IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v93y2015ip2p2006-2017.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Power density optimization for micro thermoelectric generators

Author

Listed:
  • Dunham, Marc T.
  • Barako, Michael T.
  • LeBlanc, Saniya
  • Asheghi, Mehdi
  • Chen, Baoxing
  • Goodson, Kenneth E.

Abstract

Microfabricated thermoelectric generators (μTEGs) can harvest modest temperature differences to provide reliable solid-state electricity for low-power electronics, sensors in distributed networks, and biomedical devices. While past work on μTEGs has focused on fabrication and demonstration, here we derive and explore comprehensive design guidelines for optimizing power output. A new closed-form thermoelectric device model agrees well with the traditional iterative approach. When thermoelectric leg length is limited by thin-film fabrication techniques, a very low (<10%) active thermoelectric fill fraction is required to optimize device power output, requiring careful selection of filler material. Parasitic resistance due to electrical interconnects is significant when a small number of thermocouples is used, and this loss can be reduced by increasing the number of thermocouples while decreasing the cross-sectional area of the legs to maintain the same fill fraction. Finally, a discussion of the “incompleteness of ZT” shows that different combinations of thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and Seebeck coefficient resulting in the same ZT will result in different device performance and optimization decisions. For μTEGs, we show it is best to increase Seebeck coefficient, followed by decreasing thermal conductivity for short leg lengths and increasing electrical conductivity for long leg lengths.

Suggested Citation

  • Dunham, Marc T. & Barako, Michael T. & LeBlanc, Saniya & Asheghi, Mehdi & Chen, Baoxing & Goodson, Kenneth E., 2015. "Power density optimization for micro thermoelectric generators," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P2), pages 2006-2017.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:93:y:2015:i:p2:p:2006-2017
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2015.10.032
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544215014000
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2015.10.032?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. Wang, Chien-Chang & Hung, Chen-I & Chen, Wei-Hsin, 2012. "Design of heat sink for improving the performance of thermoelectric generator using two-stage optimization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 236-245.
    2. 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.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ravi Anant Kishore & Roop L. Mahajan & Shashank Priya, 2018. "Combinatory Finite Element and Artificial Neural Network Model for Predicting Performance of Thermoelectric Generator," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-17, August.
    2. 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).
    3. Ssennoga Twaha & Jie Zhu & Luqman Maraaba & Kuo Huang & Bo Li & Yuying Yan, 2017. "Maximum Power Point Tracking Control of a Thermoelectric Generation System Using the Extremum Seeking Control Method," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, December.
    4. Siddique, Abu Raihan Mohammad & Rabari, Ronil & Mahmud, Shohel & Heyst, Bill Van, 2016. "Thermal energy harvesting from the human body using flexible thermoelectric generator (FTEG) fabricated by a dispenser printing technique," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(P1), pages 1081-1091.
    5. 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).
    6. Karami Rad, Meysam & Rezania, Alireza & Omid, Mahmoud & Rajabipour, Ali & Rosendahl, Lasse, 2019. "Study on material properties effect for maximization of thermoelectric power generation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 236-242.
    7. Amit Tanwar & Swatchith Lal & Kafil M. Razeeb, 2021. "Structural Design Optimization of Micro-Thermoelectric Generator for Wearable Biomedical Devices," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-13, April.
    8. Mirhosseini, Mojtaba & Rezania, Alireza & Rosendahl, Lasse, 2019. "Harvesting waste heat from cement kiln shell by thermoelectric system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 358-369.
    9. Nozariasbmarz, Amin & Collins, Henry & Dsouza, Kelvin & Polash, Mobarak Hossain & Hosseini, Mahshid & Hyland, Melissa & Liu, Jie & Malhotra, Abhishek & Ortiz, Francisco Matos & Mohaddes, Farzad & Rame, 2020. "Review of wearable thermoelectric energy harvesting: From body temperature to electronic systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    10. Da, Yun & Xuan, Yimin & Li, Qiang, 2016. "From light trapping to solar energy utilization: A novel photovoltaic–thermoelectric hybrid system to fully utilize solar spectrum," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 200-210.
    11. Zuo, Wei & E, Jiaqiang & Hu, Wenyu & Jin, Yu & Han, Dandan, 2017. "Numerical investigations on combustion characteristics of H2/air premixed combustion in a micro elliptical tube combustor," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 1-12.
    12. E, Jiaqiang & Luo, Bo & Han, Dandan & Chen, Jingwei & Liao, Gaoliang & Zhang, Feng & Ding, Jiangjun, 2022. "A comprehensive review on performance improvement of micro energy mechanical system: Heat transfer, micro combustion and energy conversion," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PE).
    13. Mohammad Siddique, Abu Raihan & Mahmud, Shohel & Van Heyst, Bill, 2020. "Performance comparison between rectangular and trapezoidal-shaped thermoelectric legs manufactured by a dispenser printing technique," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).

