Power density optimization for micro thermoelectric generators

Heat Management in Thermoelectric Power Generators

Thermoelectric power generators are used to convert heat into electricity. Like any other heat engine, the performance of a thermoelectric generator increases as the temperature difference on the sides increases. It is generally assumed that as more heat is forced through the thermoelectric legs, their performance increases. Therefore, insulations are typically used to minimize the heat losses ...

Fabrication and Characterization of CMOS-MEMS Thermoelectric Micro Generators

This work presents a thermoelectric micro generator fabricated by the commercial 0.35 μm complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process and the post-CMOS process. The micro generator is composed of 24 thermocouples in series. Each thermocouple is constructed by p-type and n-type polysilicon strips. The output power of the generator depends on the temperature difference between the hot a...

Cost-Performance Analysis and Optimization of Fuel-Burning Thermoelectric Power Generators

Power Output Improvement of Silicon-Germanium Thermoelectric Generators

We present a technology for thermoelectric generators using large area pn-junctions. Thermally generated carriers are separated by the gradient of the built-in potential caused by the pn-junction. The use of these structures for waste heat recovery implies an externally applied temperature gradient in-plane with the pn-junction which causes a current of both electrons and holes from the heated ...

Maximum Power of Thermally and Electrically Coupled Thermoelectric Generators

In a recent work, we have reported a study on the figure of merit of a thermoelectric system composed by thermoelectric generators connected electrically and thermally in different configurations. In this work, we are interested in analyzing the output power delivered by a thermoelectric system for different arrays of thermoelectric materials in each configuration. Our study shows the impact of...