PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG VALENZUELA

Tongco St., Maysan, Valenzuela City

Chapter IV

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter includes the presentation, analysis and interpretation of

the data that have been gathered from the experiments conducted. The results

will be presented in a tabular form with corresponding interpretation.

The Thermoelectric generator device had undergone testing after being

attached in the tricycle’s exhaust pipe. The researchers used a timer, an infrared

thermometer and voltmeter to get the travel time, temperature difference, and the

output voltage of the TEG modules.

Specific Problem Number 1: What are the temperature differences can the

TEG have if exposed to the heat of tricycle exhaust pipe with respect to travel

time?

The researchers used variables and compare them to obtain their

relationships. Time was measured using an ordinary timer while the

temperatures were measured using an infrared thermometer. The temperature

differences were obtained by subtracting the temperature difference between the

hot side (metal clamp) and the cold side (heat sink).
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Table 2. Travel Time and Average Temperature Difference

Time Average Temperature Marginal Temperature

(minutes) Difference (ºCelsius) Difference (ºCelsius)

5 19.5 19.5

10 16.5 -3

15 26.5 10

20 30 3.5

25 34.625 4.625

30 36.375 1.75

Table 2 presents the travel time of the tricycle which was 30 minutes,

and the samples were obtained every 5 minutes. After the first and second trial,

the average temperature differences were recorded as 19.5 ºC, 16.5 ºC, 26.5 ºC,

30 ºC, 34.625 ºC and 36.375 ºC. It also shows the marginal (increased)

temperature difference for every 5 minutes which is 19.5 ºC, -3 ºC, 10 ºC, 3.5 ºC,

4.625 ºC and 1.75 ºC respectively. The results show that the longer the exposure

of the TEG modules to the heat source as well as the heat sink, the greater the

average temperature. However, the increase in temperature difference became

lower with respect to time.

This can be supported by the study of Ivanov, V. (2013), where they

find that the exhaust of a vehicle is a good source of waste heat where hot
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exhaust gas flows. They also used heat sink to dissipate heat from the cold side

of the thermoelectric modules in order to achieve higher temperature difference.

This is because heat sink has a high thermal conductivity and can easily transfer

heat by increasing the area of exposure with its fins. On the other hand, the

marginal temperature difference can be explained by the study of Liu C., Chen P.

& Li K. (2014) where they obtained higher temperature difference as time

exposure. However, their study shows that temperature increases with time up to

only a certain level. Their data shows that the temperature will increase with time,

but the increase will slowly decrease until it became almost constant. Their

temperature difference became stable at 140 degrees Celsius at less than 250

seconds.

Specific Problem Number 2: What is the range of temperature of the waste

heat emitted by the motorcycle muffler that would be enough to produce

considerable amount of electricity to charge low voltage devices?

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Table 3. Travel Time and Output Voltage of DC-DC Converter

Time (minutes) Average Temperature Difference Boost Output

(Celsius) Voltage (V)

5 19.5 1.35

10 16.5 1.9

15 26.5 2.4

20 30 3.9

25 34.625 7.4

30 36.375 7.4

Table 3 presents the travel time of the tricycle which was 30 minutes, and

the samples were obtained every 5 minutes. The researchers used a DC-DC

converter that has an input voltage requirement of 3-25V. The output voltage was

set into 7.4V, the voltage required to charge the two batteries which is 3.7V each.

After the first and second trial, the average temperature differences were

recorded as 19.5 ºC, 16.5 ºC, 26.5 ºC, 30 ºC, 34.625 ºC and 36.375 ºC. These

average temperature differences resulted to the average output voltages required

to charge a 3.7V rechargeable battery. The results show that at the time of 25

minutes and average temperature difference of 36.375 degrees Celsius, the

thermoelectric generator device will start charging the two 3.7 rechargeable

batteries. The DC-DC converter that the researchers has a constant boost output
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voltage of 7.4V and will continue to supply 7.4V as long as it receives 3V of

voltage from the TEG modules.

This result is similar to the study conducted by Olid S. M. (2016) where

they used battery as storage of electrical energy in which the thermoelectric

device will produce. However, the battery she used has a voltage of 12V, but

their output voltage is 1.25V. She used the DC-DC converter to boost the output

voltage of 1.25V into 13.8V to charge their battery. Another study conducted by

Hazli et al., (2013) shows output voltage significantly lower than the required

voltage needed to charge a phone. They used DC-DC converter to increase the

output voltage from 0.2V-0.8V up to 5.5V, the voltage a mobile phone needed to

charge.

