Thermoelectrics, an environmentally-friendly source of electrical power
Thermoelectrics, an environmentally-friendly source of electrical power
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DOI：
10.1016/s0960-1481(98)00512-6
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发表时间：
1999-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
8.7
通讯作者：
Rowe, DM
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Rowe, DM
热电发电机是一种独特的热机，其中电荷载体作为工作流体。它没有运动部件，运行时安静，非常可靠。然而，其相对较低的效率（通常约为5%）限制了其在成本不是主要考虑因素的专业医疗，军事和空间应用中的使用。在过去的10年中，热电作为一种“绿色”和灵活的电源，能够满足广泛的电力需求，引起了越来越多的关注。最近已经认识到，在热供应便宜或免费的情况下，如在废热的情况下，转化系统的效率不是首要考虑的因素。使用废热作为能源，特别是在低于140 ℃的温度下，大大提高了这种发电方法的商业竞争力。最近对废热水驱动的热电发电系统性能的研究结果表明，在三年的运行期内，可以用这种方法生产电力，而且价格与传统公用事业的价格相匹配。本文概述了热电发电的环境友好型应用，并评估其作为替代电源的潜力。(C)1998爱思唯尔科技有限公司。保留所有权利。
A thermoelectric generator is a unique heat engine in which charge carriers serve as the working fluid. It has no moving parts, is silent in operation and very reliable. However, its relatively low efficiency (typically around 5%) has restricted its use to specialised medical, military and space applications where cost is not a main consideration. During the past 10 years thermoelectrics has attracted increasing attention as a 'green' and flexible source of electricity able to meet a wide range of power requirements. Relatively recently it has been realised that in situations where the supply of heat is cheap or free, as in the case of waste heat, efficiency of the conversion system is not an overriding consideration. The use of waste heat as an energy source particularly at temperatures below 140C substantially increase the commercial competitiveness of this method of generating electrical power. The results of a recent investigation of the performance of thermoelectric generating systems powered by waste hot water indicate that, over a three year operating period, electrical power can be produced by this method and at a price which matches that of conventional utilities. This paper provides an overview of environmentally friendly applications of thermoelectric generation and assess its potential as an alternative source of electrical power. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.