A Simple Thermoelectric Device for Batch Distillation

Phase-change operations are enormously important in many industrial processes, such as chemical processing, fuel refining, and water purification. Energy integration strategies are common in distillation, where energy removed in the condenser is recovered and sent to the boiler, reducing the energy demand in the boiler. With the goal of ultimately increasing energy recovery in distillation processes, a novel thermoelectric distillation apparatus was developed in this work. We hope ultimately to exploit the inherent efficiency of thermoelectric devices to enhance or possibly replace traditional methods of heat management within the distillation process. The apparatus allows for the measurement of performance coefficients of thermoelectric devices for potential use as heat-pumping devices in condensers and reboilers. Coefficients of performance (COP) were determined for methanol and water to characterize the effectiveness and efficiency of the design. COPs were found to be near unity for both substances, regardless of volume and power levels, indicating an average energy loss of about 10%.