FEM Modeling and Parameter Identification of Thermoelectrical Processes in Cylindrical Bodies

In this paper, a test rig available at the University of Rostock is considered that consists of two co-axial aluminum cylinders heated by a Peltier element (PE) located in between them. The end faces of the cylinders that are not in contact with the PE are thermally insulated. For the assessment of control structures, an accurate finite element (FE) model for the complete system is derived including a detailed thermoelectric model for the PE. Given experimental data from the test rig, characteristic system parameters of the PE - the Seebeck coefficient and the Ohmic resistance - are identified. A comparison of the parametrized overall FE model with validation data shows that the simulation results are in good agreement with experimental data.