A model of two-stage semiconductor thermoelectric heat pumps with external heat transfer and internal irreversibility is built. Performance of the heat pump with Newton's heat transfer law is analysed and optimized using the combination of finite-time thermodynamics and non-equilibrium thermodynamics. The analytical formula about heating load versus working electrical current, and the coefficient of performance (COP) versus working electrical current are derived. For the fixed total number of thermoelectric elements, the ratio of number of thermo-electric elements of top stage to the total number of thermoelectric elements is also optimized for maximizing the heating load and the COP of the thermoelectric heat pump. The effects of design factors on the performance are analysed.
AngristS. W.Direct energy conversion, 4th edition, 1992 (Allyn and Bacon Inc., Boston, MA).
2.
RoweD. M. (Ed). CRC handbook of thermoelectrics, 1995, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL).
3.
di SalvoF. J.Thermoelectric cooling and power generation. Science, 1999, 285(5428), 703–706.
4.
MaX.RiffatS. B.Thermoelectric: A review of present and potential applications. Appl. Therm. Eng., 2003, 23(8), 913–935.
5.
RadcencoV.Generalized thermodynamics, 1994 (Editura Techica, Bucharest) (in English).
6.
BejanA.Advanced engineering thermodynamics, 2nd edition, 1997 (Wiley, New York).
7.
MortlockA. J.Experiments with a thermoelectric heat pump. Am. J. Phys., 1965, 33(8), 813–815.
8.
LindlerK. W.Use of multi-stage cascades to improve performance of thermoelectric heat pumps. Energy Convers. Manage., 1998, 39(10), 1009–1014.
9.
LaiH.PanY.ChenJ.Optimum design on the performance parameters of a two-stage combined semiconductor thermoelectric heat pump. Semicond. Sci. Technol., 2004, 19(1), 17–22.
10.
AndresenB.Finite-time thermodynamics. Physics Laboratory α, University of Copenhagen, 1983.
11.
AndresenB.SalamonP.BerryR. S.Thermodynamics in finite time. Phys. Today, 1984, 37(9), 62–70.
12.
SieniutyczS.SalamonP.Advances in thermodynamics. In Finite time thermodynamics and thermoeconomics, vol. 4, 1990, (Taylor & Francis, New York).
13.
FeidtM.Thermodynamique et optimisation energetique des systems et procedes, 2nd edition, 1996 (Technique et Documentation, Lavoisier, Paris) (in French).
14.
BejanA.Entropy generation minimization: The new thermodynamics of finite-size devices and finitetime processes. J. Appl. Phys., 1996, 79(3), 1191–1218.
15.
HoffmannK. H.BurzlerJ. M.SchubertS.Endoreversible thermodynamics. J. Non-Equilib. Thermodyn., 1997, 22(4), 311–355.
16.
BeeryR. S.KazakovV. A.SieniutyczS.SzwastZ.TsirlinA. M.Thermodynamic optimization of finite time processes, 1999 (Wiley, Chichester).
17.
ChenL.WuC.SunF.Finite time thermodynamics optimization or entropy generation minimization of energy systems. J. Non-Equilib. Thermodyn., 1999, 24(4), 327–359.
ChenL.SunF.Advances in finite time thermodynamics: Analysis and optimization, 2004 (Nova Science Publishers, New York).
20.
ChenL.Finite-time thermodynamic analysis of irreversible processes and cycles, 2005 (Higher Education Press, Beijing).
21.
ChenL.SunF.ChenW.Finite time thermodynamic analysis for the thermoelectric refrigerator and heat pump. Chinese J. Eng. Thermophys., 1994, 15(1), 13–16.
22.
ChenL.WuC.SunF.Heat transfer effect on the specific heating load of heat pumps. Appl. Therm. Eng., 1997, 17(1), 103–110.
23.
WuC.SchuldenW.Specific heating load of thermoelectric heat pump. Energy Convers. Manage., 1994, 35(3), 459–464.
24.
ChenJ.AndresenB.The maximum coefficient of performance of thermoelectric heat pumps. Int. J. Ambient Energy, 1996, 17(1), 22–28.
25.
ChenK.SuphasithS.Latent heat effects in thermo-electric air conditioners and heat pumps equipped with heat exchanger. Trans. ASME J. Energy Res. Tech., 1996, 118(3), 221–228.
26.
BiY.ChenL.WuC.WangS.Effect of heat transfer on the performance of thermoelectric heat pump. J. Non-Equilib. Thermodyn., 2001, 26(1), 41–51.
27.
BlanchardC. H.Coefficient of performance for finitespeed heat pump. J. Appl. Phys., 1980, 51(5), 2471–2472.
28.
GothY.FeidtM.Optimum COP for endoreversible heat pump or refrigerating machine. C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 1986, 303(1), 19–24.
29.
WuC.Specific heating load of an endoreversible Carnot heat pump. Int. J. Ambient Energy, 1993, 14(1), 25–28.
30.
Ait-AliM. A.The maximum coefficient of performance of internally irreversible refrigerators and heat pumps. J. Phys. D Appl. Phys., 1996, 29(4), 975–980.
31.
ChengC.ChenC.Performance optimization of an irreversible heat pump. J. Phys. D Appl. Phys., 1995, 28(12), 2451–2454.
32.
SunF.ChenW.ChenL.WuC.Optimal performance of an endoreversible Carnot heat pump. Energy Convers. Manage., 1997, 38(14), 1439–1443.
33.
NiN.ChenL.SunF.WuC.Effect of heat transfer law on the performance of a generalized irreversible Carnot heat pump. J. Inst. Energy, 1999, 72(491), 64–68.
34.
ZhuX.ChenL.SunF.WuC.Optimal performance of a generalized irreversible Carnot heat pump with a generalized heat transfer law. Phys. Scr., 2001, 64(6), 584–587.
35.
ZhuX.ChenL.SunF.WuC.The optimal performance of a Carnot heat pump under the mixed heat resistance condition. Open Syst. Inf. Dyn., 2002, 9(3), 251–256.
36.
ChenJ.WuC.Performance of a cascade combined heat pump system. J. Inst. Energy, 1995, 68(476), 137–141.
37.
ChenL.WuC.SunF.Optimization of specific rate of heat pumping in combined heat pump cycles. Energy Convers. Manage., 1998, 39(1/2), 113–116.
38.
ChenL.BiY.SunF.WuC.Performance optimization of a combined heat pump cycle. Open Syst. Inf. Dyn., 2003, 10(4), 377–389.
39.
CurzonF. L.AhlbornB.Efficiency of a Carnot engine at maximum power output. Am. J. Phys., 1975, 43(1), 22–24.
40.
RubinM. H.AndresenB.Optimal staging of endoreversible heat engines. J. Appl. Phys., 1982, 53(1), 1–7.
