Ring-structured thermoelectric module

A novel tube-shape thermoelectric module is fabricated from four ring-shaped thermoelements and its performance in electrical power generation is evaluated by measuring the power output as a function of temperature differences across the device. A theoretical model of the proposed configuration is established and employed for data analysis. The result indicates that a tube-shape thermoelectric module could achieve similar performance to that of a conventional plate-like module, and has an advantage in applications when heat flows in a radial direction.