Three-Dimensional Analysis on the Performance of the Thermoelectric Micro-Cooler

Three-dimensional numerical analysis has been carried out using the FEMLAB software package to figure out the performance of the thermoelectric micro-cooler. A small-size and column-type thermoelectric cooler is considered and Bi₂Te₃ and Sb₂Te₃ are selected as the n- and p-type thermoelectric materials, respectively. The thickness of the thermoelectric element considered is 5 to 20 μm and the thickness affects the performance of the cooler. The effect of parameters such as the temperature difference, the current, and the thickness of the thermoelectric element on the performance of the cooler has also been investigated. The coefficient of performance (COP) is the primary factor to evaluate the performance of the cooler and the COP varies with the parameters. The COP has the maximum value at a certain current and the value decreases with the temperature difference or the thickness. The predicted results also show that the performance can be improved for thick thermoelectric element at the small temperature difference and small current.