Structure Design and Performance Enhancement of Automobile Thermoelectric Generator System Integrated with a Spoiler

2025-01-7066

01/31/2025

Event
SAE 2024 Vehicle Powertrain Diversification Technology Forum
Authors Abstract
Content
The thermoelectric generator system is regarded as an advanced technology for recovering waste heat from automotive exhaust. To address the issue of uneven temperature distribution within the heat exchanger that limits the output performance of the system, this study designs a novel thermoelectric generation system integrated with turbulence enhancers. This configuration aims to enhance convective heat transfer at the rear end of the heat exchanger and improve overall temperature uniformity. A multiphysics coupled model is established to evaluate the impact of the turbulence enhancers on the system's temperature distribution and electrical output, comparing its performance with that of traditional systems. The findings indicate that the integration of turbulence enhancers significantly increases the heat transfer rate and temperature uniformity at the rear end of the heat exchanger. However, it also leads to an increase in exhaust back pressure, which negatively affects system performance. At lower exhaust flow velocities, the gains in output power attributable to the turbulence enhancers considerably outweigh the increases in exhaust back pressure. Specifically, under conditions of 550 K and 20 m/s, the output power, net output power, and temperature uniformity coefficient increase by 39.2%, 33.6%, and 8.5%, respectively. As exhaust temperature rises, the gains from the turbulence enhancers become even more pronounced. Nevertheless, under high flow conditions, the rise in exhaust back pressure can potentially degrade the system's net output performance. Therefore, it is recommended that exhaust flow be appropriately diverted in practical applications to ensure optimal performance. This research provides essential theoretical guidance for the design and performance optimization of automotive thermoelectric generation systems.
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DOI
https://doi.org/10.4271/2025-01-7066
Pages
9
Citation
Chen, J., Ding, R., Wang, R., Liu, W. et al., "Structure Design and Performance Enhancement of Automobile Thermoelectric Generator System Integrated with a Spoiler," SAE Technical Paper 2025-01-7066, 2025, https://doi.org/10.4271/2025-01-7066.
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
Jan 31
Product Code
2025-01-7066
Content Type
Technical Paper
Language
English