Effect of Mass Flow Rates of the Liquid Petroleum Gas on the Power of the Thermoelectric Generator

A thermoelectric generator can produce electrical energy using the extra heat from many sources, such as a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cooking stove. This study aimed to examine the impact of varying LPG mass flow rates on the temperatures and power output of a thermoelectric generator (TEG). The LPG stove was altered by incorporating a hot side heat exchanger to enclose the burner, enabling the integration of four thermoelectric generators coupled in a series configuration. The temperature of the TEG hot and cold sides was measured using thermocouples and recorded using a data logger controlled by an Arduino. It is evident from the result that increased LPG mass flow rates cause the heat exchanger on the stove burner to heat up. There was a link between the temperature trend line of the TEG and the current, voltage, and power. The gas mass flow rates of 0.26 kg/h, 0.18 kg/h, and 0.14 kg/h correspond to power outputs of 3.09 W, 1.53 W, and 0.1 W, respectively. This study has demonstrated that installing a thermoelectric module on the LPG stove can serve as an alternate method to harvest the energy from the waste heat.