Development of a High-Capacity Portable Biomass-Combustion-Powered Thermoelectric Generator
Guoneng Li, Jie Ying, Minbo Yi, Youqu Zheng, Yuanjun Tang, Wenwen Guo
Abstract
Generating electricity from biomass combustion is an essential means of supporting basic demands in deprived regions, including lighting, communication, and medical care. In this work, a high-capacity portable biomass-combustion-powered thermoelectric generator (BCP-TEG) is developed and tested. Temperature distribution, power load feature, efficiencies at different levels, and a field test are comprehensively explored. The results show that the proposed 7.6 kg BCP-TEG can cogenerate a heating power of 750 W and an electric power of 23.4 W, corresponding to a combined heat and power (CHP) efficiency of 32.3%. The net power density of 2.41 W·kg−1 is much greater than those in previous reports based on water closed-loop cooling. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that a 3.7 V battery of 6.2 A·h can be fully charged by burning 1 kg of wood sticks. Finally, we provide a comprehensive discussion identifying existing issues and future opportunities in this field.