Article
Version 1
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Phase Change Material Thermoelectric Generator
Version 1
: Received: 26 December 2023 / Approved: 26 December 2023 / Online: 27 December 2023 (09:36:48 CET)
How to cite: Armenta-Déu, C. Phase Change Material Thermoelectric Generator. Preprints 2023, 2023122028. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202312.2028.v1 Armenta-Déu, C. Phase Change Material Thermoelectric Generator. Preprints 2023, 2023122028. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202312.2028.v1
Abstract
This paper aims to study and analyze a new Peltier cell layout using a PCM in biphasic mode, with the liquid phase encapsulating the p-n junctions and the solid one playing the role of heat sink. The selected PCM is an organic compound that operates within a temperature range corresponding to the melting process. The phase change zone encompasses the working temperature of the Peltier cell, avoiding thermal gradient variation across the cell section and maintaining the operating conditions and the cell efficiency. PCM encapsulates the Peltier cell thermocouples, creating a layer that increases the power generation as the thickness reduces. We simulated the performance of the new configuration for different temperature gaps between both sides of the cell, obtaining an improvement in power generation from 1.65 to 7.93. This power increase ratio depends on the temperature gap and transient time to reach the steady working temperature. The control of the layer thickness, transient time, and working temperatures resides in the external heating power source, which varies the operating conditions regulating the heat power and the airflow. Maximum output power from the cell prototype is 36.5 W, while conventional Peltier cells operating in similar conditions produce 7.3 W, which represents a power gain of 500%.
Keywords
thermoelectric generation; phase change material; thermal conductivity
Subject
Engineering, Energy and Fuel Technology
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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