Fast Thermal Characterization of Thermoelectric Modules Using Infrared Camera

Thermoelectric modules are receiving more and more attention due to the increasing interest in the energy harvesting sector. The selection of the proper module for a particular application can be done comparing the values of the figure of merit, which depend on electrical parameters such as internal electrical resistance and Seebeck voltage, and the equivalent thermal resistance. Despite its importance, thermal resistance is more difficult to estimate than other parameters, as a well-engineered experimental setup is usually needed. In this paper, a new, fast, and noninvasive method based on thermal imaging techniques, to estimate the thermal resistance of thermoelectric modules, is presented. The comparison between this method and a direct measurement method based on thermocouple probes shows that very similar performance, with a small relative error, is achieved quicker, also avoiding to implement a complex measurement setup involving many temperature probes. Moreover, due to the contactless nature of the procedure, the proposed experimental setup can be easily tuned for modules of different sizes without the need to modify any mechanical part.