Design And Development of Thermoelectric Generator For Waste Heat Energy Harvesting

Abstract: This paper presents the design and development of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) prototype for waste heat energy harvesting. The system operates on the principle of the Seebeck Effect, where a voltage is generated due to the temperature difference across two surfaces. A thermoelectric module is placed between a hot surface and a cooled surface to create a temperature gradient, enabling direct conversion of heat energy into electrical energy.

The proposed system consists of a heat source, TEG module, heat sink for cooling, DC-DC boost converter, and an energy storage unit. Since the generated voltage is low and unstable, a boost converter is used to increase and regulate the output voltage for practical applications. The performance of the system is evaluated under different temperature conditions by measuring output voltage and power.

Experimental results indicate that the output voltage and power increase with an increase in temperature difference, and efficient cooling enhances overall system performance. The developed prototype provides a simple, reliable, and eco- friendly solution for harvesting waste heat energy. The system can be applied in low-power applications such as IoT devices and remote sensors.