Performance of a Solar Thermoelectric Power-Harvesting Device Based on an All-Glass Solar Heat Transfer Pipe and Gravity-Assisted Heat Pipe with Recycling Air Cooling and Water Cooling Circuits

Abstract

For the purpose of collecting solar radiation for energy conversion and utilization and improving the output performance of thermoelectric power-generation components, a new solar thermoelectric conversion device based on an all-glass solar heat transfer pipe and gravity-assisted heat pipe with recycling air cooling and water cooling circuits is designed. The uniqueness of the device lies in the combination of gravity-assisted heat pipes with excellent thermal conductivity and a direct air-cooled mode, a fin-cooled mode, and two solar-driven water-cooling modes with different flow rates. Based on the structure, the device can realize four separate output modes and multiple composite output modes and has practical significance for meeting different load power requirements, such as wireless sensors and electronics. Under a state of regular illumination from 3.14 × 104 lx to 10.04 × 104 lx, with one thermoelectric power generator (TEG) in one mode, the peak output voltage and power values of the device in single-output mode range from 183.1 mV to 370.7 mV and 33.5 mW to 137.2 mW, respectively, proving the feasibility of the proposed device. The energy supply of the above structure is completely obtained from the natural environment, and this aspect provides a high reference value for the cross-research of natural environment energy utilization and thermoelectric energy-conversion technology.

Comparative Evaluation of Thermoelectric Energy Conversion Systems for Heat Recovery With and Without a Water-Cooling Thermal Energy Adjustment Structure

“…The heat energy generated by the heat source is accepted by the hot side of the heat-energy absorbing TEG module in the form of heat flow. According to [12] and [16], the accepted heat energy HG…”

“…The second situation is when the TEG module is in contact with the heat source through the heat-transfer medium and absorbs heat energy from the heat-transfer medium and converts the heat energy into electrical energy. Pure copper blocks were used by Zhang, Z. et al in thermoelectric energy conversion systems by virtue of their good heat-transfer characteristics in the heat-transfer medium, thereby achieving high-performance outputs in terms of thermoelectric energy conversion output [14]- [16]. Tang, S. M. et al used thermally conductive copper blocks to transfer the heat generated by heat pipes to the hot end of the TEG and obtained an output power of 183.2 watts and an output voltage of 42.2 V [17].…”

“…According to[16], the energy produced by the TEC heat source driven by the DC power supply at the hot side of the TEC module Szyileng TECooler) was the heat source; a DC POWER SUPPLY PS-305D (LONGWEI, Hong Kong) provided the power supply; a MIK-R4000D temperature recorder (Asmik, Hzmik, Hang Zhou) monitored and recorded the value changes in the temperature; a series of TT-K-30-SLE K-type thermocouples (Omega, United States) ensured the accuracy of temperature;…”

Performance of Thermoelectric Power-Generation System for Sufficient Recovery and Reuse of Heat Accumulated at Cold Side of TEG with Water-Cooling Energy Exchange Circuit

“…Lv et al devised a solar thermoelectric power generator with a micro-channel heat pipe and tube for cooling water, outputting electrical power and heat energy simultaneously [19]. Zhang et al chose a water-cooling circuit to keep the cold side of the thermoelectric module stable [20,21]. The above examples clearly show that the cooling method of a thermoelectric conversion system plays an important role in power generation, and further study should be carried out to acquire a stable and high-performance thermoelectric energy supply.…”

Electrical Generation of a Ground-Level Solar Thermoelectric Generator: Experimental Tests and One-Year Cycle Simulation

“…However, the design of the cold side is also an important issue, as Rad et al [14] found when analyzing two different modes of heat dissipation (air vs. liquid). Very recently, Zhang et al [23] investigated the consequences of using different passive strategies to cool a STEG, with the solar-driven thermosyphon effect of water being the most effective. However, there is another type of STEG design and the main feature is that it directly dissipates heat into the soil so as to have an almost constant temperature bath in one of TEG's faces [24][25][26][27][28][29][30].…”