Power electronics loss measurement using new heat flux sensor based on thermoelectric device with active control

A new approach is presented for measuring the heat dissipation in power electronic devices using a commercial thermoelectric (TE) module as a heat flux sensor. The proposed sensor takes advantage of both the Seebeck and Peltier thermoelectric effects, yielding a new type of heat flux sensor with low thermal resistance and appealing accuracy/resolution characteristics. In order to explain the operating principles of this sensor, attention is focused on the model of the thermoelectric module and the method of controlling it as a heat flux sensor. The measured performance of early prototype versions of the sensor exhibits promising agreement with the calculated characteristics. Key performance metrics of the new heat flux sensor can be enhanced using new generations of thin-film thermoelectric modules that offer advantages compared to conventional modules using arrays of bulk TE material pellets.