Geometric design optimization and application of three-stage segmented thermoelectric generators in heat pipe reactor

With the increasing global demand for environmentally friendly electricity generation, thermoelectric generators have garnered significant attention due to their ability to directly generate electricity from temperature differentials without combustion or moving parts, making them clean and reliable. When combined with nuclear energy, a clean power source, thermoelectric generators can form compact and silent nuclear power systems with high energy density. Therefore, this work proposes the concept of a heat pipe cooled reactor integrated with three-stage segmented thermoelectric generators, named NUSTER. First, the three-stage STEG was geometrically optimized for use in a heat pipe reactor, achieving a conversion efficiency of 15.78% at a hot-side temperature of 1050 K. Next, a multiphysics simulation model integrating neutronic, thermal, and electrical fields was established in COMSOL to analyze the coupled behavior of NUSTER. The results show that NUSTER can achieve an overall conversion efficiency of 12.08%. Finally, safety analyses were performed to assess NUSTER's performance under representative accident scenarios, including thermoelectric circuit failures, reactivity insertion, and heat pipe failures.