DIY thermoelectric generator. Free electricity from the oven

The article Electricity is generated by a wood-burning stoveOne reader wrote that 70 years ago in the USSR there were thermoelectric generators based on thermocouples (heated by a kerosene lamp), which powered tube receivers in rural areas. In the early 50s. in remote villages, electricity was not available everywhere. The production of such a thermoelectric generator was established:

Thermogenerator "TGK-3" and its description on the third slide. There were no Peltier (Seebeck) elements then. And, as they write, they are afraid of overheating.

Scan from an old magazine:

I found several photos, which show in detail the device of the thermogenerator:

Thermocouples were located along the perimeter of the aluminum tube with channels. One edge of them was heated by hot air escaping from a kerosene lamp, and on the other were radiators (U-shaped plates). The thermocouple is made of two metals. ThermoEMF appeared. The elements were connected in series and in parallel to obtain the required voltage and current values.

In the TGK-2-2 version, the voltage reached 120 V, but at a lower current. And there were two voltage outputs: for powering the filament of the radio tubes and for their anodes. Because elements were connected in series, the reliability of the system was low.

A few more photos of the device of the inside of the thermogenerator:

Someone disassembled the device and shared photos.

Each thermocouple is insulated from each other with asbestos fabric for better electrical and thermal insulation. Mica was also used. Serial connection of all elements and obtaining a higher voltage made it possible to get rid of the bulky voltage converter (3 kg), which was obligatory for TGK-3.

More details about the design of TGK-3 and TGK-2-2 thermogenerators can be found on this website: http://oldradio.cqham.ru/kolxoz.html

As you can see, until recently, the Soviet industry produced simple devices that allow you to have an autonomous and mobile power supply (for powering electrical appliances and some lighting lamps). This principle could be adapted for the oven as well. I think production was curtailed due to low demand (electrification of the country ended).

But now for fishermen and hunters such a device would be just a godsend! Can you do it yourself? In a comment in a previous article, the same reader pointed out that a thermocouple can be made by hand. This requires a wire with opposite thermoEMF. Bismuth and iron are most suitable for this.

To make sure that even a small twist and solder of a wire of two different metals generates electricity when heated - in the video:

You just need to sum up the voltage and current, using several hundred of these "elements":

For the thermocouple, copper and constantan wire (an alloy of copper and nickel) is used here. For some reason, nickel wire has lower thermoEMF values.

But iron wire is better, which is cheaper and can be purchased just as freely. I think a knitting wire for reinforcement with a diameter of 1.2 mm is suitable:

It is more difficult with bismuth. The wire is not cheap. This metal in ingots (ingots) has a cost of up to 2000 rubles / kg. And already wire - up to 5000 rubles / kg.

Bismuth wire can be purchased, for example, here: https://redmetsplav.ru/store/vismut/rossiyskie-splavy-2/vismut-l68/provoloka-vismutovaya-l68

Next, you need to weld two pieces of iron and bismuth wire into a thermocouple. A device for spot electric spark welding is required. There are many schemes and designs on the Internet how to make it (from the magazines "Young Technician" and "Modelist-Constructor"). Easier to buy on aliexpress:

Powered by 18650 rechargeable batteries. Having made several hundred thermocouples, you need to solve the following problem: how and where to place them so that they do not deform. Let's apply this solution - take an old automobile catalyst. It is ceramic with many holes. You need a large honeycomb catalyst:

Fragments of catalysts can be sold to you in specialized car services. But they are being bought up to produce palladium. At what price - I don't know.

Install a thermocouple in each hole, remove the contacts and solder this "matrix" to obtain the desired voltage and current.

We put it on the stove when it is heated - and our device will generate electricity, which should be enough to power an LED lamp, a charger (via a voltage stabilizer).

As you can see from the text, this is just a theory. So far, no one (and the author himself) has collected this. But if this scheme worked in the 50s. last century, it can be repeated now.

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Photo taken from open sources, from Yandex. Pictures

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