Enhancing Performance through Geometry and Structure Optimization in Thermoelectric Systems

Abstract

This study aims to create and simulate a highly advantageous device is the thermoelectric generator for the waste heat recovery by optimizing its geometric configuration for high efficiency. Each thermoelectric module operates based on the Seebeck effect. Electrons move from the hot junction  to the cold junction   through thermoelectric materials due to variations in electron density. This movement generates an electric field, linked to the temperature difference via the Seebeck effect caused by hole and electron motion. The potential difference V is proportional to the α temperature difference across the thermoelectric device ∆T, and the Seebeck coefficient is defined as α = V∆T.[4] Although To enhance the efficiency, the figure of merit and in this work mainly focus on the impact of geometry design factors, including the cross sectional area and height of the device using TE materials Bi2Te3(P,N Type) on the Thermoelectric Generator performance. Geometric module Geometry studies are carried out using the Comsol Multiphysics to optimize the TEG’s performance of the Efficiency [2]. The results show that employing Bi2Te3(P,N-Type at different hot side temperatures and cold side at different temperatures, different TEG modules designed, one particular geometry of TEG module increases TEG efficiency by 17.4% at ∆T = 323˚K compared different geometry cases of the TEG modules. However, a maximum power output of 7.3W was Achieved by varying the Geometry of Thermoelectric Generator modules with different cases, at particular case-III of Geometry TEG got high conversion efficiency.