Method and device for designing thermoelectric power generation module based on mixed material

Abstract

The invention provides a thermoelectric power generation module design method and device based on a mixed material. The method provided by the invention comprises the steps of determining longitudinal temperature distribution of a thermoelectric material arm according to target longitudinal temperature distribution of a thermoelectric power generation module; according to the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm and a preset corresponding relation between a temperature interval and a material, determining a longitudinal division material layer of the thermoelectric material arm, a material to be selected in the material layer and a height corresponding to the material layer, and longitudinally overlapping the multiple material layers to form the thermoelectric material arm, different temperature intervals correspond to different materials; and designing a corresponding thermoelectric material arm according to the material of each material layer and the height corresponding to the material layer. According to the thermoelectric power generation module design method and device based on the mixed material, accurate design of the thermoelectric power generation module is achieved, and the structural layout of the module is optimized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of thermoelectric generators, and particularly to a design method and device for a thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials. Background Art

[0002] Traditional thermoelectric power generation modules are usually composed of thermoelectric arms made of a single thermoelectric material. The material selection and geometric parameter design are mostly based on the assumption of a fixed temperature gradient, making it difficult to adapt to complex and changing actual working environments. In addition, as the working environment of the thermoelectric power generation module changes, the high and low temperature differences often increase, resulting in the working temperature exceeding the temperature tolerance range of the thermoelectric arm material, and the thermoelectric power generation module is prone to being directly damaged during the working process. Therefore, the thermoelectric power generation module designed based on the assumption of a static temperature distribution has poor working stability, making it impossible for the thermoelectric power generation module to adapt to the actual working environment.

[0003] Currently, when designing the structure of a thermoelectric power generation module, simulation methods and numerical methods are usually adopted. However, simulation methods mostly rely on simplified models, making it difficult to accurately reflect complex actual working conditions and having poor adaptability to environmental changes, resulting in a large deviation between the performance of the designed module and the expected value in actual applications. Although numerical methods are relatively accurate, they mainly consider a single thermoelectric material. At the same time, in order to simplify the calculation, the temperature change of the thermoelectric power generation module is usually simplified to obtain simplified physical and chemical parameters. The designed thermoelectric power generation module is difficult to adapt to the actual working conditions. At the same time, when designing a thermoelectric power generation module with multiple thermoelectric materials, accurate design of the thermoelectric power generation module cannot be achieved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, this application provides a design method and device for a thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials, which can accurately consider the change in the working temperature of the thermoelectric power generation module, and consider the performance change of the thermoelectric material under actual working conditions when the thermoelectric power generation module contains multiple thermoelectric materials, so as to achieve accurate design of the thermoelectric power generation module.

[0005] Specifically, this application is implemented through the following technical solutions:

[0006] The first aspect of this application provides a design method for a thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials. The thermoelectric power generation module includes thermoelectric material arms, and the method includes:

[0007] Determine the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arms according to the target longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric power generation module;

[0008] Determine the longitudinally divided material layers of the thermoelectric material arm, the material to be selected for this layer of material layer, and the height corresponding to this material layer according to the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm and the preset temperature interval - material correspondence relationship. The multiple material layers are longitudinally stacked to form the thermoelectric material arm, and different temperature intervals correspond to materials of different materials;

[0009] Design the corresponding thermoelectric material arm according to the material of each layer of material layer and the height corresponding to this material layer.

[0010] The second aspect of the present application provides a design device for a thermoelectric power generation module based on a hybrid material. The device includes a determination module, a calculation module, and a design module; wherein,

[0011] The determination module is used to determine the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm according to the target longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric power generation module;

[0012] The calculation module is used to determine the longitudinally divided material layers of the thermoelectric material arm, the material to be selected for this layer of material layer, and the height corresponding to this material layer according to the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm and the preset temperature interval - material correspondence relationship. The multiple material layers are longitudinally stacked to form the thermoelectric material arm, and different temperature intervals correspond to materials of different materials;

[0013] The design module is used to design the corresponding thermoelectric material arm according to the material of each layer of material layer and the height corresponding to this material layer.

[0014] The design method and device of a thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials provided by this application. The thermoelectric power generation module mainly generates electricity through thermoelectric material arms. Facing the actual situation of the temperature gradient change inside the thermoelectric power generation module, according to the target longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric power generation module, the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arms is determined, and subsequent design work is carried out based on this. On the one hand, according to the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arms and the preset correspondence between temperature intervals and materials, the longitudinal divided material layers, candidate materials, and material layer heights are determined, so that different temperature intervals can accurately match the most suitable materials, improving the efficiency of material performance, effectively reducing energy loss during the thermoelectric conversion process, and thus significantly improving the thermoelectric conversion efficiency. In this way, the advantages of different materials in their respective suitable temperature intervals can be fully utilized, enabling the thermoelectric material arms to maintain a good working state throughout the temperature range. On the other hand, corresponding thermoelectric material arms are designed according to the materials and heights of each material layer. Different material layers are longitudinally stacked in an orderly manner according to the temperature distribution, realizing the refined design of the structure of the thermoelectric material arms, making the structure of the constructed thermoelectric material arms more reasonable. A reasonable structure is not only conducive to heat transfer and conversion, but also can better cooperate with other components during module integration, improving the stability and reliability of the entire thermoelectric power generation module. The method provided by the present invention can effectively improve its thermoelectric conversion efficiency and overall performance, and optimize the structural layout of the thermoelectric material arms to meet the requirements of different application scenarios. Description of the Drawings

[0015] Figure 1 It is a flowchart of the first embodiment of the design method of the thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials provided by this application;

[0016] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the thermoelectric power generation module exemplarily shown by this application;

[0017] Figure 3 It is a flowchart of the second embodiment of the design method of the thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials provided by this application;

[0018] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of the first embodiment of the design device of the thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials provided by this application. Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0019] Here, the exemplary embodiments will be described in detail, and the examples are shown in the drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The implementation manners described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementation manners consistent with this application.

