A thermoelectric-based energy harvesting module with extended operational temperature range for powering autonomous wireless sensor nodes in aircraft

• 2 Phase change materials (PCM) are used to address different temperature ranges.
• Thermoelectric harvester module based on an inner and hollow cylinder.
• Placement of PCM between inner and hollow cylinder is investigated in detail.
• Scaling of the PCM is simulated and tested experimentally.

This paper describes the performance improvement of an energy harvesting device for aircraft by increasing its operational temperature range. The thermoelectric energy harvesting device consists of two cavities each containing a different phase change material, acting as thermal mass. Thermoelectric generator elements (TEGs) are attached to the inner part of the fuselage and to the thermal mass. Therefore, an artificially enhanced temperature difference between the bottom and the top surface of the TEGs is created during take-off and landing. Different temperature profiles mimicking short/mid-range European flights are investigated. The performance in terms of efficiency, power-to-weight ratio and energy harvested is studied in detail, both by simulations and experimental data.