Thermoelectric Generator

Hi Sup Forums,

So I'm doing a Masters in Engineering.

For my thesis, I'm investigating the use of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) to convert waste heat into useful energy on PC components, I'm specifically looking at CPU's right now but I can see applications on any hot-spot producing components like the GPU etc.

From a CPU creating a dT of 25'C between the CPU and heatsink I would only expect around 0.2W, which is clearly not much, but I hope my research can suggest improvements or modifications (such as thin-film TEG with a greatly reduced thermal resistance).

I'm funding this myself and looking for a motherboard with the best features which can help.

I'd specifically like one with accurate temperature senors and being able to directly get readings for power usage of the components and being able to chart these in real time, obtaining charts of part efficiency vs temperature.

Components become less efficient (use more energy) the hotter they get, specifically around the 70'C area. So adding a big thermal resistance in the form of a TEG could be very counterproductive in overall energy savings.

I realise these readings could be achieved with clamp meters etc, but if there is a motherboard already in the market with specifically this task it would help me out a lot.

The idea is to convert this heat energy to cool the device, either by a standard heatsink-fan or using a thermoelectric cooling device (could be the same device, as the Peltier and Seebeck effect are somewhat reversible).

A appreciate any advice, thanks

Other urls found in this thread:

hardwaresecrets.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-power-supplies/
twitter.com/NSFWRedditGif

well every CPU has had an on-die thermal sensor for donkey's years. measuring power is more complicated, if you don't want to solder to the board itself you'd probably have to splice a lot of lines on the PSU. even then that'll only get you an overall, not per-chip, measurement.

anyway I predict you'll find that you can make this work, at least for lower-powered CPUs, but that the energy recovered isnt enough to justify the cost of the thermoelectric device.

Ive seen plenty hacked together peltier TEG's before, but i must say, you took the extra time to make it look presentable and it looks badass like something out of madmax, good work.

>I'm funding this myself

Why? What sort of shitty institution are you enrolled at?

To be honest the most acurate you're going to get on acurate power usage is doing the old rule of thumb on the heat waste during peak and non peak times and averaging losses by converting dissipated heat by the CPU and converting it back into energy with a +-20% .

Computers are more efficient when they are cooler. If you start trying to capture heat you will lose more in efficiency then you would gain from trying to create electricity from the exhaust heat.

If you have the computer in a room where you aren't using AC you are already accomplishing this in heating savings.

t. not a brainlet with a really dumb idea.

>measuring power is more complicated
pic related, am I correct in thinking this is where the CPU gets the power from? (and only CPU)

If so I could strip the wire and get some multimeter readings.

And yeah, even if I find it doesn't work, the energy recovered is too small etc it could still be justified as a decent thesis I guess. Specifically if I can suggest if/how it could be viable (higher seebeck coefficient of the TEG for example).

Well I can ask for things from the University, but they're probably not going to sign off a $1000 rig with an amazing motherboard/cpu combo. I could end up using this as my personal computer anyway so I can justify getting a really good motherboard if there is one that suits my needs.

Okay that sounds do-able, quite a large error though.

You are VERY GAY

Get the fuck out of Sup Forums RIGHT NOW

FUCK OFF FUCK OFF FUCK OFF FUCK OFF

>amazon prime box
>no heatpipes in sight on cooler
back to pleddit

You're not going to get power readings from that 8-pin.

The 8-pin might provide aditional power but it comes mostly from the 24 pin connector so no acurate readings senpai.

Go read up on PSU's senpai.

As I said the heat converstion method and averaging will get you the best values unless you decide to solder over 200 pins to the motherboard.

the CPU is powered from that connector, but you're not guaranteed that a.) only the CPU is powered from that connector, or b.) that the CPU isn't also drawing power from the main ATX connector. Measure draw through that and you'll get a good ballpark number, but it might or might not be off.

