Thermoelectric-powered convective cooling of microprocessors

Forced convection cooling of a personal computer microprocessor, using power generated by thermoelectric (TE) conversion, has been modeled, analyzed, and demonstrated. This study was motivated by the desire to meet the demanding cooling requirements of notebook computers without consuming valuable battery power. The modest power generated by the TE necessitated a careful match between the TE device and the fan/heat-sink sub-system. The models and methodology used to maximize the cooling capability of TE-powered convection are presented and experimentally validated using a notebook computer prototype. In the experimental study described herein, a commercial fan was successfully driven by electricity generated from the heat of the microprocessor. It was determined that, at a junction temperature of 95 °C, thermoelectric-powered cooling could perform nearly four times better than the best natural convection design.