Accurate simulation of thermoelectric power generating systems

• We model the thermal and electrical dynamics of thermoelectric power generating systems.
• Both transient and steady-state conditions are considered.
• We develop a computer program for transient simulations of thermoelectric systems.
• The program simulates the electro-thermal coupled effects that occur during changes in the operating conditions.
• Comparison of experimental and simulation results shows great accuracy.

Recent interest in the use of thermoelectric generators (TEGs) to recover waste heat in large-scale applications calls for precise simulation to appropriately design complicated and dynamic systems. The aim of this work is to develop a computer tool to accurately simulate the thermal and electrical dynamics of a real thermoelectric (TE) power generating system.The computer-aided model presented here is able to accurately simulate the non-linear electro-thermal coupled effects which occur during changes in the operating conditions, e.g. temperature or load changes.Simulation results are compared to experimental data obtained from a real TE system. The comparison shows great accuracy both during transients and in the steady-state, thus validating the model as a reliable tool to simulate TE generating systems.