[0020] The terms used in this application are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit this application. The singular forms "a", "the", and "said" used in this application are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also 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.

[0021] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used in this application to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, the first information may also be referred to as the second information, and similarly, the second information may also be referred to as the first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "when" or "while" or "in response to a determination".

[0022] Specific embodiments are given below to introduce the technical solutions of this application in detail.

[0023] Figure 1 It is a flowchart of the first embodiment of the design method of the thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials provided for this application. Please refer to Figure 1 , the method provided in this embodiment may include:

[0024] S101. Determine the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm according to the target longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric power generation module.

[0025] Specifically, in the actual application scenario of the thermoelectric power generation module, there will be a desired longitudinal temperature distribution, which is the target longitudinal temperature distribution, and the target longitudinal temperature distribution can be determined according to the usage environment and design purpose of the thermoelectric power generation module.

[0026] Furthermore, the thermoelectric material arm is a key component of the thermoelectric power generation module, and its longitudinal temperature distribution should be adapted to the target longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric power generation module. Therefore, the target longitudinal temperature distribution can be directly used as the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm, or the temperature distribution trend of the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm can be determined according to the temperature distribution trend of the target longitudinal temperature distribution, and then the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm can be determined.

[0027] Specifically, Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the thermoelectric power generation module exemplarily shown for this application. Please refer to Figure 2, The thermoelectric power generation module includes a cold end, a hot end, copper sheets, and multiple thermoelectric material arms. The multiple thermoelectric material arms are arranged in multiple rows and columns on the thermoelectric power generation module, and each thermoelectric material arm stacks multiple material layers longitudinally. Among them, the cold end and the hot end are relative to each other's temperatures, that is, the operating temperature of the cold end is lower than the operating temperature of the hot end, and copper sheets are respectively provided at the cold end and the hot end. Only some of the thermoelectric material arms of the copper sheets adjacent in the horizontal direction of the cold and hot ends are the same. During the design process of the thermoelectric power generation module, according to the process requirements, first determine the optimal size of the thermoelectric power generation module. On the basis of the optimal size, design the sizes of the substrate and the copper sheets. Subtract the sizes of the substrate and the copper sheets from the optimal size to obtain the height value of the thermoelectric material arm, which is used as the design constraint for the subsequent thermoelectric material arms. In the thermoelectric power generation module, there are multiple thermoelectric material arms, and the total heights of all thermoelectric material arms are the same, all equal to the height value. Since the temperatures at different positions are different, the requirements for material properties are also different. In order to better adapt to temperature changes and optimize the thermoelectric conversion efficiency. In the thermoelectric power generation module, the temperature distribution in the longitudinal direction is that the temperature gradually increases from bottom to top. The longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arms can be determined through the longitudinal temperature distribution in the working environment of the thermoelectric power generation module, and further determine the material and material height of each material layer of the thermoelectric material arm through the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm. For example, in one embodiment, the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric power generation module ranges from 100K to 800K from small to large, and its temperature change exceeds the temperature that a single thermoelectric material can adapt to. In this temperature environment, this thermoelectric material cannot work efficiently. At this time, this thermoelectric material can be selected to work within the temperature range where it can work, for example, 100K - 500K. In the temperature range of 500 - 800K, another high-temperature-resistant thermoelectric material is used. Thus, the thermoelectric material arm is composed of the mutual cooperation of different materials, enabling it to work in a large-span temperature environment. Therefore, by determining the temperature distribution in the thermoelectric material arm, appropriate thermoelectric materials can be used in appropriate temperature change regions. According to the characteristics of the longitudinal temperature distribution, reasonably determine the height of each material layer so that the thermoelectric material arm can work efficiently under large temperature changes.

[0028] Further, in a possible implementation manner, the temperature distributions in all regions of the thermoelectric power generation module are the same, so the longitudinal temperature distributions of the multiple thermoelectric material arms included in all regions are also the same. That is to say, by designing one of the thermoelectric material arms, the materials and material heights of the material layers of all the thermoelectric material arms in the entire thermoelectric power generation module can be designed.

[0029] Further, in another possible implementation, the temperature distribution corresponding to different regions of the thermoelectric power generation module is different. Then, the materials and material heights of the material layers in the longitudinal direction of the thermoelectric material arms in different regions will also be different. First, determine the temperature change trend at each vertical position in the horizontal direction of the thermoelectric power generation module. For example, taking the leftmost lower end of the thermoelectric power generation module as the center and the plane where the cold-end substrate of the thermoelectric power generation module is located as the reference, establish a spatial coordinate system, determine multiple planes at the same z-axis coordinate, each plane is parallel to the substrate corresponding to the cold end, determine the temperature change trend on each plane among the multiple planes, obtain the temperature demarcation points on each plane under the condition that the temperature change rate is greater than the preset value, connect the temperature demarcation points, and construct the boundary plane of the temperature partition with the connecting line to generate the temperature partition. For the thermoelectric material arms in different regions, according to the method provided by the present invention, select the materials of the material layers and determine the height according to the corresponding longitudinal temperature distribution in this region. Specifically, the temperature change difference within each region is small. Therefore, only one design is required for each region. By determining the composition of the thermoelectric material arms in multiple regions, the materials of the material layers and the material heights of the thermoelectric material arms in all regions of the thermoelectric power generation module can be obtained.

