Experimental Characterisation and Finite-element Simulations of a Thermoelectric Generator with Ceramic p-type Ca3Co4O9 and Metallic n-type Cu0.57Ni0.42Mn0.01 Legs

authored by: Benjamin Geppert, Dennis Groeneveld, Marius Bittner, Armin Feldhoff
Abstract: This study presents the characterisation of a prototype thermoelectric generator including ceramic Ca3Co4O9 p-type and metallic Cu0.57Ni0.42Mn0.01n-type legs. The generator was constructed applying the conventional rigid chessboard design, which provides an electrical series connection of the thermoelectrically active materials in between of two electrical isolating cover plates made of alumina. Ag-epoxy resin was used for electric connectors which were directly bond to the thermoelectrically active materials. The generator was rebuild in the framework of a finite-element model to simulate the generator's transport characteristics using the physical data of the single materials as input parameters for the simulation tool. The simulation results give a view to the distributions of temperature and electric potential as well as vector plots showing the generated current density of charge inside the regarded materials. The finite-element simulation tool was used to consider the electrical contact resistivities between the thermoelectric legs and the connector material. The input parameter for the specific isothermal electric resistivity of the Ag-epoxy connectors were varied by including the electrical contact resistances to match the simulated to the measured data in order to receive the correct electric current densities in the modeled device.
Organisation(s): Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry
Type: Article
Journal: Energy Harvesting and Systems - Materials, Mechanisms, Circuits and Storage (Print)
Volume: 4
Pages: 77-85
No. of pages: 9
ISSN: 2329-8774
Publication date: 27.08.2019
Publication status: Published
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Energy Engineering and Power Technology, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Electrochemistry, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1515/ehs-2016-0022 (Access: Closed)