Thermoelectric devices for energy harvesting and cooling

• Main Author: Kilpatrick, David William.
• Other Authors: Wong Kin Shun, Terence
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Electronic circuits; DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Nanoelectronics
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/50052
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

With an increased focus in recent years for the effect that power generation is having on the environment, studies into more environmentally friendly solutions are being explored. The detrimental effect of power generation and the resulting effect of global warming in combination with the ever decreasing amounts of fossil fuels has left engineers with the task of finding new innovative generators that can be used to provide solutions for future generations. One such form has been thermoelectric devices. Capable of working in two modes these devices can be used to either generate an electrical output or provide a thermal function capable of cooling other components within a system. This report will highlight the theory behind both of these functionalities as well as the applications which these may be used for.