Can Thermocouples Replace Steam Turbines for Nuclear Reactors?

[Kalrag]

Lately I have been doing some research on thermocouples and the steam turbine. What I have been wondering is if it is possible that the steam tubine on like a nuclear reactor could be replaced with a thermocouple to generate electricity. Could that work?

 

[mender]

Yes, but the efficiency of thermoelectric generators is very low, typically less than 10%.

 

[Kalrag]

So is there any way to make them more efficent?
and thanks

 

[Robot B9]

Yes, there are thermo-electric generator modules that use a thermocouple effect. But as Mender pointed out they are not very efficient. Could they be made better? Yes. It would be a big project and if it was easy someone would be working on it.

 

[DarioC]

Wiki thermopile.
DC

 

[Dr Lots-o'watts]

So is there any way to make them more efficent?
and thanks

Rest assured that it is an active area of condensed matter research.

 

[mender]

With what looks like promising progress, but in reality not much has changed in the last twenty years.