Design of thermoelectric generation system utilizing the exhaust gas of internal-combustion power plant

This paper presents a design and performance calculation of a thermoelectric generation system utilizing the exhaust gas of an internal-combustion power plant. The thermoelectric module consists of sintered p- and n-type (Bi,Sb)/sub 2/(Te,Se)/sub 3/ elements, of which electrodes are formed by plasma sprayed aluminum, and an electrically and thermally insulating frame made of calcium silicate. The heat transfer tubes of the exhaust gas and that of the cooling water are designed to keep the surfaces, on which the modules are contacted, flat. The generation performance at a thermal equilibrium state was obtained by iterative calculations in a counter-current of the exhaust gas and the cooling water. The calculation results are that the power output was about 160 kW and that its conversion efficiency was 3.88% when utilizing the sensible heat of the exhaust gas of 180-370/spl deg/C and 60000 Nm/sup 3//hr as a total flow rate, even after the required pumping power of the cooling water was subtracted.