文档介绍：Development of a thermoelectric battery-charger
with microcontroller-based maximum power
point tracking technique
JensakEakburanawata,ItsdaBoonyaroonateb
a Division of Energy Technology, School of Energy and Materials,
Faculty of Engineering, King MongkutÕs University of Technology Thonburi,
Bangmod, Tungkru, Bangkok, Thailand
b Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,
King MongkutÕs University of Technology Thonburi,
Bangmod, Tungkru, Bangkok, Thailand
Abstract
This article describes a battery charger, which is powered by thermoelectric (TE) power modules.
This system uses TE devices that directly convert heat energy to electricity to charge a battery. The
characteristics of the TE module were tested at different temperatures. A SEPIC dc–dc converter was
applied and controlled by a microcontroller with the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) fea-
ture. The proposed system has a maximum charging power of W: that is better than direct
charging by approximately 15%. The objectives are to study the principle of TE power generation
and to design and develop a TE battery charger that uses waste heat or another heat source as
the direct input power.
Keywords: Thermoelectric generator; dc–dc converter; SEPIC; MPPT
Nomenclature
A cross-sectional area of thermoelement (mm)2
D % duty cycle of gate signal
IL load current (A)
L length of the thermoelement (mm)
LC thickness of the contact layer (mm)
M conversion ratio
N number of thermoelements per module
n electrical-contact parameter
Po power output (W)
r thermal-contact parameter
Rint internal resistance of TE generator (X)
RL load resistance (X)
ri input resistance at the maximum power point (X)
Tc cold-side temperature of module (°C)
Th hot-side temperature of module (°C)
Vi input voltage of converter (V)
Vo output voltage of converter (V)
vi input voltage at the maximum power point (V)
Voc open-circuit voltage of TE generator (V)