>"Masters in Engineering."
>thesis is pointless derivative shit with absolutely no scientific or technical value
Pajeet alert. It's hilarious how you retarded shitskins do things meant for technicians in the first world and LARP with academic titles of the west.

Yeah I totally understand that. I want to model the relationship though.

If the CPU can be kept low enough temperature whilst using the dT to keep it that low I've got a feeling it could work. Not with current TEG's though.

I have PhD supervisor who is researching new thin-film TEG's which have a very low thermal resistance whilst still maintaining a relatively high seebeck coefficient. I think the use case in small hot-spot locations such as those in computers are a good application of this.

>pic related, am I correct in thinking this is where the CPU gets the power from? (and only CPU)
Are you shitting me?

Let's play spot the NEET

Found two!

By the way read up on this.
hardwaresecrets.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-power-supplies/

Also to be noted it's nearly impossible to measure the CPU power draw directly due to the enormous level of complexity of motherboards and the requirements to power the CPU.

This is an old rig that's been lying around.

I'm not using this for anything other than demonstration purposes.

Okay thanks. I'll do this and hopefully can get something close.

hmm.

>calling your computer a "rig"
Back to reddot, fuckhead.

I forgot how fucking toxic this website can be, god damn.

u got so asshurt you took a photo of some heatpipes? lmfao

Tears won't fix your poor intellect. If you must know, I have an MSc in Engineering from an actual university - where this wouldn't be a freshman project.

This has been done to death already, bottom line is that it's not worth unless your CPU is made form plutonium.

>Getting upset about people calling computers rigs.

Whats it like to be an effeminate queef?

Thanks, this information is very helpful.

Literally anything that's used as a scientific workbench can be called a rig.

I took this photo about a week ago.

Holy shit some of you autists are hilarious.

not that user but I imagine it feels almost like tripfagging

Sure you do, buddy. Even if you have that degree, your fucking horrible personality will keep you from ever finding happiness.

Make hot air moving upwards rotate turbine instead.

The motherboards with those sensors are going to cost as much as just buying good sensors and clamps.

Playing with a tripcode generator and finding a neat tripcode that matches a window manager you recently adopted isn't the same as being emasculated by a word and consequently conveying your butthurt.

At least try and be creative with your insults. If this is your baseline you are one sad little prick.

>took this photo about a week ago

that's why u had exactly the picture to respond with right? hahaha. just stop now faggot, kys

Well I am happy Poojeet, I don't need to suck dicks of everyone around me to survive like you because I'm not a retarded shitskin whose conception of an MEng project is something random tinkerers did two decades ago. I don't know if it's you who is more pathetic, or your "university".

Yeah I wouldn't mind that if the product exists.

Having the data be recorded in real time would be a huge help but I can't source a motherboard with these capabilities.

nice projection

OP you fucked up. It's time to go back to from whence you came.

Nobody here likes Indians or Redditors.

>poojeet got a hard shit stuck in his ass and is angry and constipated

I'm neither but nice try.

I've also been lurking here since 2005.

Does it really trigger you that much that someone is asking a technology question on the technology board?

fuck off samefag, noone wants to see your stupid idea

>ive been lurking since meme
Mehmet, I..

What a fucking retard you are OP, kys

you were so close :^(

you must be white and 18 to post here

Fuck off streetshitter

meh whatever.

I guess nobody likes anything on this board other than trash talking and shilling

Why do you even click on threads you have no interest in?

for the same reason you call my house representing microsoft to kindly request I install teamviewer

Woah! Another funny and creative pajeet joke!

i can't help you, but i want to say that concept of using stirling engine to cool computer parts was just as beautiful of an idea as carburetors. simple, perfect for the case scenario, flawlessly utilizing its enviroment to finish the task it should do

That's a cute as fuck concept user, thanks.

You seen a working prototype?

That's a picture from a prototype that MSI made... I wanna say about a decade ago? I'm not sure it ever made it to market.