Analysis of P-Type Bi2Te3 Thermoelectric Cooler Device Performance Using Embedded model

Abstract

Thermoelectric Cooler Devices are solid state cooling devices widely used in electronics and precision thermal management in view of their compactness, reliability, and ability to provide accurate temperature control. This study presents a detailed performance analysis of a multistage P-type Bi₂Te₃ thermoelectric cooler using an embedded computational model developed in COMSOL Multiphysics. The model integrates thermoelectric governing equations with heat conduction effects to evaluate thermal and electrical performance under steady state operating conditions. A fully parameterized geometry is employed to investigate the influence of design dimensions, material selection, and operating current on thermoelectric cooling performance. Key performance indicators including maximum temperature difference, optimal current and voltage, electrical resistance, figure of merit, maximum heat load, and coefficient of performance (COP) are systematically evaluated through stationary optimization and parametric studies. The results demonstrate that a thermoelectric cooler achieves a maximum temperature difference of 100.3 K and a maximum heat load of 23.8 W at optimal current conditions. COP analysis reveals a strong dependence on temperature difference, with higher efficiency observed at lower thermal gradients. The findings validate the effectiveness of the embedded modeling approach for rapid and accurate performance prediction and provide valuable insights into the operational limits and efficiency of Bi₂Te₃ based thermoelectric cooling systems. The proposed methodology offers a robust framework for future optimization and extension to multistage thermoelectric cooler designs.