NSF/DOE Thermoelectrics Partnership: Automotive Thermoelectric Modules with Scalable Thermo- and Electro-Mechanical Interfaces

1048796 Goodson该项目涉及斯坦福大学，南佛罗里达大学和罗伯特博世有限责任公司的研究人员，并解决了各种主题相关的车辆废热回收利用热电。这些主题包括能够适应非常大的热机械应变的新型界面材料和设计、能够与散热器和电极可靠匹配的高效高温热电材料、用于评估性能和耐久性的实用计量学，以及先进材料和热管理概念的系统级集成。将进行界面材料、热电材料和与车辆应用中废热热电收集相关的传热的基础研究。一种新的磁带设计实现碳纳米管薄膜作为热界面材料将被开发。这种方法将降低电和热界面电阻，并增强界面的耐久性，因为它们经历应用中固有的热循环。实验将被设计来确定界面（和邻接）材料的微观特性，以及这些特性如何响应热循环而演变。从实验中获得的知识最终将用于设计接口，以提高性能和增加耐用性。填充分数，掺杂，晶粒尺寸和夹杂物浓度的影响，方钴矿将通过实验和建模量化，从而改善热电材料。基础和新的计量方法将与国家标准和技术研究所合作开发，并与第一原理建模相结合，将能够调整热电和界面材料的相关特性。将采用一种综合的基础和系统级方法，将热电和界面材料性能的知识与先进的热管理概念（如但不限于多相蒸汽冷却）集成到热电废热收集中。更广泛的影响：该项目直接解决了与车辆应用中的废热收集相关的基本问题。此外，该研究将与教育和推广相结合，包括一个新的大学设计竞赛，专门针对热电能量收集应用，以促进教学和学习，并使更广泛的社区参与能源技术活动。研究发现将被整合到斯坦福大学和南佛罗里达大学的本科和研究生课程中。其他活动包括但不限于为高中学生和教师发展研究经验，目标是有大量来自代表性不足群体的学生的高中。

1048796GoodsonThis project involves researchers at Stanford University, The University of South Florida, and Robert Bosch LLC and addresses various topics relevant to vehicle waste heat recovery using thermoelectrics. These topics include novel interface materials and designs that can accommodate very large thermomechanical strains, high temperature thermoelectric materials that are efficient and can be reliably mated to heat sinks and electrodes, practical metrology for assessment of performance and durability, and systems-level integration of advanced materials and thermal management concepts.Intellectual Merit: Fundamental investigations of interface materials, thermoelectric materials, and heat transfer relevant to thermoelectric harvesting of waste heat in vehicle applications will be conducted. A new tape design for implementing carbon nanotube films as thermal interface materials will be developed. This approach will reduce both electrical and thermal interface resistances, and enhance the durability of the interfaces as they undergo thermal cycling inherent in the application. Experiments will be designed to determine the microscale characteristics of interface (and adjoining) materials and how these characteristics evolve in response to thermal cycling. The knowledge acquired from the experiments will ultimately be used to design interfaces in a manner that will improve performance and increase durability. The influence of filling fraction, doping, grain size, and inclusion concentration in skutterudites will be quantified through experimentation and modeling, leading to improved thermoelectric materials. Fundamental and new metrology methods will be developed in partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and, in conjunction with first principles modeling, will enable tuning of the relevant properties of both thermoelectric and interface materials. A combined fundamental and systems-level approach will be employed to integrate the knowledge pertaining to thermoelectric and interface material performance with advanced thermal management concepts such as but not limited to multiphase vapor cooling, to thermoelectric waste heat harvesting. Broader Impacts: The project directly addresses fundamental issues associated with waste heat harvesting in vehicle applications. In addition, the research will be integrated with education and outreach including a new collegiate design competition specific to thermoelectric energy harvesting applications to promote teaching and learning and engage the broader community in energy technology activities. Research discoveries will be integrated in undergraduate and graduate classes at both Stanford and The University of South Florida. Additional activities include but are not limited to development of research experiences for both high school students and teachers, targeting high schools with large numbers of students from underrepresented groups.