Modeling and Experiments on Fast Response Thermoelectric Co-Generation for Intermittent Renewable Energy Sources

We present preliminary proof-of-concept experimental results on a thermoelectric heat pump system. In our previous work we proposed a thermal battery which would benefit from state-of-the-art heat pumps in order to provide useful cooling and heating. The preliminary analysis demonstrated the benefit of using excess electricity from intermittent renewable power sources, e.g. solar or wind, and converting it into the hot and cold water storage tanks typically used for residential applications. The time response of mechanical heat pumps is slow and their efficiency suffers from fluctuating electricity supplies. To overcome this issue, we propose thermoelectric (TE) co-generation systems that benefit from their fast response and scalability. Modeling has been performed to optimize the TE module for the effective harvesting of both heat and electricity from intermittent solar energy with response times in minutes. Throughout the modeling and experiments, the combined coefficient-of-performance (COP) is found to be 1.6, while the hot water is 52.5°C and cold water is 16.5°C, both from 22.3°C. The COP is moderate, but due to its quick response, the accumulated energy harvested by this thermoelectric system could be comparable to mechanical compressor systems.© 2012 ASME