RELIAble ThermoElectric Generators – RELIATEG

The thermoelectric technology enables the direct conversion from heat into electrical energy or vice-versa. New opening markets can be found from the recovery of waste heat, for instance in the field of transport, while contributing both to the reduction of fuel consumption and of greenhouse gas emissions. Several technological locks must however be raised to make mature thermoelectric generators containing emergent materials for a reliable long-term use. Recurrent problems arise out of the thermal, chemical and mechanical stability of the elements included in the thermoelectric legs, the cohesion at the various interfaces, and the mechanical stability of the complete module. The solving of these problems addresses in all respects the future challenges to raise in the field of thermoelectricity, like underlined in various prospect reports, to make emerging this technology as a renewable energy source, in the same way as other energies.

The RELIATEG project aims at facing these challenges by joining together all know-how and expertise in the fields necessary to solve all these various problems. Innovative solutions will be brought to make low cost, eco-friendly (Mg2Si1-xSnx/MnSi) based thermoelectric modules reliable for a long term use, in particularly thanks to the understanding of the mechanisms leading to their oxidation and their embrittlement. These modules find applications in the temperature range 500-800 K.

The thermoelectric materials used in this study, already optimized, will be produced by the French industrial partner HOTBLOCK on BOARD (HBOB) involved in the project, leader in France in this domain. The three other partners (IJL, CEA-LITEN/DTNM/SERE/LTE, CIRIMAT) will bring their respective expertise: IJL, lead of the project, will work on the problems of oxidation and protection of the materials and will suggest alternative solutions to the architecture of the basic modules, CEA will produce the old and new generation of thermoelectric modules and will ensure the ageing tests under real conditions, and CIRIMAT will determine and model the thermo-mechanical properties. The complementarity in academic expertise as well as in technical skills and means of all partners of the consortium will be a strong asset to reach the fixed objectives in the assigned time (42 months).

The research program lies naturally within the scope of a PRCE of challenge 2, axis 2.

The scientific benefits will be felt in terms of publications, participations to conferences and patents. In the RELIATEG project, the collaboration between HBOB and the three other more 'academic' partners, having multidisciplinary and complementary academic background, and sharing a clear scientific objective, is the best way to have an efficient partnership: for academic partners, the deep investigation of complex physical and chemical effects will bring them new scientific knowledge with regard to the studied materials while the industrial partner will benefit from the technical advances to produce more reliable thermoelectric modules and to access new big size markets allowing generating a volume of activity favourable to job creation within a long lasting sector.