Evaluation of Performance of Thermoelectric Generator Using Ethylene Glycol as a Heat Exchanger

Abstract This research examines the impact of heat exchanger solvents on the power-generating performance of a thermoelectric generator (TEG). The experimental configuration includes TEG modules and a heat exchange system utilizing water and ethylene glycol as solvents for comparative analysis. The temperature and mass flow of the heat exchanger solution were modified to assess the performance parameters. According to ly, the power of the TEG using ethylene glycol is smaller than that using water due to the difference in the heat exchange coefficient. Indeed, the freshwater heat capacity is 4.19 kJ/(kg oC), while the heat capacity of ethylene glycol is only 2.36 kJ/(kg oC). The findings indicated that the performance of the TEG is contingent upon the kinds of heat exchanger solvents and the intake temperature. The proposed experimental configuration is applicable for assessing thermoelectric energy potential or examining optimal cooling or heating procedures.