Abstract
We have developed a system design platform for low-grade waste heat recovery thermoelectric generator with Model-Based Design (MBD). An MBD model was developed to predict the amount of electricity generated by a thermoelectric conversion unit, which utilizes the temperature difference between steam and cooling water to recover thermal energy, including latent heat. A mathematical model was proposed to predict the performance of a single thermoelectric module. Next, a model was developed to estimate the electricity generated by a thermoelectric unit comprising multiple modules, incorporating heat transfer coefficient estimation. Finally, an expanded MBD model was developed to predict the total power generation of a subsystem module (SSM) that integrates multiple thermoelectric units. The power generation was successfully predicted under various conditions. Moreover, the differences in power generation for each unit, depending on the combination of cooling circuits, were accurately predicted, demonstrating the potential applicability of this method to system optimization design.
