热电制冷原理与结构设计分析.pdfVIP

SectionG

Thermoelectric

Refrigeration

Introduction

H.J.

UniversityofNewSouthWa,

Australia

Thebasicbuildingblockofathermoelectricrefrigeratoristhethermocouple,whichconsistsofa

positiveandneivebranch.Itisusuallyconvenientforthetwobranchestobeofrectangular

crosssectionandofthesamelength.Strictly,whenthelengthsareequal,thecross-sectionalareas

A,andofthebranchesshouldsatisfytherelationship:

whereandhrepresentelectricalresistivityandthermalconductivity,respectively.However,at

ordinarytemperatures,andhareofcomparablevalueforthepositiveandneivematerialsand,

therefore,itisusualforA,andA,,tobenominallyequal.

TheratiowhereListhelength,foreachthermoelementisdeterminedbytheelectriccur-

rentthatistobepassed.Inprinciple,anyrequiredcoolingpowercanbereachedusingasingle

coupleifitscross-sectionalareaislargeenoughbutthismightinvolveanimpracticablylargecur-

rent.Thus,inpractice,anumberofthermocouparelinkedtogether,thermallyinparalleland

electricallyinseries,soastoformwhatisknownasathermoelectricmodule.Thelinksareformed

bystripsofmetallicconductorwhichmustbethickenoughsoasnottoofferanysignificant

electricalresistance.Ononefaceofthemodulethemetallicstripsareinthermalcontactwiththe

heatsourcewhileattheotherfacetheyareinc