Thermoelectric internal current loops inside inhomogeneous systems

TL;DR

This paper investigates how inhomogeneities in thermoelectric materials can induce internal currents that affect thermal conductance, providing insights into electrothermal effects in composite systems.

Contribution

It demonstrates the emergence of internal thermoelectric currents due to material inhomogeneities and analyzes their impact on thermal conductance and electrothermal phenomena.

Findings

Inhomogeneities cause internal electrical currents in thermoelectric systems.

Internal currents increase the effective thermal conductance.

Discussion of electrothermal effects in bipolar semiconductors.

Abstract

Considering a system composed of two different thermoelectric modules electrically and thermally connected in parallel, we demonstrate that the inhomogeneities of the thermoelectric properties of the materials may cause the appearance of an electrical current, which develops inside the system. We show that this current increases the effective thermal conductance of the whole system. We also discuss the significance of a recent finding concerning a reported new electrothermal effect in inhomogeneous bipolar semiconductors, in light of our results.