{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,17]],"date-time":"2026-01-17T18:48:05Z","timestamp":1768675685583,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"18","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,8]],"date-time":"2021-09-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1631059200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["PTDC\/EMS-ENE\/3009\/2014"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PTDC\/EMS-ENE\/3009\/2014"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UIDB\/04077\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/04077\/2020"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UID\/Multi\/04349\/2019"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/Multi\/04349\/2019"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"M-ERA.net","award":["M-ERA-NET2\/0011\/2016"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["M-ERA-NET2\/0011\/2016"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Energies"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Industrial Waste Heat Recovery (IWHR) is one of the areas with strong potential for energy efficiency and emissions reductions in industry. Thermoelectric (TE) generators (TEGs) are among the few technologies that are intrinsically modular and can convert heat directly into electricity without moving parts, so they are nearly maintenance-free and can work unattended for long periods of time. However, most existing TEGs are only suitable for small-scale niche applications because they typically display a cost per unit power and a conversion efficiency that is not competitive with competing technologies, and they also tend to rely on rare and\/or toxic materials. Moreover, their geometric configuration, manufacturing methods and heat exchangers are often not suitable for large-scale applications. The present analysis aims to tackle several of these challenges. A module incorporating constructive solutions suitable for upscaling, namely, using larger than usual TE elements (up to 24 mm in diameter) made from affordable p-tetrahedrite and n-magnesium silicide materials, was assessed with a multiphysics tool for conditions typical of IWHR. Geometric configurations optimized for efficiency, power per pair and power density, as well as an efficiency\/power balanced solution, were extracted from these simulations. A balanced solution provided 0.62 kWe\/m2 with a 3.9% efficiency. Good prospects for large-scale IWHR with TEGs are anticipated if these figures could be replicated in a real-world application and implemented with constructive solutions suitable for large-scale systems.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/en14185655","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,8]],"date-time":"2021-09-08T21:28:45Z","timestamp":1631136525000},"page":"5655","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Analysis and Design of a Silicide-Tetrahedrite Thermoelectric Generator Concept Suitable for Large-Scale Industrial Waste Heat Recovery"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0252-9413","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"F. P.","family":"Brito","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center (MEtRICs), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Campus Azur\u00e9m, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"},{"name":"Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Jo\u00e3o Silva","family":"Peixoto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center (MEtRICs), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Campus Azur\u00e9m, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2163-8030","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jorge","family":"Martins","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center (MEtRICs), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Campus Azur\u00e9m, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2640-3038","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ant\u00f3nio P.","family":"Gon\u00e7alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies (C2TN), Department of Nuclear Sciences and Engineering, Instituto Superior Tecnico, University of Lisbon, Estrada Nacional 10, km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0850-2369","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Loucas","family":"Louca","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, 1 Panepistimiou Ave, 2109 Aglantzia, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus"}]},{"given":"Nikolaos","family":"Vlachos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Alter Eco Solutions Ltd., C Thermaikou 2, Strovolos, Nicosia 2043, Cyprus"}]},{"given":"Theodora","family":"Kyratsi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, 1 Panepistimiou Ave, 2109 Aglantzia, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (2018). Data Based on DOE\/IEA MER, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"268","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tsep.2018.04.017","article-title":"Waste heat recovery technologies and applications","volume":"6","author":"Jouhara","year":"2018","journal-title":"Therm. Sci. Eng. Prog."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Goldsmid, H.J. 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