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Thermoelectric Generators (TEGs)

Thermoelectric Generators (TEGs)

ThermoElectric Generators (TEGs), are also known as Seebeck devices, Peltier generators, and more. TEGs turn waste heat into usable power by taking advantage of a heat source and a cold sink. Thermoelectric generators are ideal for remote locations that are off grid but have a heat source.

Some example heat sources are; furnaces, wood stoves, fireplaces, pellet stoves, exhaust pipes, gasoline and diesel engines, solar collectors, solar concentrators, rocket mass heaters, boilers, and so many others. Waste heat is everywhere and is available for harvesting power.

Simply provide a heat source (up to 320C [608F]) and a method of cooling the cold side. The greater the difference in temperature between the hot side of the TEG and the cold side, the greater the electrical power produced. A difference of 10 degrees C will produce miliwatts per TEG and a difference of 270 C can produce as much as 21 watts of electrical power. As heat passes through the TEG from the hot side to the cold side, electrical power is produced by the semiconductor pellets. The efficiency of this heat flow to electricity conversion increases as the delta T [Delta T = T_hot - T_cold] gets larger. The greater the delta T, the greater the efficiency. The efficiency reaches a maximum of about 7.5%. An easy way of thinking about this efficiency is that for every 100 watts of heat passing through the TEG, a maximum of 7.5 watts of electricity will be generated.

Keep in mind that the most difficult task in waste heat harvesting using a TEG is maintaining a cool temperature on the cold side. Even when the TEG is operating at maximum efficiency, there is still 92.5% of the heat reaching the cold side (100-7.5%). This heat must be eliminated or else the cold side of the TEG will no longer be the "cold side" as it will heat up quickly. Air cooling may be sufficient for 1 or 2 TEGs, but liquid cooling is a far better method to keep the cold side cool.

Please see our TEG Encyclopedia for how it works. See our TEG Installation Guide on how to install them.