The Development of a Wearable Thermoelectric System for Harvesting Electrical Energy from Waste Body Heat and Personal Cooling

Abstract

In the modern world, e-textiles are being developed to monitor human physiological behaviours. To power these e-textiles, new wearable, energy harvesting devices are being investigated. One type of energy harvesting device works through thermoelectric (TE) application or using the human body’s waste heat to generate electrical energy. TE devices are capable of harvesting electrical energy and offering cooling capabilities through the Seebeck and Peltier effects, respectively. Therefore, these devices have the potential to power medical sensors in a garment and offer temperature regulation. Current research focuses on applying TE devices to a textile instead of designing a textile around the TE system. This results in conductive materials being sewn or embroidered onto a garment with additional components to promote energy harvesting. The investigation into a single-step fabrication process which can be scaled up for manufacturing along with exploring the device’s potential longevity has not been undertaken. For personal cooling devices, researchers apply fans or Peltier devices to the garment instead of devising a structure which incorporates the TE system into the textile. This thesis investigates wearable, textile-based TE garments which are fabricated directly into the textile substrate in facile manufacturing processes using a single-step process. Knitting technology allows conductive materials to be integrated into the textile during the knitting process. To determine the efficiency and scalability of the device, mathematical models have been designed to predict the energy harvesting capabilities and cooling effect of the devices. Advanced materials-based inks are synthesised from a singular material for TE performance while being flexible and washable. Through the successful application of materials, methodology, and theory in this thesis, this research proves the capabilities of a single-step fabricated TE device with knitted conductive pathways and the potential for advanced material-based inks to be used in energy harvesting and personal cooling.

Date of Award	27 Nov 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Anura Fernando (Main Supervisor) & Wajira Mirihanage (Co Supervisor)