Enhancing the maximum coefficient of performance of thermoelectric cooling modules using internally cascaded thermoelectric couples

This paper presents an approach of fabricating thermoelectric cooling (TEC) module for enhancing the maximum coefficient of performance (COP) of TEC module. A significant novelty is that each stage thermoelectric couples have different leg lengths which decrease stage by stage from cold side to hot side of TEC module so that the lower stage can completely pump the heat dissipated by the upper stage. In the design configuration of the TEC module, the lower and upper stages are connected electrically in parallel and thermally in series only through intermediate copper metal strips and copper conducting wires, and thus the interstage thermal resistances and the heat leakage can be reduced compared with that of a conventional pyramid-styled configuration. A mathematical model is also developed to simulate the performances of the TEC module. The simulation results show that the enhancement in maximum COP of the TEC module can be obtained by using internally cascaded multistage thermoelectric couples.