Boosting thermoelectric generator (TEG) performance with tandem radiative/evaporative/phase change cooler

Abstract

Thermoelectric generator (TEG) is one of the promising methods to convert low-grade energy into power supply. Considering the benefits of radiative cooling, evaporative cooling, and phase change cooling, it is highly desirable to integrate the three cooling methods for the thermal management of TEGs. In this work, a tandem radiation/evaporation/phase change cooler is developed with solar energy as heat source to improve the temperature difference between cold and hot ends, thus enhancing the output power of TEGs. Compared to air coolers and radiative coolers, the designed tandem coolers presented the superior cooling performance for the outdoor thermal management of TECs with a maximum temperature difference of ∼140 °C. With the cooling benefits, the daytime power generation can reach ∼1.75 kJ/m² with an improvement of ∼12.2 % compared to air coolers, indicating the huge potential in supplying power for small portable equipment.