Different-sized thermoelectric cooler modules operated by a thermoelectric generator system

Abstract

This study produced a numerically optimum design of a mini refrigerator with a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) powered by a thermoelectric generator (TEG) system in a turbocharged tractor. The effect of the cross-sectional areas of the thermocouples constituting the TEC on the energy transformation from electricity to thermal was examined. Analyses were performed for five different modules; the p- and n-type thermocouple numbers of each of these were also the same. Thus, the effect of the distance between thermocouples on the performance of the TEC module could be determined. This is the significance of the current study for the literature. The results of the analysis using the Ansys-Thermal-Electric software were for one TEC module of each different size. According to the results of the numerical analysis, the increase in electric current in the TB-127-1.2-1.3 module was 42% compared to the TB-127-1.0-1.3 commercial module. Moreover, the cooling power of the TB-127-1.2-1.3 module was 42.72% higher than the cooling power of the TB-127-1.0-1.3 commercial module. The electrical power requirement of the TEC modules, except for the TB-127-1.1-1.3 and TB-127-1.2-1.3 TEC modules, could be met with all the TEG modules at an outdoor temperature of 30 & DEG;C.