Microcontroller controlled geothermal thermoelectric generator design and applications

MICROCONTROLLER CONTROLLED GEOTHERMAL THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR DESIGN AND APPLICATION (M.Sc.Thesis) Serkan DİŞLİTAŞ GAZI UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY June 2002 ABSTRACT In this study, a microcontroller controlled thermoelectric generator design which transformed geothermal energy that is one of the renewable energy sources to directly electrical energy is designed and implemented. In the system, thermoelectric semiconductor modules are used for the energy transformation. However, electrical energy generation is obtained via Seebeck effect in the thermoelectric modules. In the thermoelectric module, heat is provied by thermal water flow and, cool by normally cold water flow. Since changeable DC voltage depending on temperature difference is obtained by the thermoelectric modules, accumulator, regulator circuit and DC/ AC converter are used in order to obtain the values 5V DC, 12V DC and 220V AC in the electrical energy. Heat control of warm surface of thermoelectric modules is provided by using solenoid valve in the thermal water inlet of this system. System control signals are arranged by using PIC16F877 microcontroller in the system. The system is quite useful to meet electrical energy needs easily, clearly and cheaply from the geothermal resources. Science Code : Key Words : Thermolectric Generator, Microcontroller, Control Page Number : 128 Adviser : Assoc. Prof. Dr. Raşit AHISKA ^KÖMAKTASYON MERKEZİ