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Experimental Validation of the Optimum Design of an Automotive Air-to-Air Thermoelectric Air Conditioner (TEAC)

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Abstract

The optimization of thermoelectric air conditioners (TEAC) has been a challenging topic due to the multitude of variables that must be considered. The present work discusses an experimental validation of the optimum design for an automotive air-to-air TEAC. The TEAC optimum design was obtained by using a new optimal design method with dimensional analysis that has been recently developed. The design constraints were obtained through a previous analytical study on the same topic. To simplify the problem, a unit cell representing the entire TEAC system was analytically simulated and experimentally tested. Moreover, commercial TEC modules and heat sinks were selected and tested based on the analytical optimum design results.

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Abbreviations

A e :

Cross-sectional area of thermoelement (mm2)

A b :

Total base area of thermoelectric air conditioner (mm2)

A c :

Total fin surface area of cold-side heat sink (mm2)

A h :

Total fin surface area of hot-side heat sink (mm2)

A UC :

Unit cell base area (mm2)

COP:

Coefficient of performance

c p :

Specific heat (J/kg K)

G e :

Thermocouple geometric ratio

H :

Total height of thermoelectric air conditioner (mm)

h :

Heat transfer coefficient of the fluid (W/m2 K)

I :

Electric current (A)

L :

Total length of thermoelectric air conditioner (mm)

L c :

Unit cell cold-side length (mm)

L e :

Length of thermoelement (mm)

L h :

Unit cell hot-side length (mm)

k :

Thermoelement thermal conductivity (W/m K), k = k p  + k n

n :

Number of thermocouples

\( n_{\rm{c}} \) :

Number of fins for the cold-side heat sink

\( n_{\rm{h}} \) :

Number of fins for the hot-side heat sink

N k :

Dimensionless thermal conductance, N k  = n(A e k/L e)/η h h h A h

N h :

Dimensionless convection, N h  = η c h c A c/η h h h A h

N I :

Dimensionless current, N I  = αI/(A e k/L e)

Q c :

Total cooling power from thermoelectric air conditioner (W)

P in :

Total input power for thermoelectric air conditioner (W)

\( {\hbox{PD}} \) :

Power density (W/cm2)

R :

Electrical resistance of a thermocouple (Ω)

Re:

Fluid Reynolds number

T c :

Cold-junction temperature (°C)

T h :

Hot-junction temperature (°C)

T ∞c :

Cold-fluid temperature (°C)

T ∞h :

Hot-fluid temperature (°C)

ΔT :

Thermoelectric temperature different (°C)

ΔT cooling :

Cold air temperature inlet–outlet (°C)

t c :

Cold-side air fin thickness

t h :

Hot-side air fin thickness

V h :

Hot fluid volume flow rate (L/min for liquid, CFM for air)

W :

Total width of thermoelectric air conditioner (mm)

Z :

Figure of merit (1/K) = α 2/ρk

z c :

Fin spacing for the cold-side air (mm)

z h :

Fin spacing for the hot-side air (mm)

α :

Seebeck coefficient (V/K), α = α p  − α n

ρ :

Electrical resistivity (Ω cm), ρ = ρ p  + ρ n

φ :

Aluminum block thermal resistance (K/W)

η c :

Fin efficiency of cold-side heat sink

η h :

Fin efficiency of hot-side heat sink

c:

Cold

e:

Thermoelement

h:

Hot

p :

p-Type element

n :

n-Type element

m:

Measured

opt.:

Optimal quantity

UC:

Unit cell

*:

Dimensionless

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008-5343, USA

    Alaa Attar, HoSung Lee & Sean Weera

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia

    Alaa Attar

Authors
  1. Alaa Attar
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  2. HoSung Lee
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  3. Sean Weera
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Correspondence to Alaa Attar.

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Attar, A., Lee, H. & Weera, S. Experimental Validation of the Optimum Design of an Automotive Air-to-Air Thermoelectric Air Conditioner (TEAC). J. Electron. Mater. 44, 2177–2185 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-015-3750-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-015-3750-4

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