Experimental platform for performance evaluation of thermoelectric generators

This article deals with the design and implementation of a characterization system for thermoelectric modules in thermal energy collection systems in solar concentration systems. The design procedure involves the development of a modular system that includes a robotic manipulator for the solar tracking in the concentration task, an instrumentation system that considers the thermal conditions to avoid leakages or incorrect measurements, and a central processing system connected to a user interface. Each system was designed and validated computationally and the system integration was performed according to the concurrent engineering concepts. Finally, the system was tested in different modules providing adequate working conditions (collecting appropriate differentials of temperature) for five different thermoelectric modules in controlled conditions and in solar collector applications.