Thermoelectrics Laboratory

• HoSung Lee, Ph.D.—Lab director and professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department at Western Michigan University. Lee has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1993 and a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1989
• Hadi Ali M Madkhali—A Ph.D. student graduated with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University in 2012. He worked as a faculty member at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. He worked on a master’s thesis on prospects of affordable freshwater through sea water reverse osmosis desalination. Currently he is working on research in solar thermoelectric generators.
• Ali Hamil—A graduate student with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Baghdad, 2014. Currently pursuing master's degree in mechanical engineering at Western Michigan University, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Working on a master’s thesis project on thermoelectric generators for low grade waste heat recovery.
• Abdulmunaem Arusi—A graduate student with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering, 2010. Worked on a project entitled, "Performance Prediction and Compression of a Double Spool Turbofan Engine." Currently he is pursuing a master's degree in mechanical engