Application of FEM to coupled electric, thermal and mechanical problems

Author

Preis, K. ; Biro, O. ; Dyczij-Edlinger, R. ; Richter, K.R. ; Badics, Zs ; Riedler, H. ; Stogner, H.

Author_Institution

Graz Univ. of Technol., Austria

Volume

30

Issue

5

fYear

1994

fDate

9/1/1994 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

3316

Lastpage

3319

Abstract

Two problems involving coupled electric and thermal fields are investigated by the finite element method. In a PTC thermistor the transient temperature field due to the losses is computed in each time step with the extremely non-linear dependence of conductivity on temperature taken into account. The mechanical stresses caused by the temperature gradient are hence obtained to facilitate the prediction of an eventual fracture of the PTC. In a second example the operation of a thermoelectric generator based on the Seebeck effect is simulated and its structure is optimized to attain maximal efficiency

Keywords

Seebeck effect; finite element analysis; thermistors; thermoelectric conversion; FEM; PTC thermistor; Seebeck effect; conductivity; coupled electric/thermal/mechanical problems; maximal efficiency; nonlinear dependence; temperature gradient; thermoelectric generator; transient temperature field; Ceramics; Conductivity; Couplings; Equations; Finite element methods; Temperature dependence; Temperature distribution; Thermistors; Thermoelectricity; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.312647

Filename

312647