Investigação experimental do uso de gerador termoelétrico para conversão de energia térmica em energia elétrica por meio do efeito seebeck

Abstract

In this present work was performed an experimental investigation of the direct conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy, in order to present a possible alternative to increase the efficiency of industrial processes with the occurrence of residual heat. The reuse of thermal energy is gaining more and more importance, since it brings many gains such as the reduction of negative impacts to the environment, the reduction of costs, among others. In this study the conversion of thermal energy to electric will occur through a Peltier module and its Seebeck effect. The Seebeck effect consists of the movement of electrons due to the junction of two different metals when exposed to a temperature gradient. This relation between temperature and electrical properties of the material is known as thermoelectricity. Peltier modules are commonly called thermogenerators (TEC) and can be used for both cooling and heating production. In the Seebeck (TEG) effect, when the thermogenerator is exposed to a cold surface and to a hot surface, the generation of electric energy occurs. In this study the thermoelectric generator was subjected to temperature gradients simulated by high load resistors and a water cooled heat exchanger, aiming to obtain the characteristic curve of the generator by means of na ArduinoTM data acquisition system that simulates resistive loads to which the generator is subjected. Subsequently, the clamping force exerted on the system was varied and its influence on the amount of power supplied by the generator was verified. As a result, it was found that the amount of power supplied by the generator is directly proportional to the increase in temperature gradient and the increase in the clamping force exerted on the system.