However, in the study of Ando Junior O.H. et al. (2018), they stated that

there will be a minimal reduction in power generated. The reason for this

variation in performance is the signal conditioning of the DC-DC converter

system. Despite of these, they still used a DC-DC converter as it is an important

part of their device and the energy cost being consumed by the converter is very

low.

Specific Problem Number 3: How significant is the relationship of the following

variables obtained from the testing of the device in terms of:

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A. Travel Time and Output Voltage

Table 4. Travel Time and Output Voltage

Marginal Output Voltage

Time (minutes) Output Voltage (Volts)
(Volts)

5 1.35 1.35

10 1.9 0.55

15 2.4 0.5

20 2.9 0.5

25 3 0.1

30 3.2 0.2

Table 4 shows the output voltage produced with respect to the travel time

of the tricycle in 30 minutes that were obtained every 5 minutes. The output

voltages produced were recorded as 1.35V, 1.9V, 2.4V, 2.9V, 3V and 3.2V,

respectively. For every 5 minutes, there is an increase in the output voltage by

0.55V, 0.5V, 0.5V, 0.1V and 0.2V respectively. The decrease in the additional

voltages can be explained by the decrease in marginal temperature difference as

shown in Table 2.
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Table 5. Hypothesis testing between Travel Time and Output Voltage

Pearson r Number Degrees Level of Critical Decision

of of Significance Value
Samples Freedom
(n-2)

0.9706806325 6 4 0.01 0.9172 Reject H0

The result shows that travel time and output voltage is highly correlated

and very significant with a computed value of r = 0.9706806325 compared to the

critical value of 0.9172 with 0.01 level of significance. The decision to be made is

to reject the null hypothesis.

In the similar study conducted by Ando Junior, O.H. et al. (2018), they

obtained an output voltage of 8V in the time of 28 minutes which is the minimum

voltage needed for them to charge their load. Their study is based on the

microgenerator they created. It is a hybrid system consisting of cooling fins and

cooling block in the cooling side, and heat captor in the hot side. The output

voltage produced were recorded as 5V, 8V, 9V, 10V, and 16V, respectively, in 1

up to 112 minutes. The result of their study shows a direct relationship between

time and output voltage. Furthermore, they also obtained fluctuating output

voltage with respect to time as explained by unstable temperature. In addition,

Shawwaf A. et al. (2010) also investigated the relationship of time of

exposure to output voltage. However, he investigated the relationship of the two

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variables with a constant temperature. They found out that at constant

temperature, the output voltage produced increases with respect to longer

exposure but only at a certain time.

B. Temperature difference and Output Voltage

Table 6. Temperature Difference and Output Voltage.

Average Temperature
Marginal Output
Difference Output Voltage (Volts)
Voltage (Volts)
(Celsius)

19.5 1.35 1.35

16.5 1.9 0.55

26.5 2.4 0.5

30 2.9 0.5

34.625 3 0.1

36.375 3.2 0.2

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Tongco St., Maysan, Valenzuela City

Table 6 presents the data gathered of average temperature difference and

the output voltage produced. After the first and second trial, the average

temperature differences were recorded as 19.5 ºC, 16.5 ºC, 26.5 ºC, 30 ºC,

34.625 ºC and 36.375 ºC. These resulted to an output voltage of 1.35V, 1.9V,

2.4V, 2.9V, 3V and 3.2V, respectively. The result shows that as the average

temperature difference increases the output voltage produced will also increase.

The increase in output voltage can be explained by the Seebeck Effect, which

states that the output voltage produced is directly proportional to the temperature

difference. The decrease in the marginal (additional) voltage can be explained by

the decrease in the marginal temperature difference as shown in Table 2.

Table 7. Hypothesis testing between Temperature difference and Output Voltage

Pearson r Number Degrees Level of Critical Decision

of of Significance Value
Samples Freedom
(n-2)

0.9237902801 6 4 0.01 0.9172 Reject H0

Table 7 shows the Pearson r obtained to evaluate the relationship

between temperature difference and output voltage produced by the

thermoelectric generator. The table shows that the r value is 0.9237902901

which is higher compared to the critical value of 0.9172 at 0.05 level of

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significance. This shows that the two variable has a high positive correlation.

Therefore, the output voltage produced by the thermoelectric generator has a

direct relationship with the temperature difference between the metal clamp

attached to the exhaust as well as the heat sink.

