An optimized design approach concerning thermoelectric generators with frustum-shaped legs based on three-dimensional multiphysics model

Abstract In this paper, a size-optimized scheme of thermoelectric generator (TEG) with frustum-shaped thermoelectric (TE) legs is proposed to solve the problems of low output electrical performance and energy conversion efficiency, which is based on experiments and self-built three-dimensional multiphysics simulation model. The experimental platform is used to optimize the parameters of the simulation model, and there are three influence factors on the performance of TEG under fixed temperature are studied by using the mentioned model: the cold-hot side radii ratio of the frustum-shaped TE leg, the leg length, and the number of P–N TE leg pairs of TEG with frustum-shaped legs. There are two sets of optimization schemes for TEG with frustum-shaped TE legs: the first scheme can increase the output power by 96.64% without affecting the TEG conversion efficiency, and the second one increases the output power of TEG by 217.96% while sacrificing the thermoelectric conversion efficiency of 16.84%. Therefore, the executed simulation results of this research can be utilized as effective and feasible reference for designing modules with frustum-shaped TE legs and provide useful insights into the electrical performance.