Additively Manufactured Multifunctional Heat Exchanger With Integrated Thermoelectric Generator

Abstract This study propovides a simlation of a novel multifunctional heat exchanger design that integrates thermoelectric materials directly into the exchanger’s wall that are separating hot and cold working fluids [1]. The design utilizes a lattice structure based on triply periodic minimal surface topology, allowing for efficient heat transfer and electrical power generation without compromising the exchanger’s primary function. Unlike traditional planar thermoelectric devices, this approach enables application to non-planar shapes like round pipes and other irregular shapes. The thermoelectric element is constructed in the shape of a triply periodic minimal surface gyroid, enveloped by conductive and insulating layers. Additive manufacturing, specifically fused filament fabrication (FFF), was chosen to fabricate a prototype due to its cost-effectiveness and material compatibility across the three materials needed for manufacturing. Finite element analysis simulations of a counterflow heat exchanger with integrated thermoelectric material provide proof of concept and produced 27.84 mW of power. A prototype of the heat exchanger was printed initially in polylactic acid (PLA), demonstrating the capability of this device to be manufactured using additive manufacturing with multiple materials. This innovative design overcomes the limitations of previous attempts to incorporate thermoelectrics into heat exchangers, which often reduced exchanger effectiveness due to their flat, modular form.