Thermopile Test Bench

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Thermopile Test Bench
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• Team Thermopilers
• Adrian Aspinall, Paul Sowinski, David Eld,
• Michael Sotolongo,Tyler Merritt

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Thermopiles

• Thermo-Electric Device
• Converts Thermal Energy to Electrical
• Based on the Seebeck Peltier Effects
• Constructed from various Ceramics
• Ours are Bismuth Telluride

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Problem Statement

• To design and fabricate test equipment to
  accurately and easily determine efficiency and
  electrical performance of thermopiles under an
  imposed temperature gradient. The device must
  withstand vacuum, apply axial load, and display
  and record relevant data

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Efficiency- Experimental Determination

• Qdot_in q"in A
• Qdot_out q"out A
•  
•  From 1st Law
• Qdot_in - Pout Qdot_out
• Where  Pout V2 / R
• NuPout / Qdot_in

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Requirements

• Measure Electrical Characteristics
• Impedance
• Determine Power Efficiency
• Measure Heat Transfer
• Adjust Axial Loading
• Display and Record Data
• Test in Vacuum 

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Design

• Mechanical Systems
• Thermal Systems
• Electrical Systems
• Software

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Mechanical Systems- Loading

• DC Linear Actuator
• Springs to Increase Resolution
• Load cell
• Guide Rods
• Load Isolation
• Heater
• Cooler
•  
•  

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Mechanical Systems- Vacuum

• Bell Jar
• Base Plate
• Vacuum Pump
• Feedthroughs

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Thermal Systems

• Thin Film Heater
• Peltier Cooler
• Water Block
• Sensors

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Electrical System
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Software and Data Acquisition

• LabVIEW
• Sensors
• Calculations
• Control
• Data Logging

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Questions?