Peltier Wood/Camp Fire Power Generator

[kcarring]

A while back I bought 7 or 8 Peltier modules and I want to make a device (a woodstove or campfire add-on) to generate power in the winter. I particularily like these things because they will produce power when solar panels cannot.

My local environment provides the ability to capture the heat from a chimney pipe that is outside in temperatures ranging from 0c down to -30c. The stovepipe, I'm not sure what temperature it is, upon exiting the building.

An alternative might be a box that sat next to, or in, a normal firepit; also during winter.

My concern is burning out the units. What is the TMAX rating?

Any thoughts on how to take a very hot source (stove pipe or fire) and buffer that, or even control it, in some form of medium, such that we do not burn out the modules?

The cold end could be relatively simple; a heatsink out in the cold.

Thanks for any of those interested.

Here is a link to Peltiers for about $5 ea.
Peltiers on Ebay

[Cherryman]

Hi KC,

Take a look at this:

Thermoelectric Generator TEG Power Brick - YouTube

The guy has some more vids on it, look around.

Good luck.

[ren]

A while back I bought 7 or 8 Peltier modules and I want to make a device (a woodstove or campfire add-on) to generate power in the winter. I particularily like these things because they will produce power when solar panels cannot.

My local environment provides the ability to capture the heat from a chimney pipe that is outside in temperatures ranging from 0c down to -30c. The stovepipe, I'm not sure what temperature it is, upon exiting the building.

An alternative might be a box that sat next to, or in, a normal firepit; also during winter.

My concern is burning out the units. What is the TMAX rating?

Any thoughts on how to take a very hot source (stove pipe or fire) and buffer that, or even control it, in some form of medium, such that we do not burn out the modules?

The cold end could be relatively simple; a heatsink out in the cold.

Thanks for any of those interested.

Here is a link to Peltiers for about $5 ea.
Peltiers on Ebay

Funny. I am just in the process of something similar. Designing a small camp oven from a gas cylinder (look at the Ozpig) with the hope of multiple functions from the one unit. Heating the local area, stove/oven/bbq for cooking, heating hot water (separate to cooking element) and I thought....why not generate a little bit of power while Im at it. I looked into the stirling engine but this presents difficulties with a wood gas stove. Then I stumbled across thermo electric generators. There is a good page here, some small 5v 1 amp units for sale at the moment.

Thermoelectric Generator

There are ratings for the chips there, some as high as 300 degrees I believe.
I read somewhere that Peltier chips arent ideal for power generation, though Im sure they will still work.

In regards to not burning them out I think you would be best to get your stove/fire going and take some measurements of heat generated on different surfaces once it has had time to heat up.

The ability to change the proximity/location of the chips may be desireable, around the chimney perhaps? I actually saw a chip somewhere that was designed as a circular collar specifically for exhausts, very cool.

I have a few heatsinks with fans that I removed from PCs, massive surface area for their size and a cooling fan that is designed to run off low voltages. Modd that circuit for a SG circuit and you could use the TE generated power to run the fan, with recovery from the circuit recycled back into the output.

Will be great for a little camping unit, provide light or charge a couple of batteries for your torch/radio or pump water etc.

Keep us in the loop for how you go.

Regards