Thermal waves induced in a thermoelectric (TE) element by periodic current pulses are studied. An analytical description is obtained in the form of a Fourier series. Different combinations of current pulses and frequencies are reviewed. The utmost performance of a TE thermal cycler is estimated.
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Abbreviations
- T(x, τ):
-
temperature (K)
- x :
-
coordinate (cm)
- τ :
-
time (s)
- τ1 < τp:
-
direct current pulse duration (s)
- τ p :
-
wave period (s)
- f = 1/τp:
-
wave frequency (Hz)
- a = λ/c:
-
thermal diffusivity (cm2/s)
- λ :
-
thermal conductivity (W/cm K)
- c :
-
specific heat (J/K cm3)
- ρ :
-
electrical resistance (Ω cm)
- α :
-
Seebeck coefficient (V/K)
- z = α2/(ρλ) :
-
figure of merit (K−1)
- ΔT max :
-
maximum stationary temperature difference (K)
- i(τ):
-
electrical current density (A/cm2)
- i1 > 0:
-
direct current pulse
- i2 < 0:
-
reversed current pulse
- l :
-
TE leg length (cm)
- G :
-
heat capacity of the attached mass per unit of junction area (J/K cm2)
- R c :
-
electrical contact resistance (Ω cm2)
- T h :
-
heat sink temperature (K)
- Tm(x):
-
mean integral temperature (K)
- ΔT(τ) = T(l, τ) − T m(l) :
-
temperature oscillation at x = l (K)
- A = T(l, 0) − T(l, τ1) :
-
temperature wave amplitude (K)
\( \omega_{n} = {\frac{\textstyle2\pi n}{\textstyle{\tau_{\rm{p}} }}};\quad \beta_{n} = \sqrt {{\frac{\textstyle{\omega_{n} }}{\textstyle2a}}} ,\quad n=1,2, 3,\ldots \)
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Semenyuk, V. Thermoelectric Heat Pump as a Thermal Cycler. J. Electron. Mater. 39, 1510–1515 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-010-1281-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-010-1281-6