A thermoelectric generation-cooling system for enhancing heat dissipation: Optimization by Taguchi method with/without Thomson effect

• Self-powered TEG-TEC system enables simultaneous cooling and energy harvesting. • The Taguchi method is used to optimize four key design parameters efficiently. • Achieved maximum heat dissipation of 53.91 W, far surpassing standalone TEG. • COP increased dramatically, reaching up to 50.38 in the optimal configuration. • Predictions without the Thomson effect overestimate performance by 45%. Efficient thermal management is essential for the performance and reliability of compact energy and electronic systems. This study proposes a self-powered thermoelectric generation-cooling (TEG-TEC) system that integrates a thermoelectric generator (TEG) with a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) to enhance heat dissipation using only available waste heat. The TEG converts part of the temperature difference into electrical power that directly drives the TEC, eliminating the need for external electricity. A Taguchi-based three-dimensional numerical model is employed to optimize four design factors: TEC thermoelectric couples, heat-transfer surface area, element length, and convection coefficient, each at four levels. An L16 orthogonal array requires only 16 simulations to explore the design space. Under the prescribed thermal boundary conditions, the optimized configuration achieves a maximum cooling capacity of 53.91 W, whereas a standalone TEG module delivers only 0.99 W. The internal power-amplification coefficient of performance, defined as COP P = Q C , T E G / P TEG , reaches 50.38 for the best self-powered loop. In addition, the maximum thermal stress in the TEG module is reduced from 957.46 MPa in the standalone case to 936.69 MPa with the coupled TEG-TEC configuration, improving mechanical reliability. The Thomson effect reduces cooling performance by approximately 45%, underscoring the importance of incorporating Thomson heating into accurate TEG-TEC modeling. The proposed TEG-TEC configuration thus provides a compact, energy-efficient solution for low-load, space-constrained cooling while conceptually bridging waste-heat-driven power generation and active thermoelectric cooling.