Semiconductor thermoelectric generator technology is a new type of power generation technology. The use of semiconductor thermoelectric power generation technology for automobile exhaust heat recovery and utilization can effectively improve energy efficiency. In this study, a test system is set up to simulate the automobile exhaust, and the effect of core flow heat-transfer enhancement on the performance of the thermoelectric generator is investigated using thermoelectric module Bi2Te3 to recover the waste heat from automobile exhaust and convert it into electrical energy. The results show that filling foam metal can significantly improve the performance of the generator. The convective heat-transfer coefficient of the channel increases by four times, and the output power of the thermoelectric generator is doubled when the intake flow rate is 120 m(3)/h, the inlet temperature is 300 degrees C, the pore density of the foam metal is 20 pores per inch, and the filling rate of the foam metal is 75%. In addition, the improvement in the performance of the generator is different under different intake air flows, different foam-metal filling rates, and different pore densities. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.