Abstract
Based on the Seebeck effect, thermoelectric generators can convert thermal energy directly into electrical power, which can be applied in waste heat recovery and clean energy generation. In this work, segmented thermoelectric legs were prepared with high-performance thermoelectric materials for the fabrication of multistage thermoelectric generators, which can be utilized in medium temperature energy harvesting. The P-type leg material was Pb0.94Sr0.04Na0.02Te/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3, and the N-type leg material was Pb0.94Ag0.01La0.05Te/Bi2Te3. The length ratio of the two segments was optimized based on the energy conversion efficiency under different working conditions. The segmented legs were measured with the four-probe method at different temperatures to evaluate their output performance. At a temperature difference of 420 K, the maximum output power density was 0.40 W/cm2 for the P-type leg and 0.32 W/cm2 for the N-type leg.
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Acknowledgments
This work was funded by the research program for “the one-thousand-global-talents recruitment” grantor of the China Huaneng Group, research, and application of double-stage thermoelectric technology.
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Liu, D., Peng, W., Li, Q. et al. Preparation and characterization of segmented stacking for thermoelectric power generation. Clean Techn Environ Policy 18, 1203–1210 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-015-1088-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-015-1088-5