[0030] S102. According to the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm and the preset correspondence between the temperature range and the material, determine the longitudinally divided material layers of the thermoelectric material arm, the material to be selected for this layer of the material layer, and the height corresponding to this material layer. Multiple layers of the material layers are longitudinally stacked to form the thermoelectric material arm, and different temperature ranges correspond to materials of different materials.

[0031] Specifically, different thermoelectric materials have different performance manifestations in different temperature ranges. In order to fully utilize the performance advantages of the materials and improve the thermoelectric conversion efficiency, it is necessary to arrange the thermoelectric material arms according to the temperature range. The preset correspondence between the temperature range and the material is obtained based on a large number of experimental studies and theoretical analyses, which clarifies which material can achieve the best thermoelectric conversion effect within different temperature ranges.

[0032] Further, according to the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm and in combination with the preset correspondence, it is divided into multiple longitudinal material layers. Each material layer corresponds to a specific temperature range, and then the material to be selected for this layer is determined. At the same time, the height of the material layer also needs to be determined according to the proportion of the temperature range in the longitudinal temperature distribution of the entire thermoelectric material arm and the actual thermoelectric performance requirements. For example, if the temperature change in a certain temperature range is relatively drastic and has a greater impact on the thermoelectric conversion, the height of the corresponding material layer can be appropriately increased to enhance the thermoelectric conversion ability of this temperature range; conversely, if the temperature range changes relatively gently, the height of the material layer can be appropriately reduced.

[0033] Optionally, determining the longitudinally divided material layers of the thermoelectric material arm, the materials to be selected for this layer of material, and the corresponding height of this material layer may include:

[0034] (1) Determine the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm;

[0035] Specifically, in the thermoelectric material arm, along the longitudinal direction from bottom to top (from the cold end to the hot end direction), the thermoelectric material arm will have different temperatures. The temperature values at each position in the longitudinal direction of the thermoelectric material arm can be calculated by methods such as experimental measurement or numerical simulation, so as to determine the longitudinal temperature distribution.

[0036] Further, as an optional embodiment, when measuring the temperature of the thermoelectric material arm through experiments, it is first necessary to set multiple measurement points in the longitudinal direction of the corresponding area in the working environment where the thermoelectric material arm is located, install thermocouples or temperature sensors at each measurement point, and obtain the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm by collecting the data of the thermocouples or temperature sensors. As another optional embodiment, when using simulation to obtain the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm, a three-dimensional model of the working environment space of the thermoelectric power generation module is constructed in the modeling software, the constructed model is meshed, and further, calculation methods such as the finite element method and the finite difference method are used to run and calculate in the simulation software to simulate the spatial environment changes in the working environment. During the calculation process, the software will iteratively solve the heat conduction equation according to the set parameters and boundary conditions, so as to obtain the temperature values at each position in the working space of the thermoelectric power generation module. Finally, through the post-processing function of the simulation software, the calculated temperature data is presented in intuitive forms such as cloud maps and temperature distribution curves, which is convenient for analyzing the longitudinal temperature distribution.

[0037] (2) Divide the longitudinal temperature distribution into multiple longitudinal temperature intervals based on the tolerance temperature distribution of the candidate materials; wherein, the number of candidate materials is more than the number of materials required in one thermoelectric material arm;

[0038] Specifically, there are usually multiple candidate materials available for fabricating the thermoelectric material arms. However, each material has a temperature range within which it can operate properly, that is, a temperature tolerance distribution. For example, in one possible implementation, there are three candidate materials: candidate material A, candidate material B, and candidate material C. Among them, candidate material A has the best performance in the temperature range of 100 - 300K, candidate material B has the best performance in the temperature range of 300 - 500K, and candidate material C has the best performance in the temperature range of 500 - 600K. According to the temperature tolerance ranges of these candidate materials and in combination with the determined longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arms, the longitudinal temperature range is divided into multiple intervals, enabling the selection of the most suitable material in different temperature intervals to fully utilize the performance advantages of the material. For example, in one embodiment, the longitudinal temperature range of the thermoelectric material arm is 100 - 600K. According to the temperature tolerance of the candidate materials, the temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm can be divided into intervals of 100 - 300K, 300 - 500K, and 500 - 600K.

[0039] Optionally, in one possible implementation, based on the temperature tolerance distribution of the candidate materials, the longitudinal temperature distribution is divided into multiple longitudinal temperature intervals, including:

[0040] 2.1. Determine the temperature tolerance distribution of the candidate materials and classify the candidate materials. The temperature tolerance intervals of one or more candidate materials in different categories are different;

[0041] Specifically, each candidate material has a temperature range within which it can perform properly (i.e., the temperature tolerance distribution). Based on these different temperature tolerance ranges, the candidate materials are classified. The candidate materials can be classified based on the degree of overlap, similarity, etc. of the temperature tolerance ranges. For example, in one embodiment, based on the degree of overlap of the temperature tolerance ranges, the temperature tolerance ranges of candidate material D and candidate material E overlap, both in the interval of 400 - 500K. Then, candidate material D and candidate material E are classified into one category; while candidate material F is classified into another category because its temperature tolerance range is significantly different from that of D and E. Thus, the temperature tolerance intervals of one or more candidate materials in different categories are divided. For example, in one embodiment, when classifying the candidate materials, the coincidence degree of the temperature tolerance intervals among all candidate materials is calculated, and the candidate materials with a coincidence degree greater than the first threshold are classified into the same type. It should be noted that the first threshold is set according to actual needs and is not limited in this embodiment.

