Enhancement of thermal rectification effect based on zigzag interfaces in bi-segment thermal rectifier using bulk materials

The thermal rectification effect refers to a phenomenon by which heat can be asymmetrically transferred through a system. For bulk materials, the thermal rectification effect can be achieved in a bi-segment thermal rectifier using materials which have thermal conductivities with different tem perature dependency. However, the thermal rectification ratio is usually limited by using existing bulk materials. In the present paper, we propose to introduce zigzag-structure interfaces into the bi-segment thermal rectifier. The finite element method is employed to conduct the numerical calculations and the heat flux through the system is calculated based on the Fourier's law. It is found that the zigzag interface can improve the thermal rectification ratio by more than 36% compared a bi-segment thermal rectifier with a flat interface. The enhancement in the thermal rectification ratio is explained based on the theory of the transformation thermotics. The present paper provides a novel approach and analytical tool to design thermal rectifier with meta-materials and enhance the thermal rectification effect in bulk materials. (c) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This paper introduces the thermal rectification effect and its application in a bi-segment thermal rectifier. By introducing zigzag-structure interfaces into the system, the thermal rectification ratio can be improved, enhancing the thermal rectification effect. The finite element method is used for numerical calculations, and the heat flux through the system is calculated based on Fourier's law. The results show that the zigzag interface can increase the thermal rectification ratio by more than 36% compared to a flat interface.