Further Stabilization and Power Density Improvement of Stack-Type Thermoelectric Power Generating Module with Biphasic Medium by Using Various Flexible Metals as Electrodes

Autor: Shoichiro Imaizumi, Noriyuki Kobayashi, Kentaro Kimoto, Kenji Sakai, Seiichi Deguchi, Keisuke Sawada, Norifumi Isu, Hajime Arimura
Rok vydání: 2018
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Power and Energy Engineering. :78-86
ISSN: 2327-5901
2327-588X
DOI: 10.4236/jpee.2018.611007
Popis: In order to realize further stability of a stack-type thermoelectric power generating module (i.e. no electrical connections inside), flexible materials of metal springs and/or rods having restoring forces were installed between lower-temperature-sides of thermoelectric elements. These flexible materials were expected to play three important roles of interpolating different thermal expansions of the module components, enlarging heat removal area and penetration of any media through themselves. Then, a low-boiling-point medium (i.e. NOVEC manufactured by 3M Japan Ltd.) was also applied for a high-speed direct heat removal via its phase change from the lower-temperature-sides of the thermoelectric elements in the proposing stack-type thermoelectric power generating module. No electrical disconnections inside the module were confirmed for more than 9 years of use, indicating further module stability. The power generating density was improved to about 120 mW·m-2 with SUS304 springs having 0.7 mm diameter. Increasing power generating density can be expected in terms of suitable selection of flexible metal with high Vickers hardness, cavities control on the spring surface, more vigorous multiphase flow with adding powders to the medium and optimization of the module configurations according to numerical simulations.
Databáze: OpenAIRE