Description: Thermoelectric devices have been of great interest to energy applications in recent years for their well-known merits such as high reliability, being environmentally friendly, and DC power source. The performance of thermoelectric devices is being steadily improved due to not only the elevation of figure of merit values of the materials but also characteristics of the detailed device and optimum system design and module fabrication techniques. The development works required a significant amount of engineering parametric analysis.
This PhD course handles the fundamentals of thermoelectric devices by introducing detailed module design. Control of the optimal reduced current through the compatibility factor is, in addition to figure of merit, essential for efficient operation of a thermoelectric device, and thus will facilitate device design and rational materials selection. The compatibility factor method that simplifies computation and explain the fundamental physics behind thermoelectric devices will be discussed during this course.
This course will continue with integration principles for multilayer fluidic packaging systems and micro thermoelectric generators to increase in the output power performance of the thermoelectric module. In order to maintain a complete system optimization, efficient heat dissipation by micro-structured heat exchangers will be discussed. Furthermore, control of thermoelectric generators in parallel and series circuits by power electronic converters will be discussed for maximum power point tracking in thermoelectric systems.
This PhD course also addresses thermoelectric module measurements. Methods to measure the material and module characterization such as thermal expansion, surface deformation, efficiency, voltage and power generation will be discussed. The course will end up with presentations of challenges and applications for thermoelectricity by expert leading companies.
Prerequisites: Poster presentation and assignments

Organizer: Postdoc Alireza Rezaniakolaei, alr@et.aau.dk – Aalborg University

Lecturers: Professor Lasse Rosendahl, lar@et.aau.dk – Aalborg University, Bo Brummerstedt Iversen - Aarhus University, Denmark, G. Jeffrey Snyder - California Institute of Technology, USA, Christofer Hierold - ETH Zurich, Swiss, Postdoc Alireza Rezaniakolaei - Aalborg University, Denmark, Assistant Professor Erik Schaltz, esc@et.aau.dk - Aalborg University, Denmark, Nini Pryds - DTU, Denmark, Dieter Platzek - PANCO, Germany and Helge Holm Larsen - TEGnology, Denmark, Ali Asghar Enkeshafi - Alpcon A/S, Denmark

ECTS: 3.5

Time: 11 – 14 March, 2014

Place: Aalborg University, Pontoppidanstræde 101

Zip code: 9220

City: Aalborg

Number of seats: 30

Deadline: 28 February, 2014