Comparative study of maximum power point tracking algorithms for thermoelectric generators

Variations in load and temperature can cause a thermoelectric generator (TEG) to operate at a voltage that does not produce the maximum possible power for a given temperature difference. Therefore a maximum power point tracker (MPPT) is used to force the generator to a voltage that produces maximum power. This paper uses a digital signal processor (DSP) controlled boost converter to assess and compare the performance of several MPPT algorithms when used with a TEG. As a result, the fractional short circuit method has shown promise as a suitable MPPT algorithm for a TEG subjected to steady state conditions.