Reconfigurable single-material Peltier effect using magnetic-phase junctions

AbstractPeltier effects, which produce a heat flux at the junction of two different materials, have been an important technology for heating and cooling by electrical means. Whereas Peltier devices have advantages such as cleanliness, silence, compactness, flexibility, reliability, and efficiency, relatively complicated modular structures are unavoidable, leading to a higher cost than that of commonly used refrigeration technology. Here, we provide a concept of a Peltier device composed of a single magnetic material exhibiting a first-order magnetic transition. Our concept is based on a controllable junction structure consisting of two magnetic phases with opposite Peltier coefficients instead of a semiconductor junction. Using $${\mathrm{Mn}}_{1.96}{\mathrm{Cr}}_{0.04}\mathrm{Sb}$$ Mn 1.96 Cr 0.04 Sb samples with the first-order magnetic transition between ferrimagnetic (FI) and antiferromagnetic (AF) states, we successfully made a stable junction structure of AF/FI/AF by a pulse heating method and achieved a maximum Peltier coefficient of 0.58 mV. Our device concept was further verified by a numerical simulation based on a finite element method. The single-material Peltier effect reported here avoids a complex device design involving material junctions and is importantly reconfigurable.

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Reconfigurable Single-Material Peltier Effect Using Magnetic-Phase Junctions

10.21203/rs.3.rs-966297/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kurea Nakagawa ◽

Tomoyuki Yokouchi ◽

Yuki Shiomi

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Transition ◽

Peltier Effect ◽

First Order ◽

Heating And Cooling ◽

Simulation Based ◽

Semiconductor Junction ◽

Peltier Device ◽

Modular Structures ◽

Junction Structure ◽

Single Material

Abstract Peltier effects, which produce a heat flux at the junction of two different materials, have been an important technology for heating and cooling by electrical means. Whereas Peltier devices have advantages such as cleanliness, silence, compactness, flexibility, reliability, and efficiency, relatively complicated modular structures are unavoidable, leading to a higher cost than that of commonly used refrigeration technology. Here, we provide a concept of a Peltier device composed of a single magnetic material exhibiting a first-order magnetic transition. Our concept is based on a controllable junction structure consisting of two magnetic phases with opposite Peltier coefficients instead of a semiconductor junction. Using Mn1.96Cr0.04Sb samples with the first-order magnetic transition between ferrimagnetic (FI) and antiferromagnetic (AF) states, we successfully made a stable junction structure of AF/FI/AF by a pulse heating method and achieved a maximum Peltier coefficient of 0.58 mV. Our device concept was further verified by a numerical simulation based on a finite element method. The single-material Peltier effect reported here avoids a complex device design involving material junctions and is importantly reconfigurable.

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Thermoelectric Materials for Textile Applications

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26113154 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (11) ◽

pp. 3154

Author(s):

Kony Chatterjee ◽

Tushar K. Ghosh

Keyword(s):

Thermal Conductivity ◽

Carbon Nanotubes ◽

Seebeck Coefficient ◽

Thermoelectric Materials ◽

Figure Of Merit ◽

Inorganic Materials ◽

Peltier Effect ◽

Electronic Textiles ◽

Heating And Cooling ◽

Recent Attention

Since prehistoric times, textiles have served an important role–providing necessary protection and comfort. Recently, the rise of electronic textiles (e-textiles) as part of the larger efforts to develop smart textiles, has paved the way for enhancing textile functionalities including sensing, energy harvesting, and active heating and cooling. Recent attention has focused on the integration of thermoelectric (TE) functionalities into textiles—making fabrics capable of either converting body heating into electricity (Seebeck effect) or conversely using electricity to provide next-to-skin heating/cooling (Peltier effect). Various TE materials have been explored, classified broadly into (i) inorganic, (ii) organic, and (iii) hybrid organic-inorganic. TE figure-of-merit (ZT) is commonly used to correlate Seebeck coefficient, electrical and thermal conductivity. For textiles, it is important to think of appropriate materials not just in terms of ZT, but also whether they are flexible, conformable, and easily processable. Commercial TEs usually compromise rigid, sometimes toxic, inorganic materials such as bismuth and lead. For textiles, organic and hybrid TE materials are more appropriate. Carbon-based TE materials have been especially attractive since graphene and carbon nanotubes have excellent transport properties with easy modifications to create TE materials with high ZT and textile compatibility. This review focuses on flexible TE materials and their integration into textiles.

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Thermodynamics of the Heat-Flux Avalanches at the First-Order Magnetic Transition in Magnetocaloric Materials

Physical Review Applied ◽

10.1103/physrevapplied.8.044023 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marco Piazzi ◽

Cecilia Bennati ◽

Vittorio Basso

Keyword(s):

Heat Flux ◽

Magnetic Transition ◽

First Order ◽

Magnetocaloric Materials ◽

Flux Avalanches

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Influence of the Ge distribution on the first order magnetic transition of the MnFe(P,Ge) magnetocaloric material

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics ◽

10.1039/c8cp01495g ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 20 (26) ◽

pp. 18117-18126 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zhen-Lu Zhang ◽

Dan-Min Liu ◽

Wei-Qiang Xiao ◽

Hui Li ◽

Shao-Bo Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Room Temperature ◽

Magnetic Transition ◽

First Order

MnFe(P,Ge) is a promising magnetocaloric material for potential refrigeration applications near room temperature.

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First-order magnetic transition induced by structural transition in hexagonal structure

Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials ◽

10.1016/j.jmmm.2019.165821 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 494 ◽

pp. 165821

Author(s):

Chaocheng Liu ◽

Xucai Kan ◽

Xiansong Liu ◽

Shuangjiu Feng ◽

Jiyu Hu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Structural Transition ◽

Magnetic Transition ◽

Hexagonal Structure ◽

First Order

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Increasing the efficiency of a Peltier device by assessing the thermal performance of liquid-cooled microchannel heat sinks

PAM Review Energy Science & Technology ◽

10.5130/pamr.v7i0.1592 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

Author(s):

System Administrator ◽

Lauren Sharpe ◽

Navil Burhanuddin ◽

Tiana Majcan ◽

Jonathan Rebolledo

Keyword(s):

Energy Consumption ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Heat Sinks ◽

Peltier Effect ◽

Small Scale ◽

Specific Flow ◽

Operating Current ◽

Promising Solution ◽

Peltier Device ◽

Vital Resource

Water is, arguably, Earth's most valuable and vital resource. Devices that extract water from the atmosphere have been intensely researched as a means of harvesting potable water in environments where it is otherwise scarce. One such device is a Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC); a device that utilises the Peltier effect to cool a system. TECs are a promising solution for atmospheric water generation (AWG) over their competitors due to their simplicity and refrigeration capabilities. Despite these advantages, TECs are still considered mostly inefficient as they demand relatively high costs and energy consumption. This meta-analysis focuses on optimising the efficiency of small-scale Peltier devices. It explores the means of optimising the liquid cooled heat sink by using a specific flow field microchannel configuration such that less pumping power is required to push the coolant and more energy can be saved. A combination of optimal operating current of the Peltier device and of a novel flow liquid-cooled microchannel heatsink configuration with bifurcated fins using Galinstan as a coolant promises a significant increase in water production per unit of energy consumption for the AWG system.

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