Evaluation of voltage generation and thermal distribution from road using thermoelectric technology

Abstract

Road pavement is important because it is used as a mean of transportation from a place to another and also helps to connect people physically around the world. That is why road is paved all over the places as long there is land. This study conducted an analysis of the voltage generation and thermal distribution from road pavement based on thermoelectric technology. Three types of tests are done which includes effect of different number of TEG, different weather and load dependent analysis. The characteristics of temperature difference from road pavement have been studied by gathering data on-site. The analysis of these behaviours is made possible by developing a road thermoelectric generator (TEG) system that consist of TEG, temperature data logger and data acquisition device. This road thermoelectric generator system able to produce electrical power when temperature gradient is present between the pavement and ambient air. Load dependent analysis is done to obtain the optimum power generation. Result shows that 3 TEGs in cascade, sunny day with 10 Ω resistor produces the highest output voltage.