Work

A CFD and thermal-electric coupled analysis of a kW-level automobile thermoelectric generator for automotive exhaust recovery

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The application of thermoelectric generators for harvesting automobile exhaust heat is constrained by their low output and substantial size. To tackle this challenge, we propose a novel solution: the stacked automobile thermoelectric generator integrated with heat pipes (HPATEG). This study also introduces a method that combines a CFD model and a thermal-electric coupling one to analyze the HPATEG's behaviour. Results reveal that the use of heat pipes and a stacking design creates a significant temperature difference at both ends of TEMs, resulting in substantial electricity generation. However, there is a notable temperature and output drop from the first-layer TEM to the last layer. Additionally, the HPATEG's output performance is markedly affected by changes in exhaust temperature and flow rate. The ideal power generation may reach 1510.73 W under a flow rate of 600 g/s and a temperature of 700 K, however, energy losses caused by the interconnection topology of TEMs become significant, particularly for a system with numerous TEMs. Through optimizations, the suggested optimal structure parameter, where 4 units with 9/10/11/12 TEM layers per unit, series within units, and parallel between units, reaches a power output of 1406.91 W, surpassing the traditional series topology connection by 12% and reaching 93% of the ideal output power.

Source: Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics

DOI: 10.1080/19942060.2025.2569648

Authors: Ding Luo, Zhenhua Ji, Hao Chen, Limin Geng, Peng Zhang, Wenbo Zhang

Institution: Chang'an University

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Thermoelectric Materials and Devices

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,993