Performance review of a novel combined thermoelectric power generation and water desalination system

Abstract

a b s t r a c tA novel combined thermoelectric power generation and water desalination system is described with a system schematic. The proposed system utilises low grade thermal energy to heat thermoelectric generators for power generation and water desalination. A theoretical analysis presents the governing equations to estimate the systems performance characteristics combined with experimental validation. Experimental set-up consists of an electric heat source, thermoelectric modules, heat pipes, a heat sink and an evaporator vessel. Four heat pipes are embedded in a heat spreader block to passively cool the bottom side of the thermoelectric cells. The condenser of these four heat pipes is immersed in a pool of saline water stored in an evaporation vessel which is maintained at sub-atmospheric pressure. The liquid to vapour phase change cooling method achieve low saturation temperature and offers a high heat transfer coefficient for the cooling of the thermoelectric generators. At the same time this method utilises the low temperature heat extracted from the cold side of the thermoelectric generator for water desalination. It was observed that at low saturation temperatures greater heat flux could be supplied to the thermoelectric generators with less heat losses to the atmosphere.

Prediction of seebeck coefficient for compounds without restriction to fixed stoichiometry: A machine learning approach

“…Elemental properties we considered [labeled as X i in eqs. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)] fall into three categories: (i) location of the element in the periodic table, (ii) fundamental properties of the elements, (iii) experimentally measured properties of pure elements in their crystalline states. Properties within category (i), the location of elements in the periodic table, include atomic number, period, and group, and whether or not the element can be classified as an alkali, alkaline earth, transition metal, post-transition metal, metalloid, lanthanide, actinide, nonmetal, halogen, or noble gas.…”

“…A temperature gradient applied to a material gives rise to a voltage difference across it. This fundamental electronic transport phenomenon plays a key‐role in thermoelectric generators and Peltier coolers . The quantitatively the effect could be described with the coefficient of proportionality, the Seebeck coefficient, between the applied temperature gradient and resulting voltage difference.…”

Performance investigation of a novel water–power cogeneration plant (WPCP) based on humidification dehumidification (HDH) method

“…As a result, case2 at p = 0.2 MPa, T sw,2 = 373. 15 sensitivity of the WPCP performance to the operation parameters of the HDH desalination system. The variation of the modified heat capacity ratio, HCRh and HCRd, at different cases is first presented in Fig.…”

“…Nevertheless, the demand of freshwater and electricity were always existing synchronously for most occasions, and the water-power cogeneration plant were also proposed and investigated [13][14][15]. Kotb [16] proposed a MSF desalination model in proximity of a 650 MW power plant to provide 385.03 kg/s superheated steam from low pressure part of heat recovery steam generator.…”

Modeling of optimal energy flows for systems with close integration of sea water desalination and renewable energy sources: Case study for Jordan

“…Direct use of RES in desalination is currently used only in satisfying lower demands in rural off-grid areas [2], [3], [4], but application on bigger areas has recently been investigated [2], [5]. In literature there are many papers dealing with sustainable desalination [6] and more efficient desalination process, like the role of thermal and electrical storages in RES-driven desalination process [7], thermo economic optimization [8], optimization of flow patterns [9], use of low-grade heat source for powering the desalination unit [10] or modelling of energy systems with close integration of renewables and desalination [11], [4], [12], [13]. Since one of the residues of the desalination process is brine, a brine reservoir is needed in the system.…”