Thermoelectric module simulation model in ANSYS Workbench software environment

Abstract

Implementation of energy saving measures at agro-industrial complex enterprises and in rural areas is gaining momentum today. The main heat losses today are heat losses with flue gases and heat losses in the heat network. To reduce heat losses, energy-saving measures are used, for example, various heat energy recuperators are installed in the flue system, but still this cannot fully increase energy efficiency, as the use of heat losses in heat networks is not paid special attention, in this regard, it is relevant to date the use of thermoelectric generator (TEG), which is able to convert the thermal energy of heat networks into electrical energy which may be used for low-current remote monitoring systems of heating network engineering systems. Thermoelectric generator is a compact item, easy to use, and it consists of thermoelectric modules (TEM) the number of which is determined by the required value of output power. In order to determine the performance of the thermoelectric generator and determine the required number of thermoelements, it is required to conduct simulation of TEM in the software environment ANSYS Workbench. This software is able to simulate the operation of TEM and with the help of simulation it is possible to obtain the dependence of the output characteristics of TEM on the temperature difference between the heated and cooled side of the TEM.  The development of the simulation model of TEG in the ANSYS Workbench software environment allows saving time and resources for conducting experiments. To develop a simulation model of the TEM, it will be necessary to describe the basic mathematical equations used in modeling the TEM in the ANSYS Workbench software environment.