Thermoelectric Microgenerators. Optimization for energy harvesting

Gennady Gromov

In recent years Thermoelectricity moves in microgenerators trend. Green energy, energy harvesting…

The structure of this book contains detailed explanations addressed to a wide range of readers, which for the most part are not specialists in the field of Thermoelectricity, the basic ideas, important aspects of the practical application of thermoelectric microgenerators in the in energy harvesting. I will be glad, if this book will serve as a reference tool in developing appropriate solutions.

Thermoelectric Microgenerators

Optimization for energy harvesting

Gennady Gromov

© Gennady Gromov, 2018

ISBNВ 978-5-4493-4334-5

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Preface

The idea for this book came from the experience. Our team is in thermoelectric business for over 20 years. Firstly, for many years it was thermoelectric cooling solutions for miniature applications. In recent years, thermoelectrics moves in microgenerators trend. Green energy, energy harvesting…

Promising directions – applications of thermoelectric microgenerators for tasks of low energy – recycling waste heat surrounding thermal sources, of human body energy harvesting and so on.

This direction only began its development. OfВ course, there are many ideas for development come from inventors and scientists. Often an absence ofВ sufficient knowledge and understanding ofВ the subject ofВ thermoelectricity is compensated byВ enthusiasm, the broadest fields ofВ promising applications, interesting tasks.

Numerous appeals ofВ such potential consumers toВ assist them inВ thermoelectric solutions usually are accompanied byВ neediness ofВ detailed technical consulting from fundamental physical base ofВ the thermoelectricity phenomenon till fine nuances inВ their applications.

It has given rise toВ the idea ofВ writing ofВ the reference book FAQ (Frequently Asking Questions) on the most important questions. Gradually this idea has developed into the separate book on the volume ofВ the reference material.

The structure ofВ this book contains detailed explanations addressed toВ aВ wide range ofВ readers, which for the most part are not specialists inВ the field ofВ thermoelectricity, ofВ the basic ideas, important aspects ofВ the practical application ofВ thermoelectric microgenerators inВ the tasks inВ energy harvesting. IВ will be glad, if this book will serve as aВ reference tool inВ developing appropriate solutions.

Every Chapter was considered as aВ separate small manual, easy for an inexperienced user toВ find answers toВ their particular questions without resorting toВ detailed studying ofВ the all material ofВ the book. Therefore, the repetition takes place inВ formulas and expressions from Chapter toВ Chapter, for example.

Professionals may also say about excessively detailed clarification of “simple” basics of thermoelectricity. Please, these moments can be simply ignored.

But exactly simple and detailed explanations ofВ important aspects ofВ the application ofВ thermoelectric microgenerators and was the purpose ofВ this book. Many formulas, but their detailed explanations, IВ hope, will help users understand the issues ofВ interest toВ them.

Chapter 1. Introduction

Creation of alternative, first of all renewable, power sources is the perspective direction of development of power engineering in the world now. The whole direction under definition “green power” (green energy) was appead.

It is the power engineering based on renewable natural sources of heat, causing the minimum damage to the environment, safe and eco-friendly. The big section of new power engineering is the direction of utilization of waste heat of the sources surrounding the person. Including, very interestingly, – thermal emission of a human body.

It should be noted that due toВ the nature ofВ these heat sources, this is small power engineering. It received aВ general definition- energy harvesting.

ToВ transform the energy ofВ such energy sou