A test device for the power and efficiency of a thermoelectric device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a test device for the power and efficiency of a thermoelectric device, comprising a vacuum module and a test module applied inside the vacuum module; the test module includes a scale screw, a pressure plate, a wave spring, a fish-shaped buckle, a heating sheet, a heating column, a heat shield, two fixing plates, a low-temperature zone marker block and a water-cooled plate which are assembled in sequence from top to bottom; and the thermoelectric device to be tested is assembled between the two fixing plates; pressure screws are provided at both ends of the pressure plate, and by tightening the nuts on the pressure screws, the pressure at the upper end of the heating column is controlled; the vacuum module includes a vacuum cover, an inner gasket, an O-ring gasket, a bottom cover gasket, a pressure vessel seal ring, and a vacuum cover base which are assembled in sequence from top to bottom. The present invention can be adapted to thermoelectric devices of various specifications, can improve the measurement accuracy of the output heat flux, greatly reduce the influence of thermal radiation on the test of thermoelectric devices, greatly reduce the influence of interfacial thermal resistance, is easy to replace the heating sheet and has a high vacuum degree.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of testing the power generation performance of thermoelectric devices, and particularly relates to a testing device for the power and efficiency of thermoelectric devices. Background Art

[0002] Thermoelectric devices are a new type of energy device that can directly convert thermal energy into electrical energy. They have unique advantages such as simple structure, high reliability, no moving components, no noise, high precision, and can be miniaturized or even micro-sized, and are widely used in medical instruments, aerospace, military, and civilian fields.

[0003] At present, the research and development of thermoelectric materials and the design and integration technology of thermoelectric devices have developed rapidly, but the research and design of testing devices for thermoelectric devices are relatively scarce. A reasonable testing device helps to accurately characterize the performance of thermoelectric devices of different specifications and provides platform support for the optimal design of thermoelectric materials and devices.

[0004] The specifications of thermoelectric devices are mainly 40mm×40mm, 20mm×20mm, 15mm×15mm, etc. There are many problems when using traditional thermoelectric device testing devices, such as: the size specifications of testable thermoelectric devices are single; the influence of heat radiation from the heating device on the test performance of thermoelectric devices is ignored during measurement; the influence of interfacial thermal resistance on device performance is not considered.

[0005] The above problems not only limit the sample preparation specifications of the device to be tested, but also seriously affect the test accuracy of the performance of thermoelectric devices. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a testing device for the power and efficiency of thermoelectric devices with a wide application range and high measurement accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a testing device for the power and efficiency of thermoelectric devices in view of the deficiencies of the above-mentioned prior art. The device measures the thermoelectric device to be tested by setting multiple temperature measurement points and pressure control, applies pressure by setting a pressure screw locking nut, obtains the pressure value according to the pressure scale line corresponding to the scale screw, and opens a temperature measurement hole on the side of the fixed plate to measure the temperatures at the upper and lower ends of the thermoelectric device to be tested. This device can adapt to thermoelectric devices of various specifications, improve the measurement accuracy of the output heat flow, greatly reduce the influence of heat radiation on the test of thermoelectric devices, greatly reduce the influence of interfacial thermal resistance, and is easy to replace the heating sheet and has a high vacuum degree.

[0007] To achieve the above technical purpose, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0008] A testing device for the power and efficiency of thermoelectric devices, comprising a vacuum module and a testing module applied inside the vacuum module;

[0009] The test module includes a graduated screw, a pressure plate, a wave spring, a fish-shaped buckle, a heating sheet, a heating column, a heat shield, two fixing plates, a low-temperature zone marker, and a water-cooling plate, which are assembled in sequence from top to bottom; and the thermoelectric device to be tested is assembled between the two fixing plates; both ends of the pressure plate are provided with pressure screws, and by tightening the nuts on the pressure screws, the pressure at the upper end of the heating column is controlled to measure the power generation power and efficiency of the thermoelectric device to be tested under different pressures.

[0010] The vacuum module includes a vacuum cover, an inner gasket, an O-ring gasket, a bottom cover gasket, a pressure vessel seal ring, and a vacuum cover base, which are assembled in sequence from top to bottom.

