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Combined Numerical and Experimental Investigation on the Optimum Coolant Flow Rate for Automotive Thermoelectric Generators

  • Topical Collection: International Conference on Thermoelectrics 2018
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Abstract

In a water-cooled thermoelectric generator (TEG) system, there is an energy-consuming circulating water pump. In order to reduce pump energy consumption caused by backpressure and increase the output power of the entire system, combining numerical simulation and experimentation is adopted to explore the suitable coolant flow rate. Due to the limitations of the experimental conditions, numerical simulation is used to compute the temperature distribution and flow field inside the TEG. Base on the numerical results and the empirical formula, the circulating pump energy consumption is calculated. The maximum power output of the thermoelectric module (TEM) at the corresponding temperature difference is obtained by experiment. Finally, the maximum net output power of the module is revealed and the relationship between the coolant flow rate and average temperature of the hot end of the TEMs is proposed, which can serve as a theoretical basis for cooling water flow rate management of the TEG system.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hubei Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Automotive Components, Wuhan University of Technology, 430070, Wuhan, China

    Xingxing Lei, Yiping Wang, Yadong Deng, Chuqi Su & Xun Liu

  2. Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Automotive Components Technology, Wuhan University of Technology, 430070, Wuhan, China

    Xingxing Lei, Yiping Wang, Yadong Deng, Chuqi Su & Xun Liu

  3. Office of Ningbo Jiangbei District Cicheng Town People’s Government, Ningbo, China

    Guangyao Chen

Authors
  1. Xingxing Lei
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  2. Yiping Wang
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  3. Yadong Deng
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  4. Chuqi Su
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  5. Xun Liu
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  6. Guangyao Chen
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Correspondence to Yiping Wang.

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Lei, X., Wang, Y., Deng, Y. et al. Combined Numerical and Experimental Investigation on the Optimum Coolant Flow Rate for Automotive Thermoelectric Generators. J. Electron. Mater. 48, 1981–1990 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-018-06879-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-018-06879-9

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