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Analysis of the Performance of Thermoelectric Modules Under Concentrated Radiation Heat Flux

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Abstract

The concentration of solar radiation by either a lens or a mirror is one of the options for practical utilisation of light to obtain higher temperatures. However, it is difficult to maintain high temperatures on the hot side of the module due to solar diurnal motion. This study evaluates the influence of the thermoelectric (TE) output by optical light concentration. Three-dimensional partial differential equations describing heat balance and TE phenomena were simultaneously solved by applying numerical methods, and the temperature distribution in the whole TE module as well as the current density were simulated. It was shown that the three models of light concentration on a single TE module (BiTe-based, four legs having dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm × 10 mm) generate a similar output in the external load. This happens because the long leg becomes a large thermal resistance, and because the alumina plate (1 mm thick) with a high thermal conductivity covers the top of the TE modules. The homogenised temperature at the hot junctions generates a similar output in all three models when the cold terminals were kept at constant temperature.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Xiang-ning Meng at Northeastern University, China, Dr. Ryoji Funahashi at AIST Kansai, Japan, Dr. Shungo Natsui and Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Fitzner at Hokkaido University, for their kind advices. The program used here was originally coded by Dr. Min Chen at Aalborg University, Denmark, and Mr. Takeyuki Fujisaka at Hokkaido University (now at Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Co., Japan). It was modified to adjust with this paper. This work is financially supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research (JSPS, Nos. 26630490 and 24656574).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita-13, Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8628, Japan

    Ryosuke O. Suzuki, Keita O. Ito & Sae Oki

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  1. Ryosuke O. Suzuki
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  2. Keita O. Ito
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  3. Sae Oki
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Correspondence to Ryosuke O. Suzuki.

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Suzuki, R. ., Ito, K. . & Oki, S. Analysis of the Performance of Thermoelectric Modules Under Concentrated Radiation Heat Flux. J. Electron. Mater. 45, 1827–1835 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-015-4237-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-015-4237-z

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