AIRFLOW IN MULTI-AIR DUCTS OF SEMICONDUCTIVE THERMOELECTRIC HEAT PUMPS
This paper reviews the history and advantages of semi-conductive thermoelectric heat pumps and natural convection in vertical channels, sets up physical and numerical models of one semi-conductive refrigerator , and analyzes configurations of its multi-air ducts. Outer air is introduced into the bottom entrance of heating channel and the top entrance of refrigerating channel, and suitable boundary conditions are set up. All the numerical simulations are dominated by the following parameters, Rayleigh number (103-107), refrigeration coefficient COR (0.1-10.0), the relative conductivity ratio of walls AW (0.1-10.0), and other thermo-physical constants and geometric parameters, such as Prandtl number and ratio of thick wall t/h, etc. Tables and figures present numerical results from analyzing airflow and conjugating heat-transfer characteristics of heating and refrigerating channels. There is discrepancy between the heating and refrigerating channels because of buoyancy/gravitation direction; the conductivity ratio of walls also significantly affects the flow and heat transfer along with varied Ra and COR. The findings could be applied to the experimental process and optimized by simulation.