[0011] To optimize the above technical solution, the specific measures taken also include:

[0012] The above-mentioned pressure plate and the vacuum cover base are provided with a number of threaded through holes, and a clearance fit is formed between the pressure plate and the vacuum cover base through the pressure screws.

[0013] The above-mentioned pressure plate has a "one"-shaped structure, and the top of the extended part is semicircular, and a through hole is provided at the top of the extended part of the pressure plate, and the through hole is chamfered.

[0014] The above-mentioned fixing plate is provided with a protruding part and is provided with a groove matching the thermoelectric device to be tested.

[0015] The top of the above-mentioned heating column is provided with a threaded hole connected to the graduated screw, the bottom is provided with a square groove matching the protruding part of the fixing plate, and the middle part is provided with a rectangular groove for placing the heating sheet.

[0016] The upper end of the above-mentioned low-temperature zone marker is provided with a square groove matching the protruding part of the fixing plate, the groove is chamfered, and the bottom is provided with a square sheet larger than the cross-sectional area of the low-temperature zone marker. This square sheet is used to fix the low-temperature zone marker to make the low-temperature zone marker stable in the vertical direction of the water-cooling plate. Three holes are provided on three faces near the top and bottom of the low-temperature zone marker for placing temperature sensors.

[0017] The depth of the above-mentioned through hole does not exceed half of the side length of the low-temperature zone marker, and the temperature is measured on three faces of the low-temperature zone marker.

[0018] The above-mentioned fixing plate is square, and a protruding square block is provided at the top or bottom thereof for connecting to the heating column or the low-temperature zone marker. There should be a rectangular strip for locking the thermoelectric device to be tested on the other side of the protrusion.

[0019] The above-mentioned water-cooling plate includes a water inlet and a water outlet, and a cooling circulation pipeline is formed through the flow of water at the water inlet and the water outlet, and the internal pipeline should be arranged in an "S" shape.

[0020] A first seal is generated between the above-mentioned vacuum cover and the vacuum hood base through a bottom cover gasket. The O-ring gasket is sleeved on the vacuum cover, and the threads of the inner gasket and the pressure vessel seal are matched with the threads on the vacuum hood base to compress the O-ring gasket to generate a second seal.

[0021] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0022] (1) The vacuum device of the present invention is provided with multiple gaskets made of high-density silicone material to prevent a single gasket from being squeezed during work, resulting in material deformation and significantly reducing the sealing performance, and multiple sealing rings can ensure the vacuum degree inside;

[0023] (2) A heat shield is provided above the thermoelectric device to be measured in the present invention, which can not only prevent the performance of the thermoelectric device to be measured from being affected by heat radiation, but also prevent heat radiation from causing harm to the operator;

[0024] (3) Scale lines are provided at the position of the scale screws in the present invention, so that the scale lines are combined with the spring force, and a stable and visualizable force can be applied when measuring the device to reduce the influence of the interfacial thermal resistance on the test results of the device;

[0025] (4) A pair of fish-shaped buckles are provided in the present invention to fix the heating sheet in the groove of the heating column and at the same time facilitate the replacement of the heating sheet;

[0026] (5) By providing a split fixing plate in the present invention, it can be used to measure thermoelectric devices of various specifications only by replacing the size of the fixing plate, and it can also make the disassembly and assembly of the thermoelectric device more convenient, prevent damage to the device caused by long-term disassembly and assembly, and thus improve the service life of the device;

[0027] (6) Three temperature measurement points are provided at the same height position in the present invention to improve the accuracy of heat flux measurement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 is an exploded structural schematic diagram of the device of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 is a front structural schematic diagram of the device of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 is Figure 2 a sectional structural schematic diagram in

[0031] Figure 4 is Figure 3 an enlarged structural schematic diagram at A in

[0032] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the pressurizing assembly of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the low-temperature zone marking block of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the heating component of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the assembly of the fixing plate and the thermoelectric device to be tested in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 9 Stress nephogram of the vacuum module of the present invention in a vacuum state.

