Thermoelectric temperature control

It has been suggested that this article be merged with Thermoelectric cooling. (Discuss) Proposed since February 2025.

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Thermoelectric effect

Principles

* Thermoelectric effect
* Seebeck effect
* Peltier effect
* Thomson effect
* Seebeck coefficient
* Ettingshausen effect
* Nernst effect

Applications

* Thermoelectric materials
* Thermocouple
* Thermopile
* Thermoelectric cooling
* Thermoelectric generator
* Radioisotope thermoelectric generator
* Automotive thermoelectric generator

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Thermoelectric temperature control is the use of the thermoelectric effect, specifically the Peltier effect, to heat or cool materials by applying an electrical current across them.[1] A typical Peltier cell absorbs heat on one side and produces heat on the other.[1] Because of this, Peltier cells can be used for temperature control.[1] However, the currently use of this effect for air conditioning on a large scale (for homes or commercial buildings) is rare due to its low efficiency and high cost relative to other options.[1]

Figure 1. Energy balance of a Peltier cell based heat pump

## Peltier cell heat pump

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A typical Peltier cell based heat pump can be used by coupling the thermoelectric generators with photovoltaic air cooled panels as defined in the PhD thesis of Alexandra Thedeby.[2] Considering the system with an air plant that ensures the possibility of heating on one side and cooling on the other.[3] By changing the configuration it allows both winter and summer acclimatization.[4] These elements are expected to be an effective element for zero-energy buildings, if coupled with solar thermal energy and photovoltaic[5] with particular reference to create radiant heat pumps on the walls of a building.[6]

It must be remarked that this acclimatization method ensures the ideal efficiency during summer cooling if coupled with a photovoltaic generator. The air circulation could be also used for cooling the temperature of PV modules.

The most important engineering requirement is the accurate design of heat sinks[7] to optimize the heat exchange and minimize the fluiddynamic losses.

## Thermodynamic parameters

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The efficiency can be determined by the following relation:

η = T C − T H T C {\displaystyle \eta ={\frac {T_{C}-T_{H}}{T_{C}}}}

where  T C {\displaystyle T_{C}} is the temperature of the cooling surface and  T H {\displaystyle T_{H}} is the temperature of the heating surface.

The key energy phenomena and the reason of defining a specific use of thermoelectric elements (Figure 1) as heat pump resides in the energy fluxes that those elements allow realizing:[8][9]

* Conductive power  Q ˙ L {\displaystyle {\dot {Q}}_{L}} :  Q ˙ L = L d S ( T H − T C ) {\displaystyle {\dot {Q}}_{L}={\frac {L}{d}}S(T_{H}-T_{C})}
* Heat flux on the cold side  Q ˙ C {\displaystyle {\dot {Q}}_{C}} :  Q ˙ C = α I T C − I 2 R 2 − k d A Δ T {\displaystyle {\dot {Q}}_{C}=\alpha IT_{C}-{\frac {I^{2}R}{2}}-{\frac {k}{d}}A\Delta T}
* Heat flux on the hot side  Q ˙ H {\displaystyle {\dot {Q}}_{H}} :  Q ˙ H = α I T C + I 2 R 2 − k d S Δ T {\displaystyle {\dot {Q}}_{H}=\alpha IT_{C}+{\frac {I^{2}R}{2}}-{\frac {k}{d}}S\Delta T}
* Electric power  E ˙ E L {\displaystyle {\dot {E}}_{EL}} :  E ˙ E L = α I T C + I 2 R {\displaystyle {\dot {E}}_{EL}=\alpha IT_{C}+I^{2}R}

Where the following terms are used:  Δ T = T H − T C {\displaystyle \Delta T=T_{H}-T_{C}} ,  I {\displaystyle I} electric current; α Seebeck coefficient; R electric resistance, S surface area, d cell thickness, and k thermal conductivity.

The efficiencies of the system are:

1. Cooling efficiency:  η C = Q C ˙ E ˙ E L {\displaystyle \eta _{C}={\frac {\dot {Q_{C}}}{{\dot {E}}_{EL}}}}
2. Heating efficiency:  η H = Q H ˙ E ˙ E L {\displaystyle \eta _{H}={\frac {\dot {Q_{H}}}{{\dot {E}}_{EL}}}}

COP can be calculated according to Cannistraro.[10]

## Final uses

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Thermoelectric heat pumps can be easily used for both local acclimatization for removing local discomfort situations.[11] For example, thermoelectric ceilings are today in an advanced research stage[12] with the aim of increasing indoor comfort conditions according to Fanger,[13] such as the ones that may appear in presence of large glassed surfaces, and for small building acclimatization if coupled with solar systems.[14][15]

