Cost-Performance Trade-off in thermoelectric air conditioning system with graded and constant material properties
Cost-Performance Trade-off in thermoelectric air conditioning system with graded and constant material properties
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DOI：
10.1016/j.enbuild.2021.110931
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发表时间：
2020-11
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
A. Saini;Sarah J. Watzman;J. Bahk
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
A. Saini;Sarah J. Watzman;J. Bahk
热电（TE）空气冷却是一种固态技术，有可能取代传统的基于蒸汽压缩的空调。在本文中，我们提出了一个详细的系统级建模的热电空调系统的位置相关（分级）和恒定的材料特性。从性价比权衡的角度提出了系统的设计优化策略。在我们的建模中考虑了系统两侧的实际对流换热。研究了对流换热系数、空气流速和热电材料性能对TE支腿厚度、模块填充系数和输入电流等关键参数的影响。TE材料考虑了恒定材料性能和梯度材料性能，并在冷却程度、性能系数（COP）和功耗方面对它们进行了比较。对于梯度材料，我们采用一维有限元方法来求解具有随TE支腿位置变化的材料性能任意分布的耦合电流和热流方程。我们发现，与恒定性能的材料相比，分级材料可以提高冷却程度，但仅以牺牲cop为代价。由于材料性能zt = 1不变，且电流相对较低，在同等制冷量的情况下，TE制冷机的功耗可低于传统空调。考虑到其他优点，如需求灵活的操作，低噪音和高可扩展性，热电冷却可能是未来空调应用的一种有竞争力的技术。
Thermoelectric (TE) air cooling is a solid-state technology that has the potential to replace conventional vapor compression-based air conditioning. In this paper, we present a detailed system-level modeling for thermoelectric air conditioning system with position-dependent (graded) and constant material properties. Strategies for design optimization of the system are provided in terms of cost-performance trade-off. Realistic convection heat transfer at both sides of the system are taken into account in our modeling. Effects of convection heat transfer coefficients, air flowrate, and thermoelectric material properties are investigated with varying key parameters such as TE leg thickness, module fill factor, and input current. Both constant material properties and graded properties are considered for the TE materials, and they are compared in terms of the degree of cooling, coefficient of performance (COP), and power consumption. For graded materials, we employ one-dimensional finite element methods to solve the coupled electrical and thermal current equations with arbitrary profile of material properties varying with position along the TE legs. We find that graded materials can enhance the degree of cooling, but only at the expense ofCOP, compared to the case of constant property materials. With constant material properties ofZT= 1 and relatively low electric current, the power consumption of TE coolers can be lower than those of conventional air conditioners at an equivalent cooling capacity. Considering additional advantages such as demand-flexible operation, low noise, and high scalability, thermoelectric cooling could be a competitive technology for future air conditioning applications..