[0042] 2.2. Calculate the representative temperature tolerance interval corresponding to each category according to the temperature tolerance intervals of one or more candidate materials in the same category;

[0043] Specifically, for one or more candidate materials in the same category, the intersection of the temperature tolerance ranges of one or more candidate materials in this category is used as the representative temperature tolerance range of this category.

[0044] 2.3. Divide the longitudinal temperature distribution into multiple longitudinal temperature ranges according to the representative temperature tolerance range.

[0045] Specifically, after obtaining the representative temperature tolerance ranges of each category, based on these ranges, the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm is divided. Specifically, the maximum and minimum values of the longitudinal temperature are determined, candidate representative temperature tolerances are screened from the representative temperature tolerance ranges based on the maximum and minimum values, and the longitudinal temperature is segmented based on the candidate representative temperature tolerances. For example, the maximum and minimum values of the longitudinal temperature are 100K and 1000K respectively, and the representative temperature tolerance ranges include: A[0,50], B[50,100], C[100,500], D[400 - 600], E[600 - 1000]. At this time, the ranges between the maximum and minimum values are screened out from the representative temperature tolerance ranges, that is, C, D, and E, to obtain the candidate representative temperature tolerances, and then the longitudinal temperature is partitioned according to the interval values of CDE. Finally, the endpoint values are 100K, 500K, 600K, and 1000K, realizing the segmentation of the longitudinal temperature.

[0046] (3)Determine the target materials corresponding to each longitudinal temperature range according to the temperature tolerance of the candidate materials;

[0047] Specifically, for each divided longitudinal temperature range, a material that is stable in performance and can meet the requirements of thermoelectric conversion within this temperature range is selected from the candidate materials as the target material. For example, in a possible implementation, in the 100 - 300K range, candidate material C has a high Seebeck coefficient and a low thermal conductivity within this temperature range and is more suitable for thermoelectric conversion, so candidate material C is determined as the target material for this range. In this way, the most suitable material is matched for each temperature range to optimize the performance of the thermoelectric material arm.

[0048] (4)Determine the material height of each target material according to the vertical height of the longitudinal temperature range.

[0049] Specifically, the vertical height of the longitudinal temperature range refers to the position and size of the longitudinal temperature range in the entire thermoelectric material arm. When determining the vertical height of the longitudinal temperature range, first, according to the minimum temperature value and the maximum temperature value in the longitudinal temperature range, find the position points on the thermoelectric material arm with the same temperature as the minimum temperature value and the maximum temperature value. Among them, the x and y coordinates of the points corresponding to the minimum temperature value and the maximum temperature value may be the same or different. At this time, only calculate the coordinate difference in the z direction. Taking the lowest end of the thermoelectric material arm close to the cold end as the origin of the ordinate, calculate the ordinates corresponding to the minimum temperature value and the maximum temperature value respectively. By calculating the ordinate difference between the minimum temperature value and the maximum temperature value, the vertical height of the longitudinal temperature range can be obtained. Then, according to this vertical height, determine the material height of the corresponding target material in the thermoelectric material arm. For example, if the vertical height of a certain temperature range accounts for 30% of the total height of the thermoelectric material arm, then the height of the corresponding target material in the thermoelectric material arm also roughly accounts for 30%.

[0050] S103. Design the corresponding thermoelectric material arm according to the material of each material layer and the height corresponding to the material layer

[0051] Specifically, after determining the materials and heights of each layer of the thermoelectric material arm, stack the multi-layer material layers longitudinally within their corresponding height ranges to form the corresponding thermoelectric material arm.

[0052] The method provided in this embodiment determines the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm based on the target longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric power generation module, and then combines the preset temperature range and material correspondence relationship to determine the material layer, candidate materials, and material height. Finally, the corresponding thermoelectric material arm is designed, which can fully consider the temperature differences in different regions of the thermoelectric power generation module and the performance characteristics of the thermoelectric material at different temperatures. On the one hand, it realizes the precise selection and layout of the thermoelectric material, enables different materials to exert their best performance in their respective suitable temperature ranges, significantly improves the thermoelectric conversion efficiency, and effectively reduces energy loss; on the other hand, by reasonably determining the material layer height, the structure of the thermoelectric material arm is optimized, its adaptability and stability in the temperature change environment are enhanced, the overall performance and reliability of the thermoelectric power generation module are improved, better meeting the requirements of different application scenarios for thermoelectric power generation, and providing strong support for the wide application and development of thermoelectric power generation technology.

[0053] Furthermore Figure 3 is the flowchart of the second embodiment of the method for designing a thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials provided by this application. Please refer to Figure 3 This embodiment provides a method that may further include

[0054] S301. Determine the temperature characteristics of the real-time working environment of the thermoelectric power generation module.

[0055] Specifically, the temperature of the real-time working environment of the thermoelectric power generation module can be obtained through a temperature sensor, including the temperature condition of the thermoelectric power generation module during actual operation, such as the level of the ambient temperature and the range of temperature change. The temperature characteristics can be obtained from the temperature change of the real-time working environment of the thermoelectric power generation module.

[0056] Furthermore, first determine the size of the area where the thermoelectric power generation module is located in the working environment according to the shape of the thermoelectric power generation module. By setting multiple temperature measurement points in the horizontal and vertical directions of this area and using temperature sensors to record the temperature data of these measurement points, the uniformity or change trend of the temperature in the horizontal and vertical directions can be analyzed. By analyzing the temperature data in the vertical direction, the temperature conditions faced by the thermoelectric power generation module at different height positions can be clarified. Combining the temperature change measurement results in the horizontal and vertical directions can comprehensively understand the temperature characteristics of the area related to the thermoelectric power generation module in the actual use scenario.

