Simulating The Thermoelectric Behaviour of CNT Based Harvester

Abstract

Thermoelectric harvesters, where electrical energy is produced from temperature difference, show interest among various researchers during the previous decade. Carbon nanotubes (CNT), as a semiconductor, have been utilized as a thermoelectric paste due to its appropriate Seebeck coefficient. However, optimized paste wasn’t highlighted in literature due to lack in an efficient numerical model. Herein, we propose a novel numerical simulation model, based on Comsol Multiphysics, to simulate the thermoelectric behavior of a CNT based harvester. Simulation data is validated by experimentally prepared and characterized paste. The comparison showed an acceptable agreement.