Prediction of reliability on thermoelectric module through accelerated life test and Physics-of-failure

Abstract

Thermoelectric cooling module (TEM) which is electric device has a mechanical stress because of temperature gradient in itself. It means that structure of TEM is vulnerable in an aspect of reliability but research on reliability of TEM was not performed a lot. Recently, the more the utilization of thermoelectric cooling devices grows, the more the needs for life prediction and improvement are increasing. In this paper, we investigated life distribution, shape parameter of the TEM through accelerated life test (ALT). And we discussed about how to enhance life of TEM through the Physics-of-failure. Experimental results of ALT showed that the thermoelectric cooling module follows the Weibull distribution, shape parameter of which is 3.6. The acceleration model is coffin Coffin-Manson and material constant is 1.8.

Reliably-oriented analysis of a single stage cooler thermoelement construction

“…However, the most important indicator of the power plant is reliability [4], and, first of all, operational. The reliability of the cooler is determined by the value of the thermal load [5], the operating mode in the range from the maximum cooling capacity to the minimum of the failure rate [6], the number of thermocouples [7], the dynamics of the operating current change [8]. The structural features of the thermoelectric cooler also have a significant impact on the reliability indexes [9].…”

Determination of the maximum cooling capacities of two-stage coolers with a variation in the geometry of branches in stages

“…-creation of new materials with increased thermoelectric efficiency [8,9]; -use of thin-film technologies for manufacturing thermoelement materials [10][11][12]; -transition to nanostructural technologies for manufacturing thermoelement materials [13][14][15]; -attraction of external electromagnetic fields for control of charge transfer in the thermoelement material [16]; -optimization of heat transfer in a thermoelectric device [17,18]; -involving elements of reliability theory in the technology of manufacturing of thermoelectric coolers [19][20][21].…”

“…Studies of influence of the thermoelectric coolers on operational reliability indicators are carried out either at the stage of preparation of the technology of manufacturing products, or after manufacturing [21]. This limits the possibilities of design impact on the resulting reliability indices of the thermoelectric device.…”

Development of a model for predicting the reliability indicators in the design of cascade thermoelectric coolers

“…The most impressive results are achieved in the field of nano-technologies [5,6], however, there is still a long way to go before the implementation of industrial production of such materials. Furthermore, improving the effectiveness of thermoelectric materials does not fully solve the given problem, since the reliability of functioning of coolers is not a less important indicator [7,8]. The capability to resist mechanical impacts is one of the components of coolers reliability [9].…”