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Research on Module Layout and Module Coverage of an Automobile Exhaust Thermoelectric Power Generation System

Author

Listed:
  • Weiqi Zhou

    (Automotive Engineering Research Institute, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China)

  • Jiasheng Yang

    (Automotive Engineering Research Institute, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China)

  • Qing Qin

    (Automotive Engineering Research Institute, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China)

  • Jiahao Zhu

    (Automotive Engineering Research Institute, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China)

  • Shiyu Xu

    (Automotive Engineering Research Institute, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China)

  • Ding Luo

    (School of Automotive and Traffic Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China)

  • Ruochen Wang

    (School of Automotive and Traffic Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China)

Abstract

Due to the low efficiency of thermoelectric generators (TEGs), many scholars have focused on the structural optimization of TEGs rather than on the optimization of the layout of thermoelectric modules. We aimed to investigate the effect of module layout on the output power of an automotive exhaust thermoelectric power generation system. The module spacing and module coverage ratio were compared under different working conditions based on a numerical simulation. The results show that, under high-temperature conditions, when the module spacing expands from 5 mm to 35 mm, the output power growth rate of modules of different sizes ranges between 8% and 9%. Moreover, under low-temperature conditions, a high coverage ratio of modules will not increase the total output power but, instead, make it decline. In fact, choosing a larger-size module can improve the temperature uniformity, thereby increasing the output power of the automotive thermoelectric power generation system. Hence, the present study has verified that, under different working conditions, different module layouts and module coverage ratios have an impact on the output power of the thermoelectric power generation system, which sheds new light on the improvement of automotive thermoelectric power generation systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Weiqi Zhou & Jiasheng Yang & Qing Qin & Jiahao Zhu & Shiyu Xu & Ding Luo & Ruochen Wang, 2022. "Research on Module Layout and Module Coverage of an Automobile Exhaust Thermoelectric Power Generation System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-15, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:3:p:987-:d:737332
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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