Theoretical evaluation of maximum temperature difference in segmented thermoelectric coolers

The methods of optimal control theory are used for the development of a sufficiently precise technique for a computerized design of segmented thermoelectric coolers. The optimal parameter values of BiTe-based materials for thermoelectric coolers with single-, double-, three-segmented legs are calculated in the paper. The possibility of increasing maximum temperature difference of the double-, three-segmented thermoelectric coolers by 3-4 K as compared to Peltier device of optimally homogeneous materials is demonstrated. The use of more than two segments is shown to be inadvisable owing to the parasitic effect of contact resistance between the segments. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.