[0057] S302. Traverse multiple calculation points in the thermoelectric material arms in the order from bottom to top. For any target calculation point, obtain the real-time physical property parameters corresponding to the target calculation point according to the measured temperature corresponding to the target calculation point. The real-time physical property parameters change with the temperature.

[0058] Specifically, traverse multiple calculation points on the arm in the order from bottom to top of the thermoelectric material arm. For each target calculation point, obtain the corresponding real-time physical property parameters according to the measured temperature at this point. For a material in a thermoelectric material arm, the temperature in its working environment also changes with position rather than being fixed. At this time, it shows that the physical property parameters at different positions on a material layer in a thermoelectric material arm are different. Because the physical property parameters of thermoelectric materials (such as thermal conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and resistivity, etc.) change with temperature, the values of these parameters are different at different temperatures. For example, the Seebeck coefficient changes at different temperatures. By measuring the temperature of the calculation point and combining the relationship curve or formula between the material physical property parameters and temperature, the real-time physical property parameters such as the Seebeck coefficient at this temperature can be obtained. It should be noted that the relationship curve between the material physical property parameters and temperature is pre-obtained through theoretical model simulation. For the detailed steps of the simulation relationship curve, please refer to the description in the relevant technology and will not be elaborated here.

[0059] Furthermore, the specific implementation steps for determining the calculation points of the thermoelectric material arm include:

[0060] (1) Determine the boundary conditions of the thermoelectric material arm;

[0061] Specifically, the boundary conditions of the thermoelectric material arm include temperature boundary conditions, heat flux boundary conditions, and electric potential boundary conditions. The temperature boundary conditions mean that one end of the thermoelectric material arm is set as the hot end, maintaining a constant high temperature, and the other end is the cold end, maintaining a constant low temperature. The heat flux boundary conditions mean that a heat flux value is given on the boundary of the thermoelectric material arm. The electric potential boundary conditions mean that the electric potential at one end of the thermoelectric material arm is V1 and the electric potential at the other end is V2.

[0062] (2) Determine the grid type according to the temperature characteristics of the thermoelectric material arm. The grid types include structured grids, unstructured grids, and hybrid grids;

[0063] Specifically, due to the temperature gradient in the thermoelectric material arm, the temperature distribution is uneven. If the temperature change is relatively gentle, the structured grid can better meet the calculation requirements; if the temperature changes violently in some areas, such as near the heat source or heat exchange boundary, the grid needs to be refined in these areas. The unstructured grid has obvious advantages in this case. It can increase the grid density in the areas with large temperature changes in a targeted manner, improve the ability to capture temperature changes, and thus more accurately simulate the temperature distribution. In some cases, the thermoelectric material arm may have both regular and irregular parts, or the temperature characteristics may have different performances in different regions. In this case, a hybrid grid can be used, that is, combining the advantages of structured grids and unstructured grids. Use structured grids in regular areas to ensure calculation efficiency; use unstructured grids in irregular or areas with complex temperature changes to ensure calculation accuracy.

[0064] (3) Divide the thermoelectric material arm in combination with the grid type and the boundary conditions to obtain a plurality of computational grids, and select representative points of each computational grid to obtain a plurality of computational points.

[0065] Specifically, according to the selected grid type, the thermoelectric material arm is divided into a plurality of small computational grids. During the division process, the boundary conditions should be fully considered, and the density of the grid should be reasonably adjusted according to the changes in temperature, heat flux, or electric potential near the boundary. For example, in one embodiment, under the temperature boundary conditions, in the areas near the hot end and the cold end, if the temperature change gradient is large, the grid needs to be refined to accurately calculate the temperature change.

[0066] Furthermore, each computational grid has one or more representative points, which are used to calculate the values of physical quantities. For structured grids, the center of the grid is usually selected as the representative point; for unstructured grids, the selection of representative points can be determined according to specific calculation methods and accuracy requirements, and may be the centroid of the grid or other specific positions. By selecting these representative points, the continuous thermoelectric material arm is transformed into discrete computational points, facilitating numerical calculations, solving the governing equations, obtaining the values of physical quantities such as temperature and electric potential at each computational point, and thus analyzing the performance of the thermoelectric material arm.

[0067] Optionally, in a possible implementation, the computational points can be divided according to the variation trend of the physical property parameters of each material layer in the thermoelectric material arm with temperature. If the variation trend of the physical property parameters of a certain material layer with temperature is large, the division density of the computational points in this material layer will be increased; otherwise, the division density of the computational points in this material layer will be decreased. Optionally, in another possible implementation, for each material layer in the thermoelectric material arm, it is divided using a preset number of computational points, which is not limited in this embodiment.

[0068] Specifically, the real-time physical property parameters include thermal conductivity, resistivity, and Seebeck coefficient, and the voltage of the material layer where the target computational point is located is calculated using the obtained real-time physical property parameters. According to the Seebeck effect, the voltage across the material layer is related to the Seebeck coefficient and the temperature difference. After calculating the voltage of each material layer, the stacking of the material layers is regarded as a series connection of components, and the voltages of all material layers on a thermoelectric material arm are added together, and the sum value obtained is the open-circuit voltage of this thermoelectric material arm. This open-circuit voltage is an important indicator for evaluating the performance of the thermoelectric material arm, reflecting the ability of the thermoelectric material arm to convert thermal energy into electrical energy under the current temperature distribution and material characteristics.

