Design, Fabrication and testing of quantum well thermoelectric generator

A prototype energy-harvesting thermoelectric generator (TEG) is being designed, fabricated and tested to provide power for wireless sensors used in health monitoring of Navy ship machinery. TEGs utilize the heat transfer between shipboard waste heat sources and the ambient air to generate electricity directly and without any moving parts. In order to satisfy the required small design volume of 16.4 cm³, the innovative quantum well (QW) thin-film thermoelectric technology is being used that provides four times higher efficiency and a large reduction in the device volume over the SOTA bulk Bi₂Te₃ thermoelectics. QWs are nanostructured multi-layer films. Condition based maintenance (CBM) of the ship machinery can be significantly improved by automating the process with the use of self-powered wireless sensors. TEGs can be used to replace batteries as electrical power sources and to eliminate power cables and data lines. The first complete QW TEG module was fabricated and tested and it generated electricity. However, the gold electrical contacts had high resistivity. The resistivity was reduced to negligible levels by the use of molybdenum contacts and the performance of this two-couple module was excellent. It is planned to test the entire prototype QW TEG device (consisting of the TEG module, housing, thermal insulation and heat sink) in a simulated thermal environment