A thermoelectric generator (TEG) is a device that converts heat energy directly into electrical energy through the thermoelectric effect. This effect involves the direct conversion of temperature differences into electric voltage and is based on two main phenomena: the Seebeck effect and the Peltier effect. ### Key Components and Principles: 1. **Seebeck Effect**: This is the principle that underlies thermoelectric generators.
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A thermoelectric generator converts part of a heat flow driven by a temperature difference into electrical output through the Seebeck effect. Thermoelectric legs connect hot and cold sides; their electrical arrangement combines the generated voltages while their thermal paths carry heat between the sides.
A load draws electric current, so delivered power depends on both open-circuit voltage and internal resistance. Shorting the output gives current but zero terminal voltage, while an open circuit gives voltage but no useful delivered power. Thermal contacts and heat leakage alter the actual leg temperatures, so a material's thermoelectric figure of merit alone does not specify the complete generator's efficiency.