Experimental Study on the Synergistic Effects of Cooling Methods and Heat Sink Design on Thermoelectric Generator Performance
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are a promising option for recovering waste heat into electricity, particularly in low-power applications. However, their performance is often limited by poor heat management, inefficient cooling at the cold side, and substandard material choices. This paper investigates the performance of different heat sink configurations which are the, High-Density Fin Aluminum Alloy (HDFA) and Extruded Aluminum Fin Alloy (EAFA), on a thermoelectric generator (TEG) module and tested under different temperature differences and cooling options such as the ice cooling and fan cooling. The study analyzes the impact of temperature difference on voltage, current, and power output of the thermoelectric generator to determine the most effective heat sink configuration and cooling technique for optimizing thermoelectricity generation. Experimental results showed that the HDFA consistently performed better than the EAFA across all trials which demonstrates higher voltage, current, and power output. Additionally, ice cooling was more effective than fan cooling which generates more power by maintaining higher temperature difference. Results also indicated a direct correlation between power output and temperature difference, further validating how important heat management is in thermoelectric energy conversion. Despite these promising results, some limitations were found such as, controlled laboratory conditions that was used in the experiments that may not fully represent real-world applications. Further research should explore alternative thermoelectric materials, hybrid cooling techniques, and dynamic environmental conditions. These results contribute to the advancements of thermoelectric generators (TEGs) modules, while further supporting their applications into renewable energy systems. Finally, selecting better heat sink materials and cooling techniques would help accelerate the technologies for waste heat recovery and renewable energy systems.
Authors: C. N. Udekwe, A. A. Ponnle, A. O. Omolade
Institution: Federal University of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7136060816