Dual harvesting from exhaust gas of diesel generators using thermoelectric generators and cold water tank

Abstract The present work concerns a dual harvesting concept applied to exhaust gas of Diesel generators using thermoelectric generators and cold water tank. To proceed, a simplified thermal modelling is developed and appropriate parametric analysis of power generation with the TEGs and heat recovered is conducted in function of the Diesel generator power and the TEG thermal conductivity and thickness. It was shown that powers up to 534 W can be generated with the TEGs and heat recovery rates up to 4463 W can be obtained for a Diesel generator power of 125 kW. Also, it was shown that the temperature difference across the TEGs and the power generated increase exponentially when the Diesel generator power and ratio of thickness to thermal conductivity of TEGs increase.