Performance Improvement of Flexible Thermoelectric Device: FEM-Based Simulation |
| |
Authors: | K Shimizu Y Takase M Takeda |
| |
Affiliation: | (1) Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, 1603-1 Kamitomiokamachi, Nagaoka Niigata, 940-2188, Japan |
| |
Abstract: | Possibilities for improving the performance of the flexible thermoelectric (TE) device were discussed on the basis of heat
conduction analysis by the finite element method. The flexible TE device consists of two flexible substrates and thin films
of n- and p-type TE materials placed between the substrates. To enhance the device performance, the use of higher-performance TE materials
and improvement of the flexible substrate will be effective. In the present study, the effect of the thermal conductivity
of the materials used in the device on the output voltage was examined. The calculations indicated that there is a certain
combination of thermal conductivities of the components which gives the maximum output voltage. Although a lower thermal conductivity
of the TE material leads to higher output voltage, influence of the thermal conductivity on the maximum voltage was not significant
under the condition of the present study. As a result, it is effective to improve device performance by choosing an appropriate
combination of TE material and substrate material. According to the calculations, approximately 60% increase in output voltage
is expected compared with that of the present combination of materials used in the prototype device. |
| |
Keywords: | Flexible thermoelectric device low-temperature waste heat recovery RF magnetron sputtering finite element method (FEM) |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|