A procedure is developed to assess the potential of thermoelectric mod
ules when used for electrical power generation. The generating perform
ance of a thermoelectric module is evaluated in terms of its power out
put, conversion efficiency and reliability, while the potential for im
proving its performance is investigated based upon the power-per-area,
cost-per-watt and manufacture quality factor. The methods employed in
determining these parameters are described and used to evaluate sever
al commercially available modules. The results show that a thermoelect
ric module is a promising device for low temperature waste heat recove
ry. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.