Thermoelectric microgenerators. Current status and future applications

Abstract

An analysis has been carried out of the current state and prospects for the use of thermoelectric microgenerators, including those operating on organic fuels. The presented developments of thermoelectric microgenerators demonstrate that their increasingly widespread use is shaping a distinct and highly important direction in thermoelectrics — micropower generation with growing opportunities for practical applications such as charging batteries, mobile phones, digital cameras, powering small radio stations, and other portable devices, including medical equipment. Pathways for improving the efficiency of such devices and directions for their broad practical utilization have been identified