From Waste toWatts: A Self-Sustaining Water Heating System Powered by a Thermoelectric Generator

This paper presents a novel retrofit solution to address the energy crisis in developing nations by enhancing the energy efficiency of residential water heaters. At the heart of this system is the integration of a Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) into an existing Intelligent Thermal Controller, leveraging the Seebeck effect to transform waste heat into usable electricity which powers the Intelligent Thermal Controller. The system uses a Perturbation and Observation (P&O) Maximum Power Point Tracking algorithm, optimizing the operational efficiency of the TEG. This innovation considerably extends the thermal controller's lifespan, transforming it into a completely self-sustaining system, independent of any external power sources. A comprehensive model of the system, developed and simulated using MATLAB Simulink, has demonstrated successful real-world application. This TEG-focused solution is particularly beneficial in regions with intermittent access to electricity.