Mechanical and magnetic optimization of a magneto-thermoelectric generator for thermal energy harvesting

We use a physical model to optimize the mechanical and magnetic properties of a magneto-thermoelectric generator (MTG) device to improve its performance. The key to the MTG device designed for thermal energy harvesting is the use of the ferromagnetic–paramagnetic transition of Gd metal induced by a temperature difference between two heat sources. To increase the heat transfer between the Gd and the heat sources, a clamped and simply supported beam structure is proposed as an alternative to cantilevers. For the mechanical and magnetic optimization of the proposed structure, a physics model is used to develop theoretical predictions. Experiments confirmed that the MTG device operates within the predicted range.