[0037] Explanation of reference numerals: 1, pressure screw; 2, scale screw; 3, nut; 4, pressure plate; 5, corrugated spring; 6, fish-shaped buckle; 7, heating sheet; 8, heating column; 9, heat shield; 10, fixing plate; 11, thermoelectric device to be tested; 12, low-temperature area mark block; 13, water-cooled plate; 14, vacuum cover; 15, inner gasket; 16, O-ring seal; 17, bottom cover gasket; 18, pressure vessel seal ring; 19, vacuum cover base. Detailed implementation manners

[0038] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0039] Although the steps in the present invention are arranged with reference numerals, they are not used to limit the order of the steps. Unless the order of the steps is clearly stated or the execution of a certain step requires other steps as a basis, the relative order of the steps can be adjusted. It can be understood that the term "and / or" used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0040] As Figures 1-9 shown, a testing device for the power and efficiency of a thermoelectric device of the present invention includes a vacuum module and a testing module applied inside the vacuum module;

[0041] The testing module includes a scale screw 2, a pressure plate 4, a corrugated spring 5, a fish-shaped buckle 6, a heating sheet 7, a heating column 8, a heat shield 9, two fixing plates 10, a low-temperature area mark block 12, and a water-cooled plate 13, which are assembled in sequence from top to bottom; and the thermoelectric device 11 to be tested is assembled between the two fixing plates 10; pressure screws 1 are provided at both ends of the pressure plate 4, and by tightening the nuts 3 on the pressure screws 1, the pressure at the upper end of the heating column 8 is controlled to measure the power generation power and efficiency of the thermoelectric device to be tested under different pressures;

[0042] The vacuum module includes a vacuum cover 14, an inner gasket 15, an O-ring gasket 16, a bottom cover gasket 17, a pressure vessel seal 18, and a vacuum cover base 19, which are assembled in sequence from top to bottom.

[0043] That is, a pressure plate 4 is installed at the upper end of the measuring device, a water-cooled plate 13 is arranged at the lower end of the measuring device, and the middle part of the measuring device is composed of a heating column 8, a fixing plate 10, a low-temperature zone marker 12, etc.

[0044] During specific implementation, a number of threaded through-holes are provided on the pressure plate 4 and the vacuum cover base 19, and a clearance fit is formed between the pressure plate 4 and the vacuum cover base 19 through a pressure screw 1; the pressure plate 4 and the heating column 8 are connected by a scale screw 2. Different thermoelectric materials are applicable to different temperature difference ranges. By setting the magnitude of the current and voltage, the temperature of the heating sheet is controlled, so as to achieve different ranges of temperature differences. Different measurement of the power generation and efficiency of the thermoelectric device and the applied pressure are also different. By tightening the nut 3 on the pressure screw 1, the pressure at the upper end of the heating column 8 is controlled, which is convenient for measuring the power generation and efficiency of the thermoelectric device to be measured under different pressures.

[0045] The vacuum cover base 19 and the vacuum cover 14 are fastened by being fitted with each other up and down through the inner gasket 15, the O-ring gasket 16, the bottom cover gasket 17, and the pressure vessel seal 18.

[0046] The pressure plate 4 has a "one" - shaped structure, and the top of the extended part is semicircular. A through - hole is provided at the top of the extended part of the pressure plate 4, and the through - hole should be chamfered. This structure makes the force evenly distributed when applying pressure above the thermoelectric device 11 to be measured, reduces the interface resistance, and improves the measurement accuracy.

[0047] The fixing plate 10 is provided with a protruding part and a groove that matches the thermoelectric device 11 to be measured;

[0048] The top of the heating column 8 is provided with a threaded hole connected to the scale screw 2, the bottom is provided with a square groove that matches the protruding part of the fixing plate 10, and the middle part is provided with a rectangular groove for placing a heating sheet 7.

[0049] The upper end of the low - temperature zone marker 12 is provided with a square groove that matches the protruding part of the fixing plate 10, the groove should be chamfered, and there should be a square sheet at the bottom with an area larger than the cross - sectional area of the low - temperature zone marker 12. This square sheet is used to fix the low - temperature zone marker 12, so that the low - temperature zone marker 12 has stability in the vertical direction of the water - cooled plate 13. Through - holes should be provided on three surfaces near the top and bottom of the low - temperature zone marker 12 for placing temperature sensors;

[0050] The depth of the through - hole shall not exceed half of the side length of the low - temperature zone marker 12. Measuring the temperature on three surfaces of the low - temperature zone marker 12 can prevent the temperature non - uniformity generated in a single direction, thereby improving the measurement accuracy.

