Influence of porous plate position on thermoelectric generator

Abstract

Thermoelectric generators can be used to utilize the waste heat from vehicle exhaust for power generation. Due to the poor heat transfer of the exhaust, the thermoelectric conversion efficiency of the generator is poor, thus strengthening the heat transfer in the exhaust heat exchanger (EHE) is crucial. However, the complex optimized structure also poses challenges for the processing of EHE. In this paper, the addition of porous plates in the exhaust channel is proposed to improve the thermoelectric conversion efficiency of exhaust waste heat, and a coupled heat-electric-flow model of the exhaust generator is constructed. The simulation results found that the addition of the porous plate has a greater impact on the rear side flow, which can cause a pronounced increase in the overall temperature of the channel. Moreover, optimal insertion position exists for maximum net power generation.

Keywords

• Exhaust
• Thermoelectric generator
• Porous plate
• Net output power