基于非平衡热力学理论,建立多级热电发电机的数值分析模型,以数值算例分析其各级热电单元数相同时的基本输出特性,并在热电单元总数一定的约束下,分别以功率和效率为优化目标,优化热电单元在各级间的配置和工作电流。各级热电单元数相同时,一定工作电流下,由高温侧至低温侧,各级温差呈等差递增分布,功率和效率依次增大,分别存在两个最优工作电流对应最大功率和最大效率。当工作温差和Seebeck系数较小时,各级单元数相同可获得最大功率;当温差或Seebeck系数较大时,热电单元数由高温侧至低温侧依次增大且呈等差分布可获得最大功率;对热电发电机各级配置相等数目的热电单元可获得最大效率。
A numerical analytical model of multistage thermoelectric generators is developed based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics.Output characteristics were analyzed by numerical examples for a multistage thermoelectric generator with equal number of thermoelectric elements in each stage.For given total number of thermoelectric elements,the number of thermoelectric elements among each stage and working current were optimized for maximum power and maximum efficiency,respectively.For given working temperature difference and working current,the temperature difference in each stage is equidifferent;the output power and efficiency increase in turn.There are two optimal currents corresponding to the maximum output power and the maximum efficiency.When the temperature difference and the Seebeck coefficient are small,equal number of thermoelectric elements in each stage can obtain the maximum output power;when the temperature difference or the Seebeck coeffcient is big,the optimal configuration is that the numbers of thermoelectric elements increase equidifferently from the hot side to the cold side.Equal number of thermoelectric elements in all the stages can obtain the maximum efficiency.