Thermoelectric phenomenon - definition
Thermoelectric phenomenon - definition
Thermoelectric phenomenon is the general name for a group of physical phenomena occurring at the interface between thermal and electrical effects in conductive or semiconducting materials. They involve the mutual transformation of thermal and electrical energy in the presence of a temperature gradient or electric current. The key thermoelectric phenomena are the Seebeck effect, Peltier and Thomson effects, which are of both theoretical and practical importance, and practical - in the design of sensors, generators and cooling systems.
The Seebeck effect occurs, when two different conducting materials are connected in a closed circuit, and their connectors are at different temperatures. This results in an electromotive force proportional to the temperature difference, which allows the direct conversion of heat into electrical energy. This is the principle behind thermocouples - simple, simple but very effective temperature sensors.
The Peltier effect is based on absorption or emission of heat at the junction of two Others conducting materials, when an electric current flows through them. This makes it possible to actively cool or heat a surface without the use of mechanical components. This effect is used in Peltier modules, commonly used in electronic coolers, detectors infrared detectors and medical devices.
The Thomson effect is a less well-known, but also an important phenomenon, in which an electric current flows through a homogeneous material, in which a temperature gradient occurs, causes absorption or emission of heat in the volume of the material, and not just at the connectors.
Thermoelectric phenomena are strongly dependent on material properties - such as electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and Seebeck coefficient - hence the development of new thermoelectric materials, especially semiconductors with optimised parameters, is an active area of research. This makes it possible to design devices for recovering thermal energy from industrial wastes, as well as precision cooling systems for applications, where conventional methods are impractical.
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