Development and experimental validation of a thermoelectric test bench for laboratory lessons

The refrigeration process reduces the temperature of a space or a given volume while the power generation process employs a source of thermal energy to generate electrical power. Because of the importance of these two processes, training of engineers in this area is of great interest. In engineering...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Rodríguez García, Antonio, Astrain Ulibarrena, David, Martínez Echeverri, Álvaro, Aranguren Garacochea, Patricia, Pérez Artieda, Gurutze
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2013
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2099/15766
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2099/15766
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Education, Higher
Thermoelectric cooling
Thermoelectric generators
Practical lessons
Thermoelectric generation
Ensenyament universitari -- Didàctica
Termoelectricitat
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Ensenyament i aprenentatge::Innovació i Investigació educativa
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies::Termoenergètica
Descripción
Sumario:The refrigeration process reduces the temperature of a space or a given volume while the power generation process employs a source of thermal energy to generate electrical power. Because of the importance of these two processes, training of engineers in this area is of great interest. In engineering courses it is normally studied the vapor compression and absorption refrigeration, and power generation systems such as gas turbine and steam turbine. Another type of cooling and generation less studied within the engineering curriculum, having a great interest, it is cooling and thermal generation based on Peltier and Seebeck effects. The theoretical concepts are useful, but students have difculties understanding the physical meaning of their possible applications. Providing students with tools to test and apply the theory in real applications, will lead to a better understanding of the subject. Engineers must have strong theoretical, computational and also experimental skills. A prototype test bench has been built and experimentally validated to perform practical lessons of thermoelectric generation and refrigeration. Using this prototype students learn the most effective way of cooling systems and thermal power generation as well as basic concepts associated with thermoelectricity. It has been proven that students learn the process of data acquisition, and the technology used in thermoelectric devices. These practical lessons are implemented for a 60 people group of students in the development of subject of Thermodynamic including in the Degree in Engineering in Industrial Technologies of Public University of Navarra