Thermoelectricity
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Thermoelectricity (thermo-electricity) refers to a class of phenomena in which a temperature difference creates an electric potential or an electric potential creates a temperature difference. In modern technical usage, the term almost always refers collectively to the Seebeck effect, Peltier effect, and the Thomson effect. Analyzing the word thermoelectricity by its etymological components, it might be taken to refer generically to all heat engines that are used to generate electricity and all electrically powered heating devices, for which there is an almost arbitrary number of conceivable techniques, but in practice such a broad use of the term is seldom encountered.
In recent years, thermoelectricity sees rapidly increasing usages in applications like portable refrigerators, beverage coolers, electronic component coolers, etc. One of the most commonly used material in such application is Bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3), a chemical compound of bismuth and tellurium.
[edit] See also
- Thermoelectric effect
- Thermopower
- Batteryless radio
- Joule's law
- Heat transfer
- Thermoelectric cooling/ Peltier device
- Pyroelectric effect - the creation of an electric field in a crystal after uniform heating
- Thermogenerator
- Thermionic emission
- Bismuth telluride
[edit] External links
- Thermoelectricity diagrams
- How kerosene refrigerator works
- Image:Kerosene_radio.jpg
- History of thermoelectric devices
- International Thermoelectric Society
- Thermoelectric News
- Tellurex thermoelectric module
- Amerigon
