Abstract
Current research has led to a significant improvement at the system level of thermoelectric generators (TEG) for automotive applications. The previously low power density could be increased considerably up to 267 W/kg and 478 W/dm3. In addition, the cost–benefit ratio of the technology in the overall system of the vehicle was improved through intensive optimizations on system level. The results presented so far are based on measurement data of single thermoelectric modules (TEM) and simulation of the TEG system. In this paper the high simulative increases at the system level, achieved through a holistic optimization method, are validated by a functional prototype, completely equipped with TEM. Thereby, a functional prototype has been developed and built successfully and measured on a hot gas test bench. In the experiment all TEM show a stable power output and the highest gravimetric power density of automotive TEG systems known to the authors could be measured. Further tests will be performed with the functional prototype as described in the outlook. In addition to the successful tests, the simulation is validated with the detailed measurement data. After adapting the measurement method of the TEM for providing more accurate TEM measurement data as input for the simulation, a suitable match could be achieved between the TEG simulation and the experiment. In the measurement points performed so far, the accuracy of the simulated temperatures reaches more than 95%. The accuracy of the simulated output power is more than 97%.
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Abbreviations
- CO:
-
Coolant
- CO2 :
-
Carbon dioxide
- COHX:
-
Coolant heat exchanger
- DLR:
-
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt/German Aerospace Center
- DSG:
-
Dual-clutch gearbox
- HG:
-
Hot gas
- HGHX:
-
Hot gas heat exchanger
- ICE:
-
Internal combustion engine
- MP:
-
Measuring point
- OP:
-
Operating point
- TEG:
-
Thermoelectric generator
- TEM:
-
Thermoelectric module
- TSI:
-
Turbocharged stratified injection
- WLTC:
-
Worldwide harmonized light duty driving test cycle
- W p :
-
Peak power
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Kober, M., Knobelspies, T., Rossello, A. et al. Thermoelectric Generators for Automotive Applications: Holistic Optimization and Validation by a Functional Prototype. J. Electron. Mater. 49, 2902–2909 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-020-07963-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-020-07963-9