Multi-Physics Numerical Simulation of Thermoelectric Devices

Abstract

To optimize the performance of a thermoelectric device for a specific application, the device should be uniquely designed for the application. Achieving an optimum design requires accurate measurements and credible analysis to evaluate the performance of the device and its relationship with the device parameters. To do that, we designed, fabricated, and tested four devices based on Bi 2 Te 3 and Sb 2 Te 3 . To evaluate the accuracy of our analysis, experimental measurements were compared with the numerical simulation performed using COMSOL TM . The two sets of results were found to be in full agreement. This is a proof of the accuracy of our experimental measurements and the credibility of our simulation. The study shows that testing or simulating the devices without heat sink will lead to skewed results. This is because the junction will not hold its temperatures value, but will, instead, automatically change its value to the direction of thermal equilibrium. The study shows also that there is no reciprocity between the input and the output characteristics of the devices. Therefore, a device optimized for cooling and heating may not be automatically optimized for energy harvesting. For heating and cooling, temperature sensitivity should be optimized; while for energy harvesting, voltage sensitivity should be optimized. Using heat sink, our devices achieved a voltage sensitivity of 187.77 μ V/K and a temperature sensitivity of 6.12 K/mV.