A continuum theory of thermoelectric bodies and proposed large-scale application in energy conversion
发布时间: 2012-08-31 12:31:00
报告题目：A continuum theory of thermoelectric bodies and proposed large-scale application in energy conversion
报告人：Prof. 刘利平
主持人：李法新 特聘研究员
内容摘要：
We develop a continuum theory for thermoelectric bodies following the framework of continuum mechanics and conforming to general principles of thermodynamics. For steady states, the governing equations for local fields are intrinsically nonlinear. However, under conditions of small variations of electrochemical potential, temperature and their gradients, the governing equations may be reduced to a linear elliptic system, which can be conveniently solved to determine behaviors of thermoelectric bodies. The linear theory is further applied to predict effective properties of thermoelectric composites. In particular, explicit formula of e ffective properties are obtained for simple microstructures of laminates and periodic E-inclusions, which implies useful design principles for engineering thermoelectric composites. We also discuss feasibility of large scale power generation by thermoelectric materials.