Prospects of waste-heat recovery from a real industry using thermoelectric generators: Economic and power output analysis

Araiz, Miguel; Casi, Álvaro; Catalán, Leyre; Martínez, Álvaro

doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2019.112376

Cited by 71 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(22 reference statements)

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“…Moreover, the device is very compact and uses passive heat exchangers, reducing maintenance to a minimum due to the absence of mobile parts, aspects of great importance in the application under consideration. Its cost is neither an issue, as thermoelectric generators have demonstrated to be competitive in comparison with other technologies [62].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prospects of Autonomous Volcanic Monitoring Stations: Experimental Investigation on Thermoelectric Generation from Fumaroles

Catalán

Araiz

Aranguren

et al. 2020

Sensors

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Fumaroles represent evidence of volcanic activity, emitting steam and volcanic gases at temperatures between 70 and 100 ∘ C . Due to the well-known advantages of thermoelectricity, such as reliability, reduced maintenance and scalability, the present paper studies the possibilities of thermoelectric generators, devices based on solid-state physics, to directly convert fumaroles heat into electricity due to the Seebeck effect. For this purpose, a thermoelectric generator composed of two bismuth-telluride thermoelectric modules and heat pipes as heat exchangers was installed, for the first time, at Teide volcano (Canary Islands, Spain), where fumaroles arise in the surface at 82 ∘ C . The installed thermoelectric generator has demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed solution, leading to a compact generator with no moving parts that produces a net generation between 0.32 and 0.33 W per module given a temperature difference between the heat reservoirs encompassed in the 69–86 ∘ C range. These results become interesting due to the possibilities of supplying power to the volcanic monitoring stations that measure the precursors of volcanic eruptions, making them completely autonomous. Nonetheless, in order to achieve this objective, corrosion prevention measures must be taken because the hydrogen sulfide contained in the fumaroles reacts with steam, forming sulfuric acid.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prospects of Autonomous Volcanic Monitoring Stations: Experimental Investigation on Thermoelectric Generation from Fumaroles

Catalán

Araiz

Aranguren

et al. 2020

Sensors

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“…Araiz et al [181] carried out a techno-economic study into the thermoelectric recovery of hot gases from a stone wool manufacturing plant. They reported a maximum net power production of 45 kW, and a Levelized Cost of Electricity at about 0.15 EUR/kWh, which demonstrated the feasibility of the system.…”

Section: Waste Heat Recovery From Industry and Homesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review on Thermoelectric Generators: Progress and Applications

Zoui

Bentouba

Stocholm³

et al. 2020

Energies

207

108

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A thermoelectric effect is a physical phenomenon consisting of the direct conversion of heat into electrical energy (Seebeck effect) or inversely from electrical current into heat (Peltier effect) without moving mechanical parts. The low efficiency of thermoelectric devices has limited their applications to certain areas, such as refrigeration, heat recovery, power generation and renewable energy. However, for specific applications like space probes, laboratory equipment and medical applications, where cost and efficiency are not as important as availability, reliability and predictability, thermoelectricity offers noteworthy potential. The challenge of making thermoelectricity a future leader in waste heat recovery and renewable energy is intensified by the integration of nanotechnology. In this review, state-of-the-art thermoelectric generators, applications and recent progress are reported. Fundamental knowledge of the thermoelectric effect, basic laws, and parameters affecting the efficiency of conventional and new thermoelectric materials are discussed. The applications of thermoelectricity are grouped into three main domains. The first group deals with the use of heat emitted from a radioisotope to supply electricity to various devices. In this group, space exploration was the only application for which thermoelectricity was successful. In the second group, a natural heat source could prove useful for producing electricity, but as thermoelectricity is still at an initial phase because of low conversion efficiency, applications are still at laboratory level. The third group is progressing at a high speed, mainly because the investigations are funded by governments and/or car manufacturers, with the final aim of reducing vehicle fuel consumption and ultimately mitigating the effect of greenhouse gas emissions.

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“…Researchers from Navarra, Spain [10], have been assessing the potential for recovering Waste heat from industrial chimneys using TEGs and aiming at minimizing consumption from auxiliaries such as cooling pumps or blowers and using instead thermosiphons [10]. They estimated the maximum net production to be around 45 kWe for their application, with investment costs of around 10 EUR/We.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis and Design of a Silicide-Tetrahedrite Thermoelectric Generator Concept Suitable for Large-Scale Industrial Waste Heat Recovery

et al. 2021

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Industrial Waste Heat Recovery (IWHR) is one of the areas with strong potential for energy efficiency and emissions reductions in industry. Thermoelectric (TE) generators (TEGs) are among the few technologies that are intrinsically modular and can convert heat directly into electricity without moving parts, so they are nearly maintenance-free and can work unattended for long periods of time. However, most existing TEGs are only suitable for small-scale niche applications because they typically display a cost per unit power and a conversion efficiency that is not competitive with competing technologies, and they also tend to rely on rare and/or toxic materials. Moreover, their geometric configuration, manufacturing methods and heat exchangers are often not suitable for large-scale applications. The present analysis aims to tackle several of these challenges. A module incorporating constructive solutions suitable for upscaling, namely, using larger than usual TE elements (up to 24 mm in diameter) made from affordable p-tetrahedrite and n-magnesium silicide materials, was assessed with a multiphysics tool for conditions typical of IWHR. Geometric configurations optimized for efficiency, power per pair and power density, as well as an efficiency/power balanced solution, were extracted from these simulations. A balanced solution provided 0.62 kWe/m2 with a 3.9% efficiency. Good prospects for large-scale IWHR with TEGs are anticipated if these figures could be replicated in a real-world application and implemented with constructive solutions suitable for large-scale systems.

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Prospects of waste-heat recovery from a real industry using thermoelectric generators: Economic and power output analysis

Cited by 71 publications

References 27 publications

Prospects of Autonomous Volcanic Monitoring Stations: Experimental Investigation on Thermoelectric Generation from Fumaroles

Prospects of Autonomous Volcanic Monitoring Stations: Experimental Investigation on Thermoelectric Generation from Fumaroles

A Review on Thermoelectric Generators: Progress and Applications

Analysis and Design of a Silicide-Tetrahedrite Thermoelectric Generator Concept Suitable for Large-Scale Industrial Waste Heat Recovery

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