The use of direct energy conversion devices to convert waste heat into useful power has been the focus of extensive research for many years. Optimization of the performance of power harvesting systems has led to various models of the irreversibilities occurring in these devices. The majority of these models are based on dimensionless parameter referred to as the irreversibility factor to account for the entropy generating effects occurring within a generic heat engine. The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of the exergetic or second law efficiency to characterize these non-ideal effects and to describe how this approach may be used in the design and optimization of power harvesting or waste heat recovery systems. The use of a thermoelectric generator in a power harvesting system is considered to illustrate the proposed model.
- Heat Transfer Division
Second Law Analysis of Direct Energy Conversion Devices
Taylor, SH, & Jones, MR. "Second Law Analysis of Direct Energy Conversion Devices." Proceedings of the ASME 2012 Heat Transfer Summer Conference collocated with the ASME 2012 Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting and the ASME 2012 10th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels. Volume 1: Heat Transfer in Energy Systems; Theory and Fundamental Research; Aerospace Heat Transfer; Gas Turbine Heat Transfer; Transport Phenomena in Materials Processing and Manufacturing; Heat and Mass Transfer in Biotechnology; Environmental Heat Transfer; Visualization of Heat Transfer; Education and Future Directions in Heat Transfer. Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, USA. July 8–12, 2012. pp. 389-394. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/HT2012-58466
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