An Experimental Evaluation of the Effect of Temperature Difference on the TEG Performance

A thermoelectric generator (TEG) is a device that employs the Seebeck effect to convert heat directly into electrical power. TEGs are composed of integrated p-n semiconductors at their hot and cold side junctions. Thermoelectric generating technology is gaining popularity because of its potential uses in recovering lost heat from diverse power sources. This study examined the efficiency and heat transfer properties of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) with a variable hot side temperature. The output power and efficiency of TEG were shown to increase with temperature difference. The test findings demonstrated a promising use of the Peltier thermoelectric module for heat recovery, even though the loaded output power and loaded output voltage are still much less than those of the commercially available thermoelectric module initially intended for the TEG application.