Study of the Power Output of a Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) Prototype in Utilizing Asphalt Heat through Variations in Copper Plate Thickness as a Heat Conductor

Ike Bayusari (Jurusan Teknik Elektro, Fakultas Teknik, Universitas Sriwijaya)
Anggun Ismeriyanti Putri (Departemen Teknik Elektro, Fakultas Teknik, Universitas Sriwijaya, Indonesia)
Ayu Soraya (Jurusan Manajemen Informatika, Politeknik Negeri Sriwijaya, Indonesia)
Caroline (Departemen Teknik Elektro, Fakultas Teknik, Universitas Sriwijaya, Indonesia)
Hermawati (Departemen Teknik Elektro, Fakultas Teknik, Universitas Sriwijaya, Indonesia)
Rahmawati (Departemen Teknik Elektro, Fakultas Teknik, Universitas Sriwijaya)

AUSTENIT
Vol. 18 No. 1 (2026): Austenit: April 2026

Asphalt, as a key infrastructure element, absorbs solar heat and can be utilized as a renewable energy source through Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) technology, which converts temperature differences into electrical energy. This study evaluates the performance of a TEG system equipped with copper plates high thermal conductivity heat conductors with varying thicknesses of 1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm. The highest average values of ∆T, voltage, current, and output power for the 1 mm copper plate were 6.12 °C, 349 mV, 2.973 A, and 1037.58 mW, respectively. For the 2 mm plate, the values were 7.39 °C, 294 mV, 3.196 mA, and 939.62 mW, while the 3 mm plate yielded 7.56 °C, 363 mV, 1.928 A, and 699.86 mW. The results suggest that the 2 mm copper plate provides the most optimal configuration to enhance TEG performance without inducing excessive thermal resistance, thereby delivering the highest overall current and power output.