This article analyses the technical and economic aspects relating to the application of thermoelectric generators in waste heat recovery. It is explained why material cost reductions are unlikely to result in significant reductions in overall device cost. The difficulties associated with manufacturing modules that can withstand high temperatures are shown to result in high cost to power ratios, despite the favorable thermodynamic conditions. This study also compares the performance of thermoelectric generators to Rankine and Stirling cycles and finds that Rankine cycles are able to achieve superior thermal efficiencies at power outputs above 100 kW. Between the ranges of 10 and 100 kW, the thermal efficiency of thermoelectric generators are comparable to that of Rankine cycles. Below 10 kW, thermoelectric generators have greater efficiency than Rankine cycles, but lower efficiency than Stirling cycles. Future expansion of their use in large-scale waste heat recovery will require commercialization of materials with significantly higher thermal efficiency than presently available.

本文分析了与热电发电机在余热回收中的应用有关的技术和经济方面。解释了为什么材料成本的降低不太可能导致整体设备成本的显着降低。尽管具有有利的热力学条件，但是与制造能够承受高温的模块相关的困难显示出导致高的功率比。这项研究还将热电发电机的性能与朗肯循环和斯特林循环进行了比较，发现朗肯循环能够在100 kW以上的功率输出上实现出色的热效率。在10至100 kW的范围内，热电发电机的热效率与兰金循环相当。10 kW以下 热电发电机的效率高于朗肯循环，但效率低于斯特林循环。将来扩大其在大规模废热回收中的用途将需要商业化具有比目前可获得的热效率高得多的热效率的材料。