Background
As electronics have decreased in size, the power density of electronics has increased, resulting in a need for more sophisticated thermal management technology. Solid-state compact coolers without moving parts are of interest, especially with transient thermal loads. Construction of a solid-state device that can work as a passive heat-sink for steady-state operation and then provide an active cooling system for peak loads (such as during battery charging) is of interest. The goal of this research was to investigate thermoelectric materials that would be well suited for use in such a device and evaluate their performance. During this project, I worked with a fellow graduate student to construct, test, and evaluate the device’s performance through analysis of the data collected and through the construction of computer simulations of device performance. This work was done during my time as a graduate student at The Ohio State University.
Testing
I evaluated the performance of the device by mounting it on a large copper heat sink and observing its passive and active behavior. The temperature differential between the hot and cold side of the device was measured in both modes. The current where the maximum temperature differential was attained was compared to theory. A heat load was applied at the experimentally determined optimal current to determine the maximum amount of heat that the device could pump. The transient response and the temperature profile of the device were also assessed during testing.
Outcomes
It was found that the device could increase its effective thermal conductance between its passive and active mode by an order of magnitude. The thermal response of the device and its relationship to the geometry of the legs were also determined. The information gathered would allow for the device to be engineered to fit specific thermal management problems. This project was published in Phys. Rev. App. 11 and presented at MRS 2019 in Phoenix by the graduate student I worked alongside with during the project.
This project taught me how to run scientific experiments, evaluate the performance of a device from experimentally collected data, and apply critical thinking skills to novel applications.