The result agrees with the study of Ando Junior, O.H. et al. (2018), where

they obtained voltage that ranges from 5 to 16 volts with a temperature difference

of 22 to 43 degrees Celsius. The voltage of their thermoelectric generator

increases as the temperature difference increase as well. Similarly, in the study

conducted by A.K. Mishra, A.K. Singh, A. Prakash & R.S. Ambekar (2017), they

used heat sink and a fan to obtain lower temperature in the cold side, thus,

having larger temperature difference. They obtained voltage from 0.58 up to 4.83

with respect to a temperature difference of 20 to 68 degrees Celsius. However, in

a study conducted by Salamat R. (2014), where they used candle as the source

of heat in their thermoelectric generator, they generated an output voltage of 2-

3V. They also used heat sink as the source of lower temperature in the cold side.

Their reason for having lower voltage produced is that they only used candle as a

source of heat to create temperature difference and the heat being emitted by the

candle is not enough to create a large temperature difference. A low temperature

difference will result in a lower output voltage.

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C. Temperature difference and Current

Table 8. Temperature Difference and Current Produced

Average Temperature Difference Current

(Celsius) (A)

19.5 0.1845

16.5 0.164

26.5 0.144

30 0.196

34.625 0.202

36.375 0.173

Table 8 presents the travel time of the tricycle which was 30 minutes, and

the samples were obtained every 5 minutes. After the first and second trial, the

average temperature differences were recorded as 19.5 ºC, 16.5 ºC, 26.5 ºC, 30

ºC, 34.625 ºC and 36.375 ºC. These average temperature differences resulted to

an average current of 0.1845A, 0.164A, 0.144A, 0.196A, 0,202A and 0.173A

respectively. The results show that the current produced is not constantly

increasing nor decreasing due to the voltage produced of the TEG modules.
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Table 9. Hypothesis testing between Temperature difference and Current

Pearson r Number Degrees Level of Critical Decision

of of Significance Value
Samples Freedom
(n-2)

0.3552595511 6 4 0.01 0.9172 Accept H0

Table 9 shows that the Pearson r obtained is significantly lower than the

critical value with a level of significance of 0.01. Therefore, there is no significant

relationship on the data obtained and the decision made is to accept the null

hypothesis.

This is similar to the study conducted by Modh Izam Abd Jalil & Jahariah

Sampe (2013) in which they obtained unstable current. They explained that the

current produced became low due to thermal losses between hot and cold side of

the module. In addition, Ando Junior O.H. et al. (2018), shows an inverse

relationship between voltage and current produced. They stressed out that this is

because of the direct relationship between the resistance of the thermoelectric

generator and temperature difference.

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D. Temperature difference and Power

Table 10. Temperature Difference and Power

Power
Average Temperature Difference (Celsius)
(W)

19.5 0.26595

16.5 0.272

26.5 0.3556

30 0.5709

34.625 0.606

36.375 0.5532

Table 10 presents the temperature difference obtained as well as the

output power produced by the thermoelectric generator. After the first and

second trial, the average temperature differences were recorded as 19.5 ºC, 16.5

ºC, 26.5 ºC, 30 ºC, 34.625 ºC and 36.375 ºC. These average temperature

differences resulted to an average Power of 0.26595W, 0.272W, 3556W,

0.5709W, 0.606W and 0.5532 respectively. The highest power produced by the

thermoelectric generator is 0.606W. The results show that as the temperature

difference increases, the power generated also increases. This can be explained
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by the relationship of power to voltage which is directly proportional to each

other.

Table 11. Hypothesis Testing between Temperature difference and Power

Pearson r Number Degrees Level of Critical Decision

of of Significance Value
Samples Freedom
(n-2)

0.9277040112 6 4 0.01 0.9172 Reject H0

Table 11 shows the statistical treatment that is used to evaluate

temperature difference and power generated by the thermoelectric generator.

The r value obtained is 0.9277040112 which is higher compare to the critical

value of 0.9172 at 0.05 level of significance. The decision is to reject the null

hypothesis. Therefore, the power generated by the thermoelectric generator is

directly proportional to the temperature difference.

Power is the amount of energy being generated per time. An increase in

Power with respect to temperature difference means an increase in energy being

produced by the thermoelectric generator. The direct relationship between

temperature difference and power is significantly related to the study of Liu, Chen

& Li (2014) where their data shows that an increase in temperature difference will

result in an increase of power produced. With a temperature difference of 80

degrees Celsius, they obtained 160 W of power. On the other hand, they
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obtained 500W of power in a temperature difference of 200 degrees Celsius.

However, the results obtained in the study conducted by Mohd Izam Abd Jalil &

Jahariah Sampe (2013) shows varying Power with respect to temperature

difference. Despite of this, they concluded that there is still a direct relationship

between output voltage and power produced by their device. In addition to that,

Mishra A.K. (2017) also found that there is a direct relationship between

temperature difference and power despite having an increase in resistance which

may affect the current produced.