Design and Optimization of Cascaded Thermoelectric Generators Based on Heat Pipe Reactor Applications

Tang Simiao; Lian Qiang; Zhu Longxiang; Zhang Luteng; Sun Wan; Ma Zaiyong; Pan Liangming

doi:10.13832/j.jnpe.2024.050037

Volume 46 Issue 3

Jun. 2025

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Article Navigation > Nuclear Power Engineering > 2025 > 46(3): 103-110

Tang Simiao, Lian Qiang, Zhu Longxiang, Zhang Luteng, Sun Wan, Ma Zaiyong, Pan Liangming. Design and Optimization of Cascaded Thermoelectric Generators Based on Heat Pipe Reactor Applications[J]. Nuclear Power Engineering, 2025, 46(3): 103-110. doi: 10.13832/j.jnpe.2024.050037

Citation:

Tang Simiao, Lian Qiang, Zhu Longxiang, Zhang Luteng, Sun Wan, Ma Zaiyong, Pan Liangming. Design and Optimization of Cascaded Thermoelectric Generators Based on Heat Pipe Reactor Applications[J]. Nuclear Power Engineering, 2025, 46(3): 103-110. doi: 10.13832/j.jnpe.2024.050037

Citation:

Tang Simiao, Lian Qiang, Zhu Longxiang, Zhang Luteng, Sun Wan, Ma Zaiyong, Pan Liangming. Design and Optimization of Cascaded Thermoelectric Generators Based on Heat Pipe Reactor Applications[J]. Nuclear Power Engineering, 2025, 46(3): 103-110. doi: 10.13832/j.jnpe.2024.050037

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Design and Optimization of Cascaded Thermoelectric Generators Based on Heat Pipe Reactor Applications

doi: 10.13832/j.jnpe.2024.050037

Tang Simiao^{1, 2, 3
,},
Lian Qiang^{1, 2, 3},
Zhu Longxiang^{1, 2, 3},
Zhang Luteng^{1, 3},
Sun Wan^{1, 3},
Ma Zaiyong^{1, 3},
Pan Liangming^{1, 3}

1.
Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
2.
Postdoctoral Station of Power Engineering and Engineering Thermophysics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
3.
Department of Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China

Received Date: 2024-04-25
Rev Recd Date: 2024-08-13

Available Online: 2025-06-09

Publish Date: 2025-06-09

Abstract

Abstract

Based on the application background of silent heat pipe cooled reactor (heat pipe reactor), combined with the geometric structure and thermal boundary conditions of the energy conversion system of heat pipe reactor, the two-stage and three-stage cascaded thermoelectric generators (TEG) are designed and optimized using finite element method. The conversion efficiency and output power of cascaded TEG under different heat flux density conditions are studied. The research results indicate that the conversion efficiency can be effectively improved by optimizing the structure of different materials inside the PN legs of multi-stage cascaded TEG. For the two-stage TEG composed of skutterudite materials and half-heusler materials, the conversion efficiency can reach 15.05% under the hot-end boundary condition with a heat flux of 162.5 kW/m². For the three-stage TEG composed of bismuth telluride, skutterudite and half-heusler, the conversion efficiency can reach 15.13% under the hot end boundary condition with a heat flux of 90 kW/m².
- Cascade thermoelectric generator (TEG),
- Structural optimization,
- Finite element method,
- Heat pipe cooled reactor

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References(7)

References

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