[SOLVED] Thermal Harvesting to generate electricity in a forest

[Amalinda]

can I use a Peltier cooler model like this

https://www.ferrotec.com/index.php?id=module_detail&mod_id=84

to generate some amount of electricity by heating one of its sides by holding to sunlight?
I am using solar harvesting as well but this is to be used as backup.

any advice with regard to this would be so much appreciated.

thank you.

 

[FvM]

All peltier can be basically used as thermolectric generators. But don't be disappointed about the low efficiency.

One side "holding to sunlight" will have about no effect unless you connect a good heatsink to the backside.

 

[Amalinda]

thank you for your response.

Is there anything else I can use as thermometric generator that has better performance than Peltier?

is there a special circuitry that is associated for efficiently harvesting power?

If you know any information iwth regard to these, please let me know.
thank you.

 

[FvM]

Thermoelectric generators are said to have 5 - 8 % efficiency. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_generator

The percent value is a fraction of the theoretical thermal efficiency https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_efficiency.

I didn't test it, but I expect that an industry standard peltier module can work well as a thermal generator. It has however a specific thermal resistance, means it needs a certain heat flow to achieve a reasonable temperature diference between cold and hot side.

 

[Amalinda]

thank you for the information. I need to Incorporated a different way of charging other than solar. so thats why I chose thermal.

regards!