Research Background
Research Background
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Research and development in thermoelectric roots from the development of materials, followed by stacking of these materials forming devices, and finally integrating them all in a complete thermoelectric power generation system.
Concept of Thermoelectrics
Concept of Thermoelectrics
Thermoelectricity is a concept referring to the generation of electricity from heat. In specific, either from the existence of a temperature difference between one side of a material and the other producing electricity or by applying an electric current through a material creating a temperature difference between its two sides.
A Brief History
A Brief History
The first part of the thermoelectric effect, the conversion of heat to electricity, was discovered in 1821 by the Estonian physicist Thomas Seebeck and was explored in more detail by French physicist Jean Peltier, and it is sometimes referred to as the Peltier-Seebeck effect.
The reverse phenomenon, where heating or cooling can be produced by running an electric current through a material, was discovered in 1851 by William Thomson, also known as Lord Kelvin (for whom the absolute Kelvin temperature scale is named), and is called the Thomson effect. The effect is caused by charge carriers within the material (either electrons, or places where an electron is missing, known as “holes”) diffusing from the hotter side to the cooler side, similarly to the way gas expands when it is heated. The thermoelectric property of a material is measured in volts per Kelvin.
Current Trends and Future Prospects
Current Trends and Future Prospects
The fundamental issue in producing efficient thermoelectric materials for application efficiency is that they need to be good at conducting electricity, but not at conducting thermal energy. At the same time, in most materials, electrical and thermal conductivity are dependent on each other, and challenging to alter. Newly introduced nano-engineered materials provide a high potential solution to that, making it possible to fine-tune the thermal and electrical properties of the material. Thermoelectirc systems are produced for the heating and cooling of a variety of things, such as car seats, food and beverage carriers, and computer chips.
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