RT Journal Article
T1 Phase change material thermoelectric generator
A1 Armenta Deu, Carlos
AB This paper aims to study and analyze a new Peltier cell layout using a PCM in biphasic mode, with the liquid phase encapsulating the p-n junctions and the solid one playing the role of heat sink. The selected PCM is an organic compound that operates within a temperature range corresponding to the melting process. The phase change zone encompasses the working temperature of the Peltier cell, avoiding thermal gradient variation across the cell section and maintaining the operating conditions and the cell efficiency. PCM encapsulates the Peltier cell thermocouples, creating a layer that increases the power generation as the thickness reduces. We simulated the performance of the new configuration for different temperature gaps between both sides of the cell, obtaining an improvement in power generation from 1.65 to 7.93. This power increase ratio depends on the temperature gap and transient time to reach the steady working temperature. The control of the layer thickness, transient time, and working temperatures resides in the external heating power source, which varies the operating conditions regulating the heat power and the airflow. Maximum output power from the cell prototype is 36.5 W, while conventional Peltier cells operating in similar conditions produce 7.3 W, representing a power gain of 500%.
PB Springer Nature
SN 0947-7411
YR 2025
FD 2025-04-14
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/124770
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/124770
LA eng
NO Armenta-Déu, C. Phase change material thermoelectric generator. Heat Mass Transfer 61, 45 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-025-03551-x
NO 2025 Acuerdos transformativos CRUE-CSIC© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025The author supports all contributions.
DS Docta Complutense
RD 14 oct 2025