碲化铋基温差发电模块输出功率优化试验研究

Experimental study for optimizing the output power of Bi Te-based thermoelectric modules

同位素温差发电器在深空探测活动中具有广泛的应用背景。为优选温差发电模块构型、提高输出功率,制备了具有不同热电元件厚度的碲化铋基温差发电模块;并通过建立的试验测试系统,测量了不同温差条件下发电模块的输出功率和匹配负载随热电元件厚度的变化。试验结果表明,在所研究的热电元件厚度范围内,随着热电元件厚度的减小,模块的输出功率呈线性增大趋势,而匹配负载则呈线性减小趋势。在热源温度478 K、热沉温度300 K的条件下,测得热电元件厚度为1.0 mm的模块的最大输出功率达到约8.2 W,最大功率面积比约为0.52 W·cm-2。

Radioisotope thermoelectric generators （RTG） are widely utilized in deep space explorations. In order to enhance the output power of the thermoelectric modules and optimize their geometries, BiTe-based thermoelectric modules with different thermoelement thicknesses are prepared. An experiment setup is built to measure the output power and the match load of the thermoelectric modules along with the thickness of thermoelement under various temperature differences. According to the test results, as the thermoelement thickness decreases, the output power of the thermoelectric module increases linearly, meantime, the corresponding load resistance sees an opposite trend. The maximum output power of a thermoelectric module with a thermoelement thickness of 1.0 mm reaches almost 8.2W, and the area-specific output power is nearly 0.52W＆#183;cm-2.