[0069] Furthermore, the implementation steps for obtaining the real-time physical property parameters corresponding to the target computational point according to the measured temperature include:

[0070] (1) Determine the longitudinal coordinate of the target computational point in the vertical direction;

[0071] Specifically, taking the cold end of the thermoelectric material arm as the starting point of the longitudinal coordinate axis, the longitudinal coordinate of the target computational point is measured vertically upward. By determining the longitudinal coordinate, the computational point can be accurately associated with the physical position of the thermoelectric material arm, providing a spatial positioning basis for subsequent analysis.

[0072] Furthermore, the cold end of the thermoelectric material arm refers to the end with the lowest temperature when the thermoelectric material arm is working, that is, the bottom end of the thermoelectric material arm, and the hot end of the thermoelectric material arm refers to the end with the highest temperature when the thermoelectric material arm is working.

[0073] (2)Determine the measured temperature corresponding to the target calculation point based on the longitudinal coordinate and the temperature characteristics of the working environment of the thermoelectric power generation module;

[0074] Specifically, after knowing the longitudinal coordinate of the target calculation point, the temperature can be determined by combining the temperature characteristics of the working environment of the thermoelectric power generation module. If the working environment temperature is stable and the temperature of the thermoelectric material arm is linearly distributed along the longitudinal direction, the measured temperature of the target calculation point can be calculated according to the linear interpolation formula; if the working environment temperature distribution is complex with local hot spots or non-linear changes, temperature sensors can be installed in the area where the thermoelectric material arm is located in the working environment, and the temperatures of each point are measured by the temperature sensors, and then the corresponding measured temperature is found according to the longitudinal coordinate of the target calculation point.

[0075] (3)Determine the real-time physical property parameters of the material corresponding to the target calculation point at the measured temperature.

[0076] Specifically, after clarifying the measured temperature of the target calculation point, look up the relationship chart or database between the physical property parameters and temperature of the material in the material layer where the target calculation point is located, and obtain the real-time physical property parameters corresponding to the real-time temperature in the relationship.

[0077] Furthermore, since the transition section between adjacent material layers is prone to temperature-specific changes under the influence of these two material layers, the physical property parameters of the transition section are jointly affected by the temperatures of the two material layers at this time. If the corresponding physical property parameters are obtained through the theoretically calculated temperature, the changes under the double temperature influence of the transition section will be ignored, reducing the calculation accuracy. By obtaining the measured physical property parameters through the measured temperature of the target calculation point, the calculation accuracy can be improved.

[0078] S303. Calculate the voltage of the material layer where the target calculation point is located based on the real-time physical property parameters, and determine the open-circuit voltage of the thermoelectric material arm as the sum of the voltages of all material layers on one thermoelectric material arm.

[0079] Specifically, calculating the voltage of the material layer where the target calculation point is located based on the real-time physical property parameters includes:

[0080] (1)Determine the Seebeck coefficient of the material layer;

[0081] Specifically, the Seebeck coefficient of the material layer reflects the ability of the material to convert thermal energy into electrical energy. Different thermoelectric materials have different Seebeck coefficients, and the Seebeck coefficient varies with temperature. The Seebeck coefficient corresponding to the material layer can be obtained through experimental measurement or by referring to relevant material manuals, academic literature or databases.

[0082] (2)Calculate the temperature difference between the two ends of the material layer;

[0083] Specifically, a temperature measuring instrument, such as a thermocouple, a thermistor, etc., can be used to directly measure the temperatures at both ends of the material layer in the longitudinal direction to obtain a temperature difference.

[0084] (3) Determine the product of the Seebeck coefficient and the temperature difference as the voltage of the material layer.

[0085] Specifically, the voltage can be calculated according to the following formula:

[0086] ;

[0087] Where, is the Seebeck coefficient;

[0088] is the temperature difference.

[0089] Further, sum the voltages of all the material layers in the thermoelectric material arm to obtain the open-circuit voltage.

[0090] S304. Calculate the duty cycle of the thermoelectric material arm and the spacing between adjacent thermoelectric material arms among the multiple thermoelectric material arms according to the open-circuit voltage, and complete the design of the thermoelectric power generation module.

[0091] Specifically, calculate the cross-sectional area and duty cycle of the thermoelectric material arm according to the obtained open-circuit voltage. The cross-sectional area and duty cycle affect the electrical and thermal properties of the thermoelectric material arm. For example, a larger cross-sectional area can reduce the resistance and improve the current transmission ability, but it will also increase the material cost and heat conduction loss; the duty cycle affects the arrangement density and overall structure of the thermoelectric material arm. Through the relational formulas between the open-circuit voltage and the cross-sectional area and duty cycle (these formulas are derived based on thermoelectric principles and related theories), calculate the cross-sectional area and duty cycle that meet specific performance requirements. After completing the calculation of these geometric parameters, the design of the thermoelectric material arm is determined, and then the design of the entire thermoelectric power generation module is completed.

[0092] Further, the implementation steps of calculating the duty cycle of the thermoelectric material arm and the spacing between adjacent thermoelectric material arms among the multiple thermoelectric material arms according to the open-circuit voltage include:

[0093] (1) Calculate the comprehensive current of the hybrid material based on the open-circuit voltage and the comprehensive resistance of the hybrid material;

[0094] (2) Calculate the cross-sectional area based on the comprehensive current;

[0095] Specifically, the steps of calculating the cross-sectional area according to the comprehensive current include:

[0096] 1.1. Determine the interface resistance between each layer of the material layer in the hybrid material;

[0097] Specifically, in the thermoelectric material arm, there are interfaces between different layers of thermoelectric materials, and these interfaces will generate resistance, namely interface resistance. The interface resistance can be obtained through experimental measurement or model simulation calculation.