    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. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. Chen, Wei-Hsin & Huang, Shih-Rong & Lin, Yu-Li, 2015. "Performance analysis and optimum operation of a thermoelectric generator by Taguchi method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 44-54.
    4. Kossyvakis, D.N. & Vossou, C.G. & Provatidis, C.G. & Hristoforou, E.V., 2015. "Computational and experimental analysis of a commercially available Seebeck module," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 1-10.
    5. Chen, Wei-Hsin & Wang, Chi-Ming & Lee, Da-Sheng & Kwon, Eilhann E. & Ashokkumar, Veeramuthu & Culaba, Alvin B., 2022. "Optimization design by evolutionary computation for minimizing thermal stress of a thermoelectric generator with varied numbers of square pin fins," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    6. 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).
    7. 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.
    8. Luo, Yang & Li, Linlin & Chen, Yiping & Kim, Chang Nyung, 2022. "Influence of geometric parameter and contact resistances on the thermal-electric behavior of a segmented TEG," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PC).
    9. Young Hoo Cho & Jaehyun Park & Naehyuck Chang & Jaemin Kim, 2020. "Comparison of Cooling Methods for a Thermoelectric Generator with Forced Convection," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-19, June.
    10. Lee, HoSung, 2013. "Optimal design of thermoelectric devices with dimensional analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 79-88.
    11. 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.
    12. Mustafa, K.F. & Abdullah, S. & Abdullah, M.Z. & Sopian, K. & Ismail, A.K., 2015. "Experimental investigation of the performance of a liquid fuel-fired porous burner operating on kerosene-vegetable cooking oil (VCO) blends for micro-cogeneration of thermoelectric power," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 505-516.
    13. 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.
    14. Barry, Matthew M. & Agbim, Kenechi A. & Rao, Parthib & Clifford, Corey E. & Reddy, B.V.K. & Chyu, Minking K., 2016. "Geometric optimization of thermoelectric elements for maximum efficiency and power output," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 388-407.
    15. Kwan, Trevor Hocksun & Wu, Xiaofeng & Yao, Qinghe, 2018. "Multi-objective genetic optimization of the thermoelectric system for thermal management of proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 314-327.
    16. Wang, Tian-Hu & Wang, Qiu-Hong & Leng, Chuan & Wang, Xiao-Dong, 2015. "Parameter analysis and optimal design for two-stage thermoelectric cooler," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 1-12.
    17. Georgopoulou, Chariklia A. & Dimopoulos, George G. & Kakalis, Nikolaos M.P., 2016. "A modular dynamic mathematical model of thermoelectric elements for marine applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 13-28.
    18. Liu, Hai-Bo & Wang, Shuo-Lin & Yang, Yan-Ru & Chen, Wei-Hsin & Wang, Xiao-Dong, 2020. "Theoretical analysis of performance of variable cross-section thermoelectric generators: Effects of shape factor and thermal boundary conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    19. Nour Eddine, A. & Chalet, D. & Faure, X. & Aixala, L. & Chessé, P., 2018. "Optimization and characterization of a thermoelectric generator prototype for marine engine application," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 682-695.
    20. He, Wei & Wang, Shixue & Zhang, Xing & Li, Yanzhe & Lu, Chi, 2015. "Optimization design method of thermoelectric generator based on exhaust gas parameters for recovery of engine waste heat," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 1-9.

    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:93:y:2015:i:p2:p:2006-2017. 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.