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Annals of the Assembly for International Heat Transfer Conference 13

ISBN 1-56700-225-0 / CD 1-56700-226-9

Volumes per year:

various

Year 2006

DOI: 10.1615/IHTC13.p22

PERFORMANCE PREDICTION OF MICRO THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR USING RECTANGULAR-FIN ELEMENTS BY QUASI 3-D SIMULATIONS BASED ON POROUS MEDIUM MODEL

Y. Oda
Osaka University, Japan

H. Yoshida
Kyoto University, Japan

H. Iwai
Kyoto University, Japan

M. Saito
Kyoto University, Japan

ABSTRACT

A complete performance prediction was carried out for a micro thermoelectric power generator that employs rectangular-fin elements and regenerative combustion, which means that the combustion gas is utilized to preheat the working gas. In the analysis, an array of rectangular-fin elements and hot- and cold-side gases were modeled as a fluid-saturated porous medium bounded by a solid wall. After the validation of the porous medium model, quasi three-dimensional simulations were conducted by considering the heat and electric current flow along the flow direction. For an element thickness t of 0.5 mm, it was found that the overall conversion efficiency from total heat input to electrical energy exceeds 3% as a target at an electrical power to pumping power ratio of more than three and a volumetric power density of more than 30 mW/cm³.