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Effects of Fluid Directions on Heat Exchange in Thermoelectric Generators

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Abstract

Thermal fluids can transport heat to the large surface of a thermoelectric (TE) panel from hot and/or cold sources. The TE power thus obtainable was precisely evaluated using numerical calculations based on fluid dynamics and heat transfer. The commercial software FLUENT was coupled with a TE model for this purpose. The fluid velocity distribution and the temperature profiles in the fluids and TE modules were calculated in two-dimensional space. The electromotive force was then evaluated for counter-flow and split-flow models to show the effect of a stagnation point. Friction along the fluid surface along a long, flat path was larger than that along a short path split into two parts. The power required to circulate the fluids along the flow path is not negligible and should be considered in TE generation system design.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8628, Japan

    Ryosuke O. Suzuki, Yuto Sasaki, Takeyuki Fujisaka & Min Chen

Authors
  1. Ryosuke O. Suzuki
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  2. Yuto Sasaki
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  3. Takeyuki Fujisaka
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  4. Min Chen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ryosuke O. Suzuki.

Additional information

Min Chen is on leave from Aalborg University, Denmark.

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Suzuki, R.O., Sasaki, Y., Fujisaka, T. et al. Effects of Fluid Directions on Heat Exchange in Thermoelectric Generators. J. Electron. Mater. 41, 1766–1770 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-012-2074-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-012-2074-x

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