Summer Internship Poster Presentation for Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research.

1. TEMPLATE DESIGN © 2008
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Investigation on Instruments and Measurement Techniques for the
Thermoelectric Properties of Materials
Dwencel John Mamayson1
, Tony V. Varghese2a
, Dr. Yanliang Zhang2b
, Andrew Wilson2b
, Dr. Don Plumlee2b
, Jacob Davlin2b
1
Science, Math and Engineering, Cosumnes River College
2a
Material Science Engineering, Boise State University
2b
Mechanical & Biomedical Engineering, Boise State University
Background
Objectives Method of Measurements
Improvements & Results
Proposed Changes & Future Works
Acknowledgement
 To study and be familiar about the operations of the
current instruments and measurement techniques for
measuring thermoelectric properties of materials.
 To improve these current instruments and measurement
techniques for better measurements and results.
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• Direct conversion of temperature
differences on a material’s two sides
into electricity is called the “Seebeck”
effect.
• Direct conversion of electric current to
temperature difference on material’s
two sides is called the “Peltier” effect.
and/or
 What is Thermoelectric Effect?
National Science Foundation; Office of Special Programs,
Division of Materials Research and Research Experience for
Undergraduates (REU) Program [DMR-1359344] at Boise
State University.
 Application of Thermoelectric Effect:
• Thermoelectric generators, TEG
(also called “thermoelectric
modules”) are devices that use
the “Seebeck” effect to harvest
waste heat.
• N-type and P-type of
the same material are
connected electrically
in series and thermally
in parallel to form a
thermoelectric module.
The order of set-up process:
•Place the sample between the
Indium contact thermocouple
for cold temperature (negative
Seebeck voltage) on the bottom
and the Indium contact
thermocouple for hot
temperature (positive Seebeck
voltage) on the top.
•Place the heater on the top of
the hot temperature Indium
contact.
•Screw and tighten the plastic
insulator for pressure
application.
 (Cross-Plane) Set-up for Bulk-Pellet Samples:
 Set-up for Thick and Thin Film Samples:
The order of set-up process:
•Place one side of the glass
with the sample on the top of
the heat sink and the other
on the (hot side) module.
•Place the Indium contacts
for the cold and hot
temperature. thermocouples
on the respective sides of
the sample.
•Place the plain insulator
piece on the top of the
Indium contacts.
•Place the Insulator with
screws on the top of the
plain insulator for pressure
application.
• The application of high
thermal conductivity Silicone
thermal paste between the
sample and the instrument:
In the Bulk-Pellet Sample Measurement Set-up:
• The installation of
Styrofoam to the
instrument:
 Increased sample and
set-up thermal interface
conductance.
 Reduced measurement
error due to the thermal
contact resistances.
 Minimized the heat
losses from convection
and radiation heat
transfer.
In the Thick and Thin Film Measurement Set-up:
• The alteration of the
insulators’ orientation and
addition of glass slide
(above the Indium contacts
an the sample) and (blue)
tape bundle to the set-up:
 Balanced the
insulators.
 Abled to apply
maximum pressure on
both sides.
 Minimized the
shattering of the
glass-sample holder.
For the Bulk-Pellet Sample Measurement Set-up:
“Thermoelectric Generator for Efficient Automotive Waste
Heat Recovery”
For the Thick and Thin Film Sample Measurement
Set-up:
• Build a design that has pressure variation only to the
sample.
• Initiate the thermal insulation idea using a foam-like
material with a very low thermal conductivity.
• Separate the heat sink from the module.
• The silicone thermal conductive paste can be replace by
an easier-to-clean, higher thermal conductive paste like
silver paste.
• The Styrofoam material cover can be replace by a better
foam-like material which has lower thermal conductivity.
• Fabrication of the design and then experimentation using
materials with reported literature thermal properties to
evaluate the accuracy.
“Graphical Result of Ceramic Material Measurements”
The overall results showed a significant difference between the thermal conductivity of
the Plain Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC) and the Silver Thermal Vias LTCC .
The figure shows the
Silver Thermal Vias LTCC
on the left and the Plain
LTCC on the right .
“Overall Ceramic Package TEG
Device Schematic with Thermal
Vias”