High Power Density Body Heat Energy Harvesting

Nozariasbmarz, Amin; Kishore, Ravi Anant; Poudel, Bed; Saparamadu, Udara; Li, Wenjie; Cruz, Ricardo; Priya, Shashank

doi:10.1021/acsami.9b14823

Title: High Power Density Body Heat Energy Harvesting

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Abstract

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) can convert body heat into electricity, thereby providing a continuous power source for wearable and implantable devices. For wearables, the low fill factor (area occupied by legs over the TEG base area) TEG modules are relevant as they provide large thermal gradient across the legs and require less material, which reduces the cost and weight. However, TEGs with a fill factor below 15% suffer from reduced mechanical robustness; consequently, commercial modules are usually fabricated with a fill factor in the range of 25-50%. In this study, TEG modules with a low and high fill factor are demonstrated and their performance is compared in harvesting body heat. Fabricated modules demonstrate ~80% output power enhancement as compared to commercially available designs, resulting in high power density of up to 35 uW/cm2 in a steady state. This enhanced power is achieved by using two-third less thermoelectric materials in comparison to commercial modules. These results will advance the ongoing development of wearable devices by providing a consistent high specific power density source.

Authors:

^[1];

^[2]; Poudel, Bed ^[1]; Saparamadu, Udara ^[1];

^[1]; Cruz, Ricardo ^[3]; Priya, Shashank ^[1]

Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)
Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States); National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)

Publication Date:: Wed Oct 02 00:00:00 EDT 2019

Research Org.:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Defense Programs (DP), Office of Naval Research

OSTI Identifier:: 1572269

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5500-75265
Journal ID: ISSN 1944-8244

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 11; Journal Issue: 43; Journal ID: ISSN 1944-8244

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; thermoelectric generator; body heat; energy harvesting; wearables; fill factor; self-powered; contact resistance

Citation Formats


                    Nozariasbmarz, Amin, Kishore, Ravi Anant, Poudel, Bed, Saparamadu, Udara, Li, Wenjie, Cruz, Ricardo, and Priya, Shashank. High Power Density Body Heat Energy Harvesting.  United States: N. p., 2019. 
Web.  doi:10.1021/acsami.9b14823.

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                    Nozariasbmarz, Amin, Kishore, Ravi Anant, Poudel, Bed, Saparamadu, Udara, Li, Wenjie, Cruz, Ricardo, & Priya, Shashank. High Power Density Body Heat Energy Harvesting.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.9b14823

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                    Nozariasbmarz, Amin, Kishore, Ravi Anant, Poudel, Bed, Saparamadu, Udara, Li, Wenjie, Cruz, Ricardo, and Priya, Shashank. Wed .  
"High Power Density Body Heat Energy Harvesting".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.9b14823.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1572269.

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@article{osti_1572269,

  title        = {High Power Density Body Heat Energy Harvesting},

  author       = {Nozariasbmarz, Amin and Kishore, Ravi Anant and Poudel, Bed and Saparamadu, Udara and Li, Wenjie and Cruz, Ricardo and Priya, Shashank},

  abstractNote = {Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) can convert body heat into electricity, thereby providing a continuous power source for wearable and implantable devices. For wearables, the low fill factor (area occupied by legs over the TEG base area) TEG modules are relevant as they provide large thermal gradient across the legs and require less material, which reduces the cost and weight. However, TEGs with a fill factor below 15% suffer from reduced mechanical robustness; consequently, commercial modules are usually fabricated with a fill factor in the range of 25-50%. In this study, TEG modules with a low and high fill factor are demonstrated and their performance is compared in harvesting body heat. Fabricated modules demonstrate ~80% output power enhancement as compared to commercially available designs, resulting in high power density of up to 35 uW/cm2 in a steady state. This enhanced power is achieved by using two-third less thermoelectric materials in comparison to commercial modules. These results will advance the ongoing development of wearable devices by providing a consistent high specific power density source.},

  doi          = {10.1021/acsami.9b14823},

  journal      = {ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces},

  number       = 43,

  volume       = 11,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Wed Oct 02 00:00:00 EDT 2019},

  month        = {Wed Oct 02 00:00:00 EDT 2019}

}

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