A survey on waste heat recovery: Electric power generation and potential prospects within Pakistan

Waste heat recovery system plays a pivotal role for heat extractions in every energy consuming sector. Thermo-Electric Module converts this waste heat into useful work done as “electric energy”. Electric energy thus produced possesses many promissory benefits, such as: (a) energy storage in DC batteries, (b) running various loads in residential, commercial and industrial sector, (c) exporting power to grid, thus earning valuable revenues, (d) maintain economic growth of plant, and (e) environment friendly system. Recently, among various renewable energy technologies, Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) is paid much consideration in commercial, residential, and industrial sectors. In past decade, a number of WHR technologies are developed and improved. In this paper, relevant research works are reviewed regarding existing technologies of WHR. Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) is one of extensively emerging WHR technique among existing technologies. TEG with promising features, such as: simpler structure, vast scalability, solid state operation, the absence of toxic residuals, a long life span of reliable operation, no noise or vibration, and lack of chemical reaction or moving parts. Basic principle of TEG with its series and parallel arrangement for voltage and current enhancement is also reviewed. Our work described a standalone thermoelectric module generate 1–125 W whose modular arrangement produces ~5 kW and the wattage improvement is defendant on array size. The potential application of TEG in various applications are comprehensively discussed and described. A detailed description to Pakistan energy status and WHR potential especially in Cement Industry is assessed in this survey. Finally, the TEGs model in Matlab/SimScape for direct heat energy harvesting with DC/DC converter is simulated, as a case study of “Officer Colony, Abbottabad, Pakistan”.