Optimum design in thermoelectric cooling systems

An optimum design is investigated to maximize the coefficient of performance (COP) for a thermoelectric cooling system (TEC system) which consists of a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) and heat-exchangers at the cold side and the hot side. Optimizing a TEC in the TEC system for the maximum COP can be performed by using the balance equations of nondimensional entropy flow, when the thermal resistances of heat-exchangers for a TEC system are given and the system operates under a constant temperature difference. In these equations, the COP of the TEC system becomes a function of nondimensional thermal resistance of the cold side heat-exchanger and nondimensional entropy flow at the cold side of the TEC system. Therefore the COP of the TEC system is shown as a contour graph on these two variables. By using this graph, not only TEC design parameters for the maximum COP of the TEC system can be determined, but the degrading effect by thermal resistances of the TEC system on the COP can also be evaluated.