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Thermoelectric Generator for Utilizing Cold Energy of Cryogen Liquids

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Abstract

In this paper, the results of experimental studies of a prototype cryogenic thermoelectric generator (TEG) using transit heat flows in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) evaporator are considered. The main objective was to develop a TEG with low capital cost, integrated directly into an LNG vaporizer, capable of generating electricity at a reasonable levelized cost (LCOE). A demonstration prototype of TEG was created with a power output of 800 W. The prototype used liquid nitrogen (LN2) instead of LNG as the working fluid. Achieved technical parameters of TEG provide the LCOE decrease to a level of ≈ 0.015 $/kWh. Such results are achieved using standard components (thermoelectric modules, heat exchangers, etc.) thanks to the optimization of the TEG design.

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Abbreviations

I :

Electrical current (A)

J :

Dimensionless current density

e :

Seebeck coefficient (V/K)

E :

Electromotive force (V)

λ :

Thermal conductivity (W/cm-K)

σ :

Electrical conductivity (Ω cm)−1

h :

Thermocouple leg length (cm)

n :

Number of thermoelectric elements or modules

N :

Electrical power (W)

s :

Thermoelectric leg cross sectional area (cm2)

T o :

Determining temperature (K)

T h :

Hot junction temperature (K)

T c :

Cold junction temperature (K)

ΔT :

Junction temperature difference (K)

t h :

Heat carrier temperature (K)

t c :

Coolant temperature (K)

Δt :

Temperature difference of heat carriers (K)

Θ = T/T o :

Dimensionless temperature

ϑ = t/T o :

Dimensionless temperature of fluid

z :

Thermoelectric figure-of-merit (K−1)

zT o :

Dimensionless thermoelectric figure-of-merit

Q :

Heat power flow (W)

η :

Efficiency

η c :

Carnot efficiency

α :

Heat transfer coefficient (W/cm2 K)

R α , R λ :

Thermal resistance (cm2 K/W)

R :

Electrical resistance (Ω)

R L :

Electrical load resistance (Ω)

m = R L/R :

Load factor

LCOE:

Levelized cost of electricity ($/kWh)

Bi :

Biot criterion

Nu :

Nusselt criterion

Re :

Reynolds criterion

Pr :

Prandtl criterion

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the US National Science Foundation under Award Number #1722127, SBIR Phase I: Integrated Thermoelectric Heat Exchanger (iTEG-HX) for Carbon Neutral Electricity Production through Recovery of Cold Energy from Regasification of LNG.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Solid Cell Inc., 771 Elmgrove Rd, Rochester, NY, 14624, USA

    Yuriy Lobunets

  2. The Gas Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 39 Degtyarivska St., 03113, Kiev, Ukraine

    Yuriy Lobunets

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  1. Yuriy Lobunets
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Correspondence to Yuriy Lobunets.

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Lobunets, Y. Thermoelectric Generator for Utilizing Cold Energy of Cryogen Liquids. J. Electron. Mater. 48, 5491–5496 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-019-07392-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-019-07392-3

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