[0098] 1.2. Calculate the comprehensive resistance according to the sum of the interface resistance and the resistance of each layer of the material layer;

[0099] Specifically, the comprehensive resistance can be calculated according to the following formula:

[0100] ;

[0101] where, is the resistance of the i-th layer of the material layer;

[0102] is the interface resistance between the i-th layer of the material layer and its next layer of the material layer.

[0103] 1.3. Calculate the ratio of the open-circuit voltage to the comprehensive resistance to obtain the comprehensive current of the thermoelectric material arm;

[0104] Specifically, the comprehensive current can be calculated according to the following formula:

[0105] ;

[0106] where, is the open-circuit voltage;

[0107] is the comprehensive resistance.

[0108] 1.4. Calculate the cross-sectional area of the thermoelectric material arm according to the comprehensive current and the control energy equation.

[0109] Specifically, the control energy equation can be expressed by the following formula:

[0110] ;

[0111] where, is the thermal conductivity of the material layer;

[0112] is the second derivative of the temperature along the longitudinal direction of the thermoelectric material arm;

[0113] is the comprehensive current passing through;

[0114] is the resistivity of the material layer;

[0115] is the cross-sectional area of the material layer;

[0116] is the Seebeck coefficient of the material layer.

[0117] Specifically, the control energy equation describes the conversion and transmission relationship of energy in the thermoelectric material arm, which is related to multiple physical quantities such as current, temperature, thermal conductivity, and Seebeck coefficient. In the thermoelectric material arm, current generates Joule heat, and there are processes such as heat conduction and thermoelectric conversion. According to the control energy equation and the relevant boundary conditions, an equation regarding the cross-sectional area can be established. Substituting the current calculated previously and other known material property parameters and temperature parameters into this expression, the cross-sectional area of the thermoelectric material arm can be calculated.

[0118] (2) Calculate the duty cycle according to the cross-sectional area.

[0119] Specifically, the steps for calculating the duty cycle according to the cross-sectional area include:

[0120] 2.1. Obtain the comprehensive cross-sectional area of multiple thermoelectric material arms;

[0121] Specifically, in combination with the previous description, after calculating the cross-sectional area of a single thermoelectric material arm, the cross-sectional areas of the remaining thermoelectric material arms in the thermoelectric power generation module can be calculated in the same way, and adding up the cross-sectional areas of all thermoelectric material arms gives the comprehensive cross-sectional area.

[0122] 2.2. Calculate the ratio of the comprehensive cross-sectional area to the area of the thermoelectric power generation module to obtain the duty cycle of the thermoelectric power generation module;

[0123] Specifically, the duty cycle refers to the ratio of the comprehensive cross-sectional area of the thermoelectric material arm to the area of the thermoelectric power generation module, and the duty cycle can be calculated by the following formula:

[0124] ;

[0125] where is the comprehensive cross-sectional area;

[0126] is the area of the thermoelectric power generation module.

[0127] 2.3. Calculate the spacing between adjacent thermoelectric material arms among multiple thermoelectric material arms according to the cross-sectional area of the thermoelectric material arm and the duty cycle.

[0128] Specifically, the spacing can be calculated by the following formula:

[0129] ;

[0130] where is the duty cycle;

[0131] is the cross-sectional area of a single thermoelectric material arm;

[0132] is the width of a single thermoelectric material arm.

[0133] The design method of the thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials provided in this embodiment determines the materials and heights of the material layers of the thermoelectric material arm according to the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric power generation module. By dividing the longitudinal temperature range, the target materials are selected and adapted. Through hybrid materials and dynamic adjustment, the material properties in each temperature range are optimized to reduce energy loss. On the other hand, by determining the temperature characteristics of the real-time working environment of the thermoelectric power generation module and obtaining the real-time physical property parameters of the calculation points according to the measured temperature, the calculation results are more in line with the actual situation. The real-time physical property parameters change with temperature, ensuring that the dynamic changes of material properties are fully considered when calculating the voltage of the material layer, the open-circuit voltage, and subsequent geometric parameters, improving the accuracy of the design.

[0134] Corresponding to the foregoing embodiment of the design method of the thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials, this application also provides an embodiment of a design device of the thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials.

[0135] Figure 4 is the structural schematic diagram of Embodiment 1 of the design device of the thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials provided in this application. Please refer to Figure 4 , the device provided in this embodiment includes a determination module 410, a calculation module 420, and a design module 430;

[0136] The determination module 410 is configured to determine the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm according to the target longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric power generation module;

[0137] The calculation module 420 is configured to determine the longitudinally divided material layers of the thermoelectric material arm, the materials to be selected for this layer of material layer, and the height corresponding to this material layer according to the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm and the preset correspondence between the temperature range and the material. Multiple layers of the material layers are longitudinally stacked to form the thermoelectric material arm, and different temperature ranges correspond to materials of different materials;

[0138] The design module 430 is configured to design the corresponding thermoelectric material arm according to the material of each layer of the material layer and the height corresponding to this material layer.

[0139] The device of this embodiment can be used to execute Figure 1 the steps of the method embodiment shown, and the specific implementation principle and process are similar, which will not be elaborated here.

[0140] For the implementation processes of the functions and roles of each unit in the above device, please refer to the implementation processes of the corresponding steps in the above method for details, which will not be elaborated here.

