Heat escapes everywhere around us: in factories, engines, or certain electronic equipment. This energy is generally simply dissipated, kind of 'thrown away'.
Researchers propose a new way to recover it and convert it into electricity.
Heat sinks are very common in the field of electronics.
Image Wikimedia
The principle relies on thermoelectric materials. When a temperature difference exists between their two ends, they can generate an electric current. This seems simple, but obtaining a truly efficient device is technically complicated.
The problem does not only come from the material itself. The contact zones between the different elements of the device can hinder the passage of electric charges. They also complicate the circulation of heat, which limits overall performance.
The team therefore worked on these interfaces, at several scales. The idea is to more finely connect the module's contacts to the internal structures of the material. This continuity would allow for better management of both electrons and heat.
In other words, the device does not only seek to capture a high temperature. It must also guide the energy with as little loss as possible. It is precisely here that the proposed architecture seems to bring an improvement.
This approach could interest industrial sites, where large amounts of heat are released every day. It could also find a place in more compact systems, as long as a heat source remains unused.
Thermoelectric recovery alone will not replace the major sources of electricity production. However, it offers a discreet way to valorize already available energy. Every gain in efficiency can count when repeated on a large scale.
This avenue reminds us that the energy transition also involves better use of already produced energy.