The thermoelectric generators use for waste heat utilization from conventional power plant

¹ AGH University, Faculty of Energy and Fuels, Mickiewicza Av. 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
² AGH University, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Mickiewicza Av. 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland

^* Corresponding author: sztekler@agh.edu.pl

Abstract

On the base of available data, it is estimated that the industrial approx. 20-50% of the energy is removed into the atmosphere as waste heat include in the form of hot flue gases, cooling water, the heat losses from the equipment hot surfaces or heated products. However, according to the data from the US market in 2010, in the form of waste heat is emitted more than 96 · 106 TJ annually (2.7 · 1010 MWh), means more than 57% of the produced energy. According to statistics, currently the energy production in the US amounts to approx. 26% of the world's energy production. Assuming the same indicators, the total annual amount of waste heat in the scale of the world equals 370 · 106 TJ (10.4 · 1010 MWh). One of the ways to increase the energy efficiency of manufacturing processes and reducing energy consumption and negative impacts to the environment is the use of waste energy [1,2,3] In this work it was investigated the possibilities of the waste heat utilization from conventional thermal power plant using thermoelectric generators, the operation of which is based on the Seebeck effect.