Abstract

This paper presents a mathematical model and numerical simulation of a thermoelectric conversion system based on a coaxial heat exchanger, with an emphasis on energy dissipation phenomena. The model consists of a coupled system of nonlinear partial differential equations describing heat transfer through convection, conduction and interfacial exchanges in four domains: the working fluid, separating wall, natural gas and insulating layer. Structural dissipativity constraints are introduced to ensure thermodynamic consistency and capture irreversible losses. A finite element discretization in space combined with a Crank-Nicolson time-stepping scheme is used to compute the evolution of the temperature fields. Numerical simulations demonstrate the impact of dissipative effects on the system’s total energy and stability. The results offer valuable insights for optimizing the design and efficiency of thermal energy systems under realistic operating conditions.

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