[0141] For the device embodiments, since they basically correspond to the method embodiments, the relevant parts can be referred to the partial descriptions of the method embodiments. The device embodiments described above are only illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed to multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this application. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand and implement it without creative efforts.

[0142] The above are only the preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of this application shall be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A design method for a thermoelectric power generation module based on hybrid materials, characterized in that, The thermoelectric power generation module includes thermoelectric material arms, and the method includes: Determining the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arms according to the target longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric power generation module; Determining the longitudinally divided material layers of the thermoelectric material arms, the materials to be selected for each layer of material layer, and the height corresponding to this material layer according to the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arms and the preset correspondence between temperature intervals and materials. Multiple layers of the material layers are longitudinally stacked to form the thermoelectric material arms, and different temperature intervals correspond to materials of different materials; Designing the corresponding thermoelectric material arms according to the materials of each layer of material layer and the height corresponding to this material layer.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After determining the materials of each layer of material layer and the height corresponding to this material layer, the method further includes: Determining the temperature characteristics of the real-time working environment of the thermoelectric power generation module; Traversing multiple calculation points in the thermoelectric material arms in the order from bottom to top of the thermoelectric material arms. For any target calculation point, obtaining the real-time physical property parameters corresponding to the target calculation point according to the measured temperature corresponding to the target calculation point, and the real-time physical property parameters change with temperature; Calculating the voltage of the material layer where the target calculation point is located based on the real-time physical property parameters, and determining the sum of the voltages of all material layers on one thermoelectric material arm as the open-circuit voltage of the thermoelectric material arm; Calculating the duty cycle of the thermoelectric material arm and the spacing between adjacent thermoelectric material arms among multiple thermoelectric material arms according to the open-circuit voltage to complete the design of the thermoelectric power generation module.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the longitudinally divided material layers of the thermoelectric material arms, the materials to be selected for each layer of material layer, and the height corresponding to this material layer according to the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arms and the preset correspondence between temperature intervals and materials; includes: Determining the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arms; Dividing the longitudinal temperature distribution into multiple longitudinal temperature intervals based on the temperature tolerance distribution of candidate materials; wherein, the number of candidate materials is more than the number of materials required in one thermoelectric material arm; Determining the target materials corresponding to each longitudinal temperature interval according to the temperature tolerance of the candidate materials; Determining the material height of each target material according to the vertical height of the longitudinal temperature interval.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein Dividing the longitudinal temperature distribution into multiple longitudinal temperature intervals based on the temperature tolerance distribution of candidate materials, includes: Determining the temperature tolerance distribution of the candidate materials, classifying the candidate materials, and the temperature tolerance intervals of one or more candidate materials in different classes are different; Calculating the representative temperature tolerance interval corresponding to each class according to the temperature tolerance intervals of one or more candidate materials in the same class; Dividing the longitudinal temperature distribution into multiple longitudinal temperature intervals according to the representative temperature tolerance interval.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein Traversing the target calculation points of each material layer in the thermoelectric material arms; includes: Determining the boundary conditions of the thermoelectric material arms; Determining the grid type according to the temperature characteristics of the thermoelectric material arms, and the grid type includes structured grids, unstructured grids, and hybrid grids; Divide the thermoelectric material arm according to the grid type and the boundary conditions to obtain a plurality of computational grids, and select representative points of each of the computational grids to obtain a plurality of computational points.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The real-time physical property parameters include the thermal conductivity, resistivity, and Seebeck coefficient; the obtaining of the real-time physical property parameters corresponding to the target computational point according to the measured temperature includes: Determine the longitudinal coordinate of the target computational point in the vertical direction; Based on the longitudinal coordinate and the temperature characteristics of the working environment of the thermoelectric power generation module, determine the measured temperature corresponding to the target computational point; Determine the real-time physical property parameters of the material corresponding to the target computational point at the measured temperature.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein The calculating of the voltage of the material layer where the target computational point is located based on the real-time physical property parameters includes: Determine the Seebeck coefficient of the material layer; Calculate the temperature difference between the two ends of the material layer; Determine the voltage of the material layer as the product of the Seebeck coefficient and the temperature difference.

8. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The calculating of the geometric parameters of the thermoelectric material arm according to the open-circuit voltage includes: Based on the open-circuit voltage and the comprehensive resistance of the hybrid material, calculate the comprehensive current of the hybrid material; Based on the comprehensive current, calculate the cross-sectional area; Calculate the duty cycle according to the cross-sectional area.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein The method further includes: Calculate the comprehensive cross-sectional area of a plurality of the thermoelectric material arms; Calculate the ratio of the comprehensive cross-sectional area to the area of the thermoelectric power generation module to obtain the duty cycle of the thermoelectric power generation module; Calculate the distance between adjacent thermoelectric material arms among a plurality of the thermoelectric material arms according to the cross-sectional area of the thermoelectric material arm and the duty cycle.

10. A design device for a thermoelectric power generation module based on a hybrid material, characterized in that, The device includes a determination module, a calculation module, and a design module; wherein, The determination module is configured to determine the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm according to the target longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric power generation module; The calculation module is configured to determine the longitudinally divided material layers of the thermoelectric material arm, the material to be selected for this layer of material layer, and the height corresponding to this material layer according to the longitudinal temperature distribution of the thermoelectric material arm and the preset correspondence between the temperature interval and the material. A plurality of the material layers are longitudinally stacked to form the thermoelectric material arm, and different temperature intervals correspond to materials of different materials; The design module is configured to design the corresponding thermoelectric material arm according to the material of each layer of material layer and the height corresponding to this material layer.

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