Experimental Investigation of Passive Water Cooling in Solar Heating Thermoelectric Generator

Year 2020, Volume: 23 Issue: 4, 1231 - 1236, 01.12.2020

Engin Özbaş

https://doi.org/10.2339/politeknik.613095

Cited By: 5

Abstract

Bu
çalışmada, güneş enerjisinden elektrik üretmek için bir termoelektrik jeneratör
(TEG) sistemi tasarlanmıştır. TEG'in sıcak yüzeyini ısıtmak için güneş enerjili
iki fazlı kapalı termosifon (TPCT) tipi ısı borusu kullanılmış ve soğuk tarafı
soğutmak için 1200 cc kapasiteli pasif su soğutmalı bir sistem tasarlanmış ve
üretilmiştir. Soğutma sistemi, verimli bir soğutma sağlamak için doğal bir su
sirkülasyonu sağlayan birincil ve ikincil bölümler olarak iki kısma sahiptir.
Literatürdeki çalışmaların çoğunda tek bir TEG kullanılırken, bu çalışmada daha
fazla elektrik üretmek için basit, kolay ve ucuz bir tasarım elde etmek amacıyla
5 TEG kullanılmıştır. Sadece pasif su soğutmanın etkisi değil, aynı zamanda
reflektör kullanmanın sistem verimliliği üzerindeki etkisi deneysel olarak test
edilmiştir. Sistem, reflektör olmayan, yarı reflektör ve tam reflektör olmak
üzere üç farklı koşulda güneş enerjisi ile çalıştırılmıştır. Elektriksel ve
termal veriler bir bilgisayara kaydedilir ve karşılaştırma ve hesaplamalar için
08:00-15:00 saatleri arasında elde edilen veriler kullanılmıştır. Sadece maksimum
açık devre voltajına ulaşılan TEG-1 için, maksimum çıkış gücü, elektriksel
verim ve Seebeck katsayısı hesaplamaları yapılmıştır. Sonuçlar, küçük
kapasiteli pasif su soğutmalı bir ısı borusu kullanıldığında, elektrik üretmek
için 5 adet TEG için gerekli sıcaklık farkına ulaşılabileceğini göstermiştir. 

Keywords

Solar energy, two-phased closed themosiphon, thermoelectric generator, passive cooling

Experimental Investigation of Passive Water Cooling in Solar Heating Thermoelectric Generator

Abstract

In this study, a thermoelectric generator (TEG) system
is designed to produce electricity from solar energy. Solar powered two-phase
closed thermosiphon (TPCT) type heat pipe is used to heat the hot surface of
the TEG, and a 1200 cc capacity passive water-cooled system is designed and
manufactured to cool the cold side. The cooling system has two sections as
primary and secondary sections which provide a natural water circulation to
achieve an efficient cooling. A single TEG is used in most studies in the
literature while 5 TEGs are used in this study to obtain a simple, easy and
cheap design to generate more electricity. Not only the effect of passive water
cooling, but also the effect of using a reflector on the system efficiency is
tested experimentally. The system is operated by solar power under three
different conditions as non-reflector, semi-reflector and full-reflector.
Electrical and thermal data are recorded in a computer and data obtained from
08:00 to 15:00 is used for comparison and calculations. Maximum output power,
electrical efficiency and Seebeck coefficient calculations are made for only
TEG-1 in which the maximum open-circuit voltage is reached. Results showed that
using a heat pipe with a small capacity passive water-cooling, the temperature
difference for five TEGs can be reached to generate electricity.

Keywords

Solar energy, Two-phase closed thermosiphon, Thermoelectric generator, Passive cooling

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