[0051] Preferably, the fixing plate 10 is square, and there are raised square blocks on its top or bottom for connecting with the heating column 8 or the low-temperature zone marking block 12. There should be rectangular strips for locking the thermoelectric device 11 to be measured around the other side of the raised part, preventing the thermoelectric material from moving under external force during measurement, which may lead to measurement errors. By separately setting two fixing plates 10, only by replacing the fixing plate 10 can it be used to measure various specifications of the thermoelectric devices 11 to be measured, and it is also more convenient to disassemble and assemble the thermoelectric devices, preventing damage to the device caused by long-term disassembly and assembly, and greatly improving the service life of the device.

[0052] The water-cooling plate 13 includes a water inlet and a water outlet, and a cooling circulation pipeline is formed by the flow of water through the water inlet and the water outlet. The internal pipeline should be arranged in an "S" shape;

[0053] The vacuum device includes a vacuum cover 14, an inner gasket 15, an O-ring gasket 16, a bottom cover gasket 17, a pressure vessel seal ring 18, and a vacuum cover base 19.

[0054] The bottom cover gasket 17 is embedded in the groove of the vacuum cover base 19. The first seal is generated between the vacuum cover 14 and the vacuum cover base 19 through the bottom cover gasket 17. The O-ring gasket 16 is sleeved on the outer wall of the vacuum cover 14. The inner gasket 15 is embedded in the pressure vessel seal ring 18. By covering the vacuum cover 14 and tightening the pressure vessel seal ring 18, a sealed cavity is formed inside the vacuum device. Through the thread of the inner gasket 15 and the pressure vessel seal ring 18 cooperating with the thread on the vacuum cover base 19, the O-ring gasket 16 is pressed to generate the second seal. Through the secondary seal, the sealing performance of this vacuum device is greatly guaranteed.

[0055] The working principle is as follows: When using this device, first, according to Figures 1-9 as shown, open the vacuum cover 14, clamp the thermoelectric device 11 to be measured between the fixing plates 10, then embed the raised parts at the upper and lower ends of the fixing plates 10 on the heating column 8 and the low-temperature zone marking block 12, then control the pressure at the upper end of the thermoelectric device 11 to be measured by tightening the nut on the pressure screw 1 for 3 turns, obtain the magnitude of the applied pressure by reading the value of the scale screw 2, embed the heating sheet 7 into the heating column 8, and then install the fish-shaped buckle 6 to fix the position of the heating sheet 7, then energize the heating sheet 7 to raise the temperature. Temperature measurement holes are respectively opened at the top and bottom of the three sides of the low-temperature zone marking block 12 to measure the heat flow at the cold end of the thermoelectric device 11 to be measured at multiple points, improve the accuracy of temperature measurement, and greatly reduce the measurement error. Then cover the vacuum cover 14 and tighten the pressure vessel seal ring 18 to evacuate the air inside the vacuum device to prevent the influence of heat convection on the device. Finally, measure the power and efficiency of the thermoelectric device 11 to be measured.

[0056] The following further explains or illustrates the content of the present invention through Example 1. Example

[0057] Measure the power generation power and efficiency of a 20mm*20mm thermoelectric device under vacuum conditions, 150N pressure, and 200°C temperature difference.

[0058] Use the above-mentioned test device for the power and efficiency of thermoelectric devices to conduct tests. The test method is as follows: Refer to Figure 1 , install the 20mm*20mm thermoelectric device 11 to be tested in the fixing plate 10, then install the upper and lower ends of the fixing plate 10 on the heating column 8 and the low-temperature zone marking block 12 respectively. Then install the heat shield 9 above the thermoelectric device 11 to be tested, fix the pressure plate 4, tighten the nut 3 on the pressure screw 1, observe the scale in the scale screw 2 according to the spring load, and set the pressure to 150N. Cover the vacuum cover 14, tighten the pressure vessel seal 18, open the automated test software, extract the air in the vacuum device, set the test environment to vacuum, cool the thermoelectric device 11 to be tested through the water-cooled plate 13, keep the temperature below at around room temperature, adjust the current and voltage of the heating element power supply to set the temperature difference at 200°C, and start the test. Use an electronic load to measure the output voltage and current of the thermoelectric device, and calculate the output power; use a high-precision thermistor to test the temperature difference between two temperature measurement points in the low-temperature zone marking block 12, and calculate the output heat flow and device efficiency.

