Modeling and Analysis of a Thermoelectric Power Generator

Abstract

Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) was developed using the Seebeck phenomenon. It consists of many thermocouples connected thermally in parallel and electrically in series to increase energy efficiency. TEGs instantly convert thermal energy to electrical energy with no rotating parts and are less likely to fail due to no moving parts. With the rising cost of fossil fuels and their negative impact on the atmosphere, it is time to consider TEGs as renewable energy sources with applications ranging from mW to W power. This study derives a mathematical model of a TEG module and validates it with MATLAB/SIMULINK.