Optimized exhaust duct applied in thermoelectric waste heat recovery system
Pedro Henrique Garcia Gomes1; Wesley Pacheco Calixto1; Priscilla Araújo Juá Stecanella2; Messias Anain Almeida Faria2; Aylton José Alves2; Elder Geraldo Domingues2
1 University of Brasilia; 2 Federal Institute of Goias
doi:10.20906/CPS/COB-2015-2118
Resumo
With following world demand for electricity and increasing scarcity of natural energy resources, it is imperative to search for alternative methods for electricity production or increasing the efficiency of existing processes. The use of Seebeck modules (TEG) have been shown the green output of power cogeneration using waste heat energy. Furthermore, the overall conversion efficiency by this system is about 5%, a factor that discourages the high costs embedded. This work aims to seek increased efficiency in thermal-electrical conversion indeed by TEG, starting from a geometry optimization of hot gases exhaust duct. The distance between each TEG and surface was varied lengthwise to flow, creating a thermally resistive air layer, and from a heuristic optimization process, good results about equalization on surface temperature was found by finite element simulations. A low surface temperature gradient allows TEG work closely to maximum efficiency condition and distant of mechanical failure.
Palavras-chave: Geometry optimization; Thermoeletric efficiency; Waste energy; Recovery System