100 Watt Liquid Fueled Thermoelectric Generator

A thermoelectric generator has been developed especially for the low power consumption radio equipment now being used to provide communication systems in developing areas. The new generator uses the same thermoelectric converter as used in Global's propane fueled Model 5120 which has proven high reliability and long life as established from seven years of field service throughout the world. However it incorporates a new burner which will operate on any of the commonly available liquid fuels including diesel fuel, kerosene, jet fuel or gasoline. The burner has only two moving parts, the fuel pump and combustion air blower, and is expected to operate unattended for one year between maintenance. The output power is 100 watts at 6-8 volts and 90 watts with dc-dc conversion at 12, 24 or 48 volts. Multiple units can be used in series or parallel combination to provide higher power levels. The fuel consumption is less than .3 kg per hour so the system efficiency is greater than 300 watt hours per kg. System description, performance characteristics, and test data are presented.