Publication:
Development and experimental validation of a two-stage thermoelectric heat pump computational model for heating applications

Date

2024

Director

Publisher

Elsevier
Acceso abierto / Sarbide irekia
Artículo / Artikulua
Versión publicada / Argitaratu den bertsioa

Project identifier

//TED2021-130071A-I00
Gobierno de Navarra//PC066-067-068
Métricas Alternativas

Abstract

The utilisation of thermoelectric technology as a heat pump in heating applications necessitates comprehensive investigation. The scalable nature of thermoelectric technology enables its operation at elevated temperatures without the requirement of refrigerants. In this work, an accurate computational model that can simulate one- and two-stage thermoelectric heat pumps is developed. This model uses the electric-thermal analogy and the finite difference method, including the thermoelectric effects, temperature dependent properties, thermal contact resistances and all heat exchangers, even the intermediate heat exchanger in the case of a two-stage configuration. Moreover, the model has been experimentally validated by built and tested prototypes, being the first time that a two-stage thermoelectric heat pump model is experimentally validated.

The discrepancy between the simulated and experimental results is below the ± 10 % for , ± 8 % for generated heat and temperature lift in the airflow, and less than the ± 6 % for consumed power. Additonally, the model simulates real tendencies under different operating conditions, proving the reliability of the developed thermoelectric heat pump model.

Finally, the model is used to optimise a thermoelectric system combining one- and two-stage thermoelectric heat pumps, and hybridising them with electric resistances. An airflow of 16.5 m3/h is heated from 25 °C to 160 °C, achieving a maximum of 1.21. Lastly, the importance of considering the thermal resistances of the heat exchangers is computationally modelled and demonstrated. Not taking them into account would overestimate the performance of the TEHP system by more than the 7 %.

Description

Keywords

Thermoelectric heat pump, Multistage, Intermediate heat exchanger, Thermal resistance

Department

Ingeniería / Ingeniaritza / Institute of Smart Cities - ISC

Faculty/School

Degree

Doctorate program

item.page.cita

Erro, I.,Aranguren, P.,Martinez,, A.,Astrain, D. (2024) Development and experimental validation of a two-stage thermoelectric heat pump computational model for heating applications. Thermal science and engineering progress, 53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsep.2024.102721.

item.page.rights

© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license

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