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2008
Journal Article
Titel
Thermoelectrics: Direct solar thermal energy conversion
Abstract
The field of thermoelectricity began in the early 1800s with the discovery of the thermoelectric effect by Thomas Seebeck. Seebeck found that, when the junctions of two dissimilar materials are held at different temperatures (DT), a voltage (V) is generated that is proportional to DT. The proportionality constant is the Seebeck coeffcient or thermopower: a = −dV/DT. When the circuit is closed, this couple allows for direct conversion of thermal energy (heat) to electrical energy. The conversion effciency, iTE, is related to a quantity called the fgure of merit, ZT, that is determined by three main material parameters: the thermopower a, the electrical resistivity r, and the thermal conductivity k.