[0059] The results of the example show that the device of the present invention can accurately measure the power generation power and efficiency performance of some thermoelectric devices, especially for various actual application requirements: such as small device size, high measurement accuracy, different test environments, test requirements for different heat load conditions, and different pressure loads. The device of the present invention can accurately obtain the measurement of its power generation power and efficiency performance, which is helpful for the research of thermoelectric power generation devices.

[0060] For those skilled in the art, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the details of the above-described exemplary embodiments, and can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or basic characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, in any regard, the embodiments should be regarded as exemplary and non-limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the above description. Therefore, all changes falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalent elements of the claims are intended to be included in the present invention. Any reference signs in the claims should not be regarded as limiting the claimed rights.

[0061] In addition, it should be understood that although this specification is described according to embodiments, not every embodiment only contains an independent technical solution. This narrative way of the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A test device for the power and efficiency of a thermoelectric device, characterized in that, it includes a vacuum module and a test module applied inside the vacuum module; The test module includes a scale screw, a pressure plate, a wave spring, a fish-shaped buckle, a heating sheet, a heating column, a heat shield, two fixing plates, a low-temperature zone marker and a water-cooled plate assembled in sequence from top to bottom; and the thermoelectric device to be tested is assembled between the two fixing plates; pressure screws are provided at both ends of the pressure plate, and by tightening the nuts on the pressure screws, the pressure at the upper end of the heating column is controlled to measure the power generation power and efficiency of the thermoelectric device to be tested under different pressures; The upper end of the low-temperature zone marker is provided with a square groove matching the convex part of the fixing plate, the groove is chamfered, and a square sheet larger than the cross-sectional area of the low-temperature zone marker is provided at the bottom. This square sheet is used to fix the low-temperature zone marker to make the low-temperature zone marker have stability in the vertical direction of the water-cooled plate. Through holes for placing temperature sensors are provided on three surfaces near the top and bottom of the low-temperature zone marker; the depth of the through holes does not exceed half of the side length of the low-temperature zone marker, and the temperature is measured on three surfaces of the low-temperature zone marker; The vacuum module includes a vacuum cover, an inner gasket, an O-ring gasket, a bottom cover gasket, a pressure vessel seal ring, and a vacuum cover base; The bottom cover gasket is embedded in the groove of the vacuum cover base. The first seal is generated between the vacuum cover and the vacuum cover base through the bottom cover gasket. The O-ring gasket is sleeved on the outer wall of the vacuum cover. The inner gasket is embedded in the pressure vessel seal ring. By covering the vacuum cover and tightening the pressure vessel seal ring, a sealed cavity is formed inside the vacuum module. Through the thread of the inner gasket and the pressure vessel seal ring and the thread on the vacuum cover base, the O-ring gasket is pressed to generate the second seal.

2. The test device for the power and efficiency of a thermoelectric device according to claim 1, characterized in that, a number of threaded through holes are provided on the pressure plate and the vacuum cover base, and a clearance fit is formed between the pressure plate and the vacuum cover base through the pressure screw.

3. The test device for the power and efficiency of a thermoelectric device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the pressure plate has a "one"-shaped structure, the top of the extended part is semicircular, and a through hole is provided at the top of the extended part of the pressure plate, and the through hole is chamfered.

4. The test device for the power and efficiency of a thermoelectric device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the fixing plate is provided with a convex part and a groove matching the thermoelectric device to be tested.

5. The test device for the power and efficiency of a thermoelectric device according to claim 4, characterized in that, a threaded hole connected to the scale screw is provided at the top of the heating column, a square groove matching the convex part of the fixing plate is provided at the bottom, and a rectangular groove for placing the heating sheet is provided in the middle part.

6. The test device for the power and efficiency of a thermoelectric device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the fixing plate is square, and a convex square block is provided at the top or bottom thereof for connecting to the heating column or the low-temperature zone marker, and a rectangular strip for locking the thermoelectric device to be tested should be provided around the other side of the convex part.

7. A test device for the power and efficiency of a thermoelectric device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the water-cooled plate includes a water inlet and a water outlet, and a cooling circulation pipeline is formed by the flow of water through the water inlet and the water outlet, and the internal pipeline should be arranged in an "S" shape.

Images