Transient behavior of the thermoelectric generators to the load change: An experimental investigation

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are environmentally friendly and have become a promising technology for different waste heat recovery applications. An experimental study is carried out to examine the performance of four TEGs that are connected in series used for electric power generation over a range of different operating conditions and resistance loads. After obtaining I-V-P curves, the transient thermal response of the TEGs to a load change is investigated. The significance of the impact of volumetric flow rate in the hot and cold sides of the TEGs and the temperature in the constant temperature reservoir on power generation and transient behavior of the TEGs are determined and discussed in details. The results show the substantial effect of the volumetric flow rate and temperature in the power generation and transient thermal behavior of the TEGs.