Design and Construction of a Ground-Source Heat Engine
Abstract
The purpose of this project was to design, construct and test a ground source heat engine that would operate on the temperature difference between the air and the ground to produce a small amount of electrical power. During the design phase, expressions for an optimally matched heat exchanger and thermoelectric module configuration were derived. A prototype was constructed according to the design procedure developed in the first phase of the project using an off-the-shelf thermoelectric module. The prototype was instrumented and tested over an extended period. It was found that the relationship between the temperature drop across the thermoelectric module and the total air-ground temperature difference varied with the time of day. Part of this variation was attributed to direct solar insolation in the afternoon. A rough estimate of the potential generation with optimally matched custom components indicated an increase in output by a factor of nineteen. Most of the electricity generation (780%) occurred between the hours of noon and 4pm during the period of this test April-May at 33 deg N latitude.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 24, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA414544
Entities
People
- James W. Stevens
Organizations
- Mississippi State University