Hu Xiaokai, Yamamoto Atsushi, Ohta Michihiro, Nishiate Hirotaka
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Energy Technology Research Institute, 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan.
Rev Sci Instrum. 2015 Apr;86(4):045103. doi: 10.1063/1.4916545.
Thermoelectric efficiency measurements were carried out on n-type bismuth telluride legs with the hot-side temperature at 100 and 150°C. The electric power and heat flow were measured individually. Water coolant was utilized to maintain the cold-side temperature and to measure heat flow out of the cold side. Leg length and vacuum pressure were studied in terms of temperature difference across the leg, open-circuit voltage, internal resistance, and heat flow. Finite-element simulation on thermoelectric generation was performed in COMSOL Multiphysics, by inputting two-side temperatures and thermoelectric material properties. The open-circuit voltage and resistance were in good agreement between the measurement and simulation. Much larger heat flows were found in measurements, since they were comprised of conductive, convective, and radiative contributions. Parasitic heat flow was measured in the absence of bismuth telluride leg, and the conductive heat flow was then available. Finally, the maximum thermoelectric efficiency was derived in accordance with the electric power and the conductive heat flow.
在热端温度为100℃和150℃的情况下，对n型碲化铋腿进行了热电效率测量。分别测量了电功率和热流。使用水冷剂来维持冷端温度并测量从冷端流出的热流。从腿两端的温差、开路电压、内阻和热流方面研究了腿长和真空压力。在COMSOL Multiphysics中通过输入两侧温度和热电材料特性进行了热电发电的有限元模拟。测量值和模拟值之间的开路电压和电阻吻合良好。在测量中发现热流要大得多，因为它们包括传导、对流和辐射的贡献。在没有碲化铋腿的情况下测量了寄生热流，然后得到了传导热流。最后，根据电功率和传导热流得出了最大热电效率。
