Experimental investigation on combined thermal energy storage and thermoelectric system by using foam/PCM composite

2021 
Abstract This study reported an experimental investigation of thermal and thermoelectric performances of integrated energy storage/release/harvesting system that utilized PCM-based metal foam composite for enhanced latent-heat energy storage and employed thermoelectric generator (TEG) for energy harvest. The TEG was sandwiched between the foam/PCM hybrid material and a coolant tank, functioned as the hot and cold side of TEG. PCM was used to storage the latent heat, manipulate and stabilize TEG’s hot-side temperature and the metal foam was employed to enhance the thermal conductivity and accelerate the heat dissipation. Results showed that compared with pure PCM, that insertion of metal foam in PCM reduced the surface temperature of heat source, accelerated the process of melting/solidification of PCM, increased and unified the hot-side temperature of TEG, and therefore augmented thermoelectric energy. However, beneficial from the highest latent heat release, the case of pure PCM provided the most thermoelectric energy during solidification. Furthermore, the foam/PCM composite with lower porosity offered the best thermal control and highest thermoelectric energy harvest due to its highest thermal conductivity. The composite with lower melting point owned better thermal control for the heat source than that with higher melting point did, but at the expanse of less thermoelectric energy harvest.
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