Thermoelectric and heat-transfer properties in a new-type module composed of hamburger-type elements

We have proposed the use of hamburger-type thermoelectric elements for a new-type module assembled by screwing. In the present work, the new-type module is manufactured and tested. The thermoelectric materials used are quasi-single crystals of (Bi,Sb)₂(Te,Se)₃. The maximum electric power of the test module of 5.8×5.8×2.9 cm³ in size at the temperature difference of 86°C between end surfaces of thermoelectric material disks amounts to 1.14 W with the current of 4.55 A. The ratio of electrical contact resistance to the total resistance of thermoelectric material disks is unexpectedly large, caused by the unfit soldering between thermoelectric material disks and copper blocks composing the hamburger-type thermoelectric elements. The contact resistance between the metallic parts is reduced by spreading metallic paste composed of the two-phase structure of liquid InGa+solid Zn