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Lasha
- 25
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Is it real? how does it work?
mfb said:You always need a heat difference - a warm area and a cold area.
You can use them, you do not have to. That is an important difference.Lasha said:"More recent devices use semiconductor p–n junctions made from bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3), lead telluride (PbTe)"
Wait you said that they don't need semi-conductors right?Then what's this?
And we engineers ignore the difference completely, seeing it as trivial.jtbell said:According to precise usage in English-language textbooks, "heat" = "energy transferred because of a difference in temperature between two objects." Therefore in the OP's statement, "heat" is appropriate. "Heat difference" doesn't make sense here.
(However, even many physicists get sloppy with this terminology sometimes. :uhh:)
mfb said:In German, you can describe both with "Wärme", I didn't know that heat is energy transfer only in English.
The process of transforming heat to electricity with semiconductors is known as the thermoelectric effect. This effect occurs when there is a temperature difference between two sides of a semiconductor material, which results in the flow of electrons from the warmer side to the cooler side, generating an electric current.
Semiconductors, such as bismuth telluride and lead telluride, are the most commonly used materials in thermoelectric devices. These materials have a high Seebeck coefficient, which is a measure of their ability to convert heat to electricity, making them efficient in thermoelectric applications.
The efficiency of a thermoelectric device is measured by its thermoelectric figure of merit, also known as ZT. This value takes into account the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity of the material. The higher the ZT value, the more efficient the device is in converting heat to electricity.
Thermoelectric devices have a wide range of potential applications, including waste heat recovery in industrial processes, power generation in automobiles and spacecraft, and cooling in electronic devices. They can also be used in remote or off-grid locations as a reliable source of electricity.
One of the main challenges in the development of thermoelectric technology is improving the efficiency of materials. Additionally, cost-effective and scalable production methods are needed to make thermoelectric devices more commercially viable. Other challenges include reducing the use of toxic materials and increasing the durability of thermoelectric devices.