Thermoelectric Effect

The thermoelectric effect extends a captivating view for the direct conversion of heat into electrical power and vice versa from the 19th century, with the thermal gradient, a thermoelectric generator is well competent of translating heat into electrical power in contempt of small temperature differences. Thermoelectric generators are simple, concise, potent and very reliable since they have no moving mechanical parts. Hence forth thermoelectric generators are drawing attention for a large variety of applications such as in the fields of energy recovery and green energy harvesting. For instance, TEGs can be used as substitute to photovoltaic cells [1, 2] or together with advanced photovoltaic cells [3, 4] for the conversion of solar energy into electric power.

Many industrial proceeding require enormous amount of heat which is wasted and dissipated in the environment at the end of the way manufacturing cycle since it cannot converted by current thermodynamics systems such as turbines

The temperature gradient induces the charge carriers to move towards the cooler side till from on which an equilibrium state is achieved. The seebeck coefficient is the entropy transported along a charge carrier divided by the charge carriers charge. If a temperature gradient occurs at a junction of the two dissimilar conductors connected electrically in series and thermally in parallel, a voltage is generated. This potential drop is the consequence of the thermoelectric effect first reported by Thomas seebeck 1921.

Seebeck concentrated essentially on the power generating properties of a thermocouple known as the seebeck effects. The voltage produced depends on the seebeck coefficient S and the temperature difference between the two junctions in the thermocouple as soon in equation. The seebeck coefficient is the entropy transported along a charge carrier divided by the carriers charge.

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