• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.409-414
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• 2012

A theoretical investigation to optimize thermoelectric elements for thermoelectric coolers was performed using a new one-dimensional analytic model. Mathematical expressions for the optimum current and the optimum length of a thermoelectric element, which maximize the coefficient of performance of thermoelectric coolers, were obtained. The optimum current is expressed in terms of the cooling load for a thermoelectric element, the hot and cold side temperatures and thermoelectric properties, but not the length of a thermoelectric element. The optimum current is proportional to the cooling load and decreases as the temperature difference between the hot and cold sides decreases. It is also shown that the optimum length of a thermoelectric element decreases as the cooling load increases.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.187-193
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• 2010

This paper proposes a cooling system using thermoelectric elements for improving the output of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) modules. The temperature characteristics that improve the output of a BIPV system have rarely been studied up to now but some researchers have proposed a method using a ventilator. The efficiency of a ventilator depends mainly on the weather such as wind, irradiation etc. Because this cooling system is so sensitive to the velocity of the wind, it is unable to operate in the nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT) or the standard test condition (STC) which allow it to generate the maximum output. This paper proposes a cooling system using thermoelectric elements to solve such problems. The temperature control of thermoelectric elements can be controlled independently in an outdoor environment because it is performed by a micro-controller. In addition, it can be operated around the NOCT or the STC through an algorithm for temperature control. Therefore, the output of the system is increased and the efficiency is raised. This paper proves the validity of the proposed method by comparing the data obtained through experiments on the cooling systems of BIPV modules using a ventilator and thermoelectric elements.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.564-568
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• 1998

All elements and systems of electronics have optimum temperature conditions. A using of the thermoelectric method of cooling is the most approach for the thermal management of power electronics. An analysis of using the thermoelectric cooling and the temperature control is given as an efficient method of ensuring a work of power electronic devices in conditions of micro-miniaturization.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.1209-1215
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• 2024

In this study, fundamental research was conducted on the development of an adsorption-desorption ventilation system incorporating thermoelectric elements to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy efficiency. The experiment was conducted using a thermoelectric module and silica gel as a commonly used adsorbent to evaluate the cooling and heating effects during the adsorption and desorption process. The main experimental results show that applying 3W power to the thermoelectric module reduces the outlet air temperature and improves the adsorption efficiency, while excessive power (4-5W) reduces the adsorption efficiency due to increased heat load. Additionally, when the flow rate on the adsorption side is increased, the completion time decreases. On the other hand, if the flow rate on the desorption side is increased, the completion time is also shortened. It was confirmed that as the flow rate increases, the movement of heat and moisture generated during the adsorption and desorption process becomes faster, and the reaction progresses more quickly.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.310-317
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• 2013

To reduce vehicle fuel consumption due to not only driving but also air conditioning, battery-operated non-starting conditioning systems with thermoelectric modules and without mechanical elements like compressors are being manufactured for use by hybrid heavy trucks in the near future. In this study, the voltage and current consumed by a thermoelectric module were measured to determine the required battery power, and the performance of the conditioning system with air temperature, and humidity of the inlet/outlet modules and inside/outside the cabin for a truck, was evaluated using experimental apparatus under actual conditions. The results showed that, the thermoelectric module can be continously operated for about 1.5 h using existing 24 V batteries. The coefficent of performance(COP) of the cooling and heating modes was calculated to be an average 0.8-1.32. As expected, the heating performance was 30% more efficient than the cooling performance, which is general characteristic of thermoelectric modules.

• Journal of Urban Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2020

The thermoelectric characteristics of alkali activated slag composites containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) was investigated in the present study. Three different MWCNT contents and exposed temperatures were considered, and their thermoelectric-related properties and internal structures were analyzed. It was found that the alkali activated slag composite with MWCNT 2.0 wt.% and the exposed temperature of 150℃ were the optimal condition to obtain the highest Seebeck coefficient and power factor. Based on the feasibility study, the extended size thermoelectric module with 130 elements was fabricated, and tested the electricity production capacity. Consequently, the present thermoelectric module produced 30.83 ㎼ of electricity at ∆T=178.4℃.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.139-144
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• 2005

A rigorous research is underway in our team, for the design and development of high figure of merits (ZT= 1.5${\sim}$2.0) micro-thermoelectric coolers. This paper discusses the fabrication process that we are using for developing the $Sb_2Te_3-Bi_2Te_3$ micro-thermoelectric cooling modules. It describes how to obtain the mechanical properties of the thin film TEC elements and reports the results of an equation-based multiphysics modeling of the micro-TEC modules. In this study the thermoelectric thin films were deposited on Si substrates using co-sputtering method. The physical mechanical properties of the prepared films were measured by nanoindentation testing method while the thermal and electrical properties required for modeling were obtained from existing literature. A finite element model was developed using an equation-based multiphysics modeling by the commercial finite element code FEMLAB. The model was solved for different operating conditions. The temperature and the stress distributions in the P and N elements of the TEC as well as in the metal connector were obtained. The temperature distributions of the system obtained from simulation results showed good agreement with the analytical results existing in literature. In addition, it was found that the maximum stress in the system occurs at the bonding part of the TEC i.e. between the metal connectors and TE elements of the module.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.985-986
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• 2010

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.855-862
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• 1992

Thermoelectric power, electrical conductivity and Hall effect were measured, as functions of temperature in the range of 100 to 600 K, on polycrystalline Bi4/3Sb2/3Te3 which had been prepared via uniaxial hot-pressing at different temperatures in the range of 373 K to 773 K, aiming at searching a profitable processing route to a polycrystalline thermoelectric material, a promising, viable alternative to a single crystalline one. It was found that, with increasing temperature of pressing under a fixed pressure, the material, normally a p-type prior to being hot-pressed, underwent a transition to n-type. This transition was confirmed to be due to plastic deformation during hot-pressing and interpreted as being attributed to the change of the major ionic defect BiTe' into TeBi˙at temperature high enough for structure elements mobility. Thermoelectric figure-of-merit of the hot-pressed material was discussed in connection with the p-n transition in addition to microstructure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.682-683
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• 2006

Thermoelectric conversion efficiency of thermoelectric elements can be increased by using a structure combining n-type and p-type semiconductors. From the above point of view, attention was directed at ZnO as a candidate n-type semiconductor material and investigations were made. As the result, a dimensionless figure of merit ZT close to 0.28 (1073K) was obtained for specimens produced by the PCS (Pulse Current Sintering) method with addition of specified quantities of $TiO_2$, CoO, and $Al_2O_3$ to ZnO. It was found that the interstitial $TiO_2$ in the ZnO restrains the grain growth and CoO acts onto the bond between grains. The influence of the inclusion of $TiO_2$ and CoO onto the sintering behavior also was investigated.