Those systems have the key importance in the direction of new zero emissions passive building because of a very high COP value[16] and the following high performances by an accurate exergy optimization of the system.[17]

At industrial level thermoelectric acclimatization appliances are actually under development[18]

## References

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1. ^ a b c d L. E. (2008). Cooling, heating, generating power, and recovering waste heat with thermoelectric systems. Science, 321(5895), 1457-1461. http://engin1000.pbworks.com/f/TE_rev.pdf
2. ^ Alexandra Thedeby, Heating and Cooling with Solar Powered Peltier Elements, Ms. Thesis, Department of Energy Planning, Division of Efficient Energy Systems, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University http://www.ees.energy.lth.se/fileadmin/ees/Publikationer/2014/Ex5308-AlexandraThedeby-HeatingAndCoolingWithSolarPoweredPeltierElements....pdf
3. ^ Martín-Gómez, C., Ibáñez-Puy, M., Bermejo-Busto, J., Sacristán Fernández, J. A., Ramos, J. C., & Rivas, A. (2016). Thermoelectric cooling heating unit prototype. Building Services Engineering Research and Technology, 37(4), 431-449. [1]
4. ^ Yilmazoglu, M. Z. (2016). Experimental and numerical investigation of a prototype thermoelectric heating and cooling unit. Energy and Buildings, 113, 51-60. [2]
5. ^ Liu, Z., Zhang, L., Gong, G., Li, H., & Tang, G. (2015). Review of solar thermoelectric cooling technologies for use in zero energy buildings. Energy and Buildings, 102, 207-216. [3]
6. ^ Khire, R. A., Messac, A., & Van Dessel, S. (2005). Design of thermoelectric heat pump unit for active building envelope systems. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 48(19-20), 4028-4040. https://messac.expressions.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Messac_2005_JHMT_ABE.pdf
7. ^ Trancossi, M., Pascoa, J. (2020). Design of ventilated cross flow heat sinks. Modelling, Measurement and Control C, Vol. 79, No. 3, pp. 90-97. https://doi.org/10.18280/mmc_c.790305
8. ^ Jugsujinda, S., Voraud, A., & Seetawan, T. (2011). Analyzing of thermoelectric refrigerator performance. Procedia Engineering, 8, 154-159. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/251716178_Analyzing_of_Thermoelectric_Refrigerator_Performance
9. ^ Goldsmid, H. J. (2016). Theory of Thermoelectric Refrigeration and Generation. In Introduction to Thermoelectricity (pp. 9-24). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
10. ^ Cannistraro M. and Trancossi M., (2018) Indoor comfort in presence radiant exchanges with insolated glassed walls and local acclimatization to increase indoor comfort conditions, Italian Journal of Engineering Science: Tecnica Italiana, Vol. 61+1, pp. 27-35.[4]
11. ^ Cannistraro G, Cannistraro M, Restivo R. (2015). The local media radiant temperature for the calculation of comfort in areas characterized by radiant surfaces. IJHT 33: 115-122. http://iieta.org/sites/default/files/Journals/IJHT/33.2_13.pdf
12. ^ Lertsatitthanakorn, C., Wiset, L., & Atthajariyakul, S. (2009). Evaluation of the thermal comfort of a thermoelectric ceiling cooling panel (TE-CCP) system. Journal of electronic materials, 38(7), 1472-1477. [5]
13. ^ P.O. Fanger, Thermal Comfort Analysis and Application in Environmental Engineering (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1972) https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/19722700268
14. ^ Le Pierrès N, Cosnier M, Luo L, Fraisse G. (2008).Coupling of thermoelectric modules with a photovoltaic panel for air pre‐heating and pre‐cooling application; an annual simulation. International Journal of Energy Research 32(14): 1316-1328. [6]
15. ^ Trancossi M., Kay J., Cannistraro M., (2018) Peltier cells based acclimatization system for a container passive building, Italian Journal of Engineering Science: Tecnica Italiana Vol. 61+1, No. 2, December, 2018, pp. 90-96 http://iieta.org/sites/default/files/Journals/IJES/61+1.02_06.pdf
16. ^ Zhang, X., & Zhao, L. D. (2015). Thermoelectric materials: Energy conversion between heat and electricity. Journal of Materiomics, 1(2), 92-105. [7]
17. ^ Trancossi, M., Cannistraro, G., & Pascoa, J. (2020). Thermoelectric and solar heat pump use toward self sufficient buildings: The case of a container house. Thermal Science and Engineering Progress, 18, 100509. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339429358_Thermoelectric_and_solar_heat_pump_use_toward_self_sufficient_buildings_The_case_of_a_container_house
18. ^ Marlow - PRIMARY USES FOR THERMOELECTRIC MODULES https://www.marlow.com/resources/thermoelectric-technology-guide/ii-tem-primary-uses

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