An Experimental Investigation in Generation of Electrical Energy from Teg (Bi2 Te3)

Abstract

With the increasing in price on petroleum products due to the depletion in source of availability and also increase in the rate of consumption as automobiles are increasing in quantities day by day. When the fuel is burnt, 20% to 25% of the heat generated in the fuel combustion process is converted into useful mechanical work and remaining heat is emitted to the environment through the exhaust gases and the engine cooling systems, resulting in an enormous waste of energy. If we can trap such unused heat energy and try generating electric power using Thermoelectric Generator we can store that electrical energy and can be used as power backup or can run the electrically operated equipment’s. The increasing amount of electrical and electronic devices on vehicles provides more comfort and convenience for users, while places higher requirements on vehicle power supply. In this paper an effort is made to prepare a lab scale model setup and has conducted an experimental study of the characteristic behavior of TEG (Bi2 Te3) using copper as a base plate of 5mm thick & aluminum base plate of 10mm thick & generates electrical energy under three different variable conditions.

1. Varying the thickness of aluminum supporting block at different mechanical loading condition
2. Varying the thickness of aluminum supporting block at maximum constant mechanical loading without TIM or Thermal Grease.
3. Varying the thickness of aluminum supporting block at maximum constant mechanical loading with TIM or Thermal Grease.

Based on the results of the above experiments, electric power generation found to be maximum at 408.01N. This load was considered as standard load and experiments were conducted for different thickness of aluminum supporting block with and without the application of thermal grease. It was observed that with the application of thermal grease there was an increase of 37% in electric power generation.