thermoelectric generators using simplified conjugate-gradient method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 540-552.
    7. Sun, Henan & Ge, Ya & Liu, Wei & Liu, Zhichun, 2019. "Geometric optimization of two-stage thermoelectric generator using genetic algorithms and thermodynamic analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 37-48.
    8. Liang, Xingyu & Sun, Xiuxiu & Tian, Hua & Shu, Gequn & Wang, Yuesen & Wang, Xu, 2014. "Comparison and parameter optimization of a two-stage thermoelectric generator using high temperature exhaust of internal combustion engine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 190-199.
    9. Zhang, Houcheng & Xu, Haoran & Chen, Bin & Dong, Feifei & Ni, Meng, 2017. "Two-stage thermoelectric generators for waste heat recovery from solid oxide fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 280-288.
    10. Shu, Gequn & Ma, Xiaonan & Tian, Hua & Yang, Haoqi & Chen, Tianyu & Li, Xiaoya, 2018. "Configuration optimization of the segmented modules in an exhaust-based thermoelectric generator for engine waste heat recovery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 612-624.
    11. Ge, Ya & Xiao, Qiyin & Wang, Wenhao & Lin, Yousheng & Huang, Si-Min, 2022. "Design of high-performance photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid systems using multi-objective genetic algorithm," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 136-145.
    12. Shittu, Samson & Li, Guiqiang & Xuan, Qindong & Zhao, Xudong & Ma, Xiaoli & Cui, Yu, 2020. "Electrical and mechanical analysis of a segmented solar thermoelectric generator under non-uniform heat flux," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    13. Ouyang, Zhongliang & Li, Dawen, 2018. "Design of segmented high-performance thermoelectric generators with cost in consideration," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 112-121.
    14. 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.
    15. Arora, Ranjana & Kaushik, S.C. & Arora, Rajesh, 2015. "Multi-objective and multi-parameter optimization of two-stage thermoelectric generator in electrically series and parallel configurations through NSGA-II," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 242-254.
    16. Su, Ning & Zhu, Pengfei & Pan, Yuhui & Li, Fu & Li, Bo, 2020. "3D-printing of shape-controllable thermoelectric devices with enhanced output performance," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    17. Tian, Hua & Sun, Xiuxiu & Jia, Qi & Liang, Xingyu & Shu, Gequn & Wang, Xu, 2015. "Comparison and parameter optimization of a segmented thermoelectric generator by using the high temperature exhaust of a diesel engine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 121-130.
    18. Shen, Zu-Guo & Liu, Xun & Chen, Shuai & Wu, Shuang-Ying & Xiao, Lan & Chen, Zu-Xiang, 2018. "Theoretical analysis on a segmented annular thermoelectric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 297-313.
    19. Ju, Chengjian & Dui, Guansuo & Zheng, Helen Hao & Xin, Libiao, 2017. "Revisiting the temperature dependence in material properties and performance of thermoelectric materials," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 249-257.
    20. Zhu, WenChao & Weng, Zebin & Li, Yang & Zhang, Leiqi & Zhao, Bo & Xie, Changjun & Shi, Ying & Huang, Liang & Yan, Yonggao, 2022. "Theoretical analysis of shape factor on performance of annular thermoelectric generators under different thermal boundary conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PD).

    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:eee:energy:v:147:y:2018:i:c:p:1060-1069. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    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.