Internal convection in thermoelectric generator models

TL;DR

This paper explores the role of internal convection in thermoelectric generators, providing new insights into energy conversion efficiency and deriving maximum power conditions considering realistic thermal coupling.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of convective thermal flux in thermoelectric models, enhancing understanding and optimization of thermoelectric energy conversion.

Findings

Convective thermal flux significantly impacts thermoelectric performance.

Derivation of maximum power condition considering internal convection.

Improved thermoelectric generator models with realistic thermal coupling.

Abstract

Coupling between heat and electrical currents is at the heart of thermoelectric processes. From a thermal viewpoint this may be seen as an additional thermal flux linked to the appearance of electrical current in a given thermoelectric system. Since this additional flux is associated to the global displacement of charge carriers in the system, it can be qualified as convective in opposition to the conductive part associated with both phonons transport and heat transport by electrons under open circuit condition, as, e.g., in the Wiedemann-Franz relation. In this article we demonstrate that considering the convective part of the thermal flux allows both new insight into the thermoelectric energy conversion and the derivation of the maximum power condition for generators with realistic thermal coupling.