The thermoelectric (TE) effect results in the direct conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy (Seebeck effect) and vice versa (Peltier effect). Thermoelectric devices are used in refrigeration (TEC), air conditioning, and waste-heat recovery (TEG) based on TE effects.Thermoelectric devices are solid-state devices with no moving parts, they are silent, reliable and scalable, making them ideal for refrigeration and power generation. It is environment friendly & utilizes no working fluid, involves no chemical reactions, and produces no emissions. These features provide TECs several competitive advantages over traditional refrigerators and other cooling technologies. TECs are, therefore, widely used for heat management in electronic packages, microprocessors, and laser equipment. Several commercial products for personalized cooling, such as Embr wave TE wristband, Wristify TE bracelet, Flowtherm TE vest, ClimaWare TE jacket, and USB Forehead Neck cooler, have been launched recently. TECs are also used in modern car seat cushions, mattresses, and thermal pads, which experience bodily contact.I have synthesized n- and p-type thermoelectric materials (low-temperature application) and improved the efficiency of TE material (figure of merit - zT). Developed a unicouple TEG with these improved TE materials and obtained device efficiency of 8.1%. Also, a four-element thermoelectric cooler has been fabricated, which provides effective cooling of 16°C.

“Fabrication & Performance Testing of Thermoelectric Device”Description : I have fabricated a novel unicouple thermoelectric device consisting of Mg2Si-MnSi1.73 and evaluated the power output characteristics. The Legs materials were synthesized by using one-step spark plasma sintering and were characterized using XRD and FESEM.