Performance Analysis of Multi-Layer Thermoelectric Generators to be Used in a Thermoelectric Generator-Stirling Engine Hybrid System

This paper demonstrates the performance analysis of various arrangements of thermoelectric generators to be used for the combination of a Low Temperature Difference Stirling Engine-Thermoelectric Generator hybrid system. To estimate whether the deployed Stirling Engines will perform on satisfactory level it is necessary to determine if a sufficient thermal flux can be provided to the heating part of the Low Temperature Difference Stirling Engine (LTD SE) from the “cold” side of the thermoelectric generator or their combination. This paper reports study results on the performance of a single layer and a cascaded two-layer thermoelectric generator made up of bulk material. These two generators were connected in series and in parallel to produce the combined thermoelectric module operating as a three-layer generator. Also computational data on the temperature distribution across the layers has been obtained using Finite Element Analysis as a part of ANSYS software. Results obtained demonstrate that both the single and two-layer generators provide sufficient heat flux to drive LTD SEs but the total power output from the two-layer generator-Stirling Engine system is considerable higher when the engine is coupled to a single and three-layered thermoelectric generator.