Seebeck Generators and Their Performance in Generating Electricity

Abstract

Nowadays, renewable energy sources are considered better choices in the field of energy generation. It is possible to replace traditional energy sources (i.e., petroleum oil and gases) with more attractive alternatives. This presents several advantages, such as low emissions of greenhouse gases and reduction of climatic change along with associated global warming. In the current paper, a comprehensive review is done introducing thermoelectric generation (TEG). These are applications of renewable energy sources that use the Seebeck effect to generate electricity. In this type of system, two different materials melt at their ends. One is on the hot side, while the other is used as a cold side. The present paper is a survey that includes applications and hybrid systems (based on renewable energy sources) that are integrated with a thermoelectric generator. Also, investigations of the effects of including thermoelectric generation in hybrid systems on the overall performance of such systems are reviewed. These systems can be viewed as an investment in recovery of waste heat from devices such as water pipes, photovoltaic panels, and vehicle exhaust to produce extra power in a hybrid system.

Keywords

• thermoelectric generation
• hybrid systems
• power
• seebeck effect