Abstract:Several values referring to the performance for the P-type Bi₂Te₃/FeSi₂ graded thermoelectric materials were calculated. It is demonstrated that this simulation and calculation procedure can be proved to be effective and applicable in the design of FGM structure. The relationship between apparent Seebeck coefficient, internal resistance and hot side temperatures for the Bi₂Te₃/FeSi₂ structure using the calculation procedure mentioned above can be described by two three-order polynomials respectively. Although the maximum power output as-calculated is somewhat higher than those as-experimented in the lower load resistance and lower than those in the higher one, their values at a load resistance of 0.0734Ω under a hot side temperature of 510℃ approximately match each other, and is 2.5 times that of monolithic material FeSi₂ calculated at the same applied circumstances. The calculation also illustrates that the configuration with two FeSi₂ with different compositions and similar preparations, being the best couple among all of the intensively selected P-type monolithic materials FeSi₂ with measured parameters, is superior to a large degree to the structure Bi₂Te₃/FeSi₂ in many ways, even though the same maximum power output as that of Bi₂Te₃/FeSi₂ is calculated.

Key words: thermoelectric materials with large temperature span; performance description; design; power output