Operating cooling devices on electricity generated by their own heat

Thermoelectric generators are devices which consume no electricity because they obtain the energy they need to function from the very heat they create. These generators convert heat directly into electrical energy using a phenomenon called the 'Seebeck effect' in which a temperature difference between two dissimilar electrical conductors or semiconductors produces a voltage difference between them.

When heat is applied to one of the two conductors or semiconductors, heated electrons flow toward the cooler one. If the pair is connected through an electrical circuit, a direct current (DC) flows through that circuit.

Thermoelectric generation is widely used in military and aerospace applications; the Mars rover Curiosity is a prime example of this. These applications are typically used for mid to high temperature environments (from 250ºC to 1200ºC).

To optimise thermoelectric applications for civilian purposes, the technology needs to be adapted to lower temperatures, which is the objective of the EU-funded GETER (Thermoelectric generation with residual heat energy) project at the Public University of Navarre, Spain.

Researchers at the university have produced a prototype of a self-cooling thermoelectric device that achieves 'free' cooling of over 30ºC. The objective is to develop this prototype into a system to run the converters and transformers used in renewable energy power stations, for example, wind, solar photovoltaic, solar thermoelectric and hydraulic energy.

More details can be found at the following link: http://cordis.europa.eu/fetch?CALLER=EN_NEWS&ACTION=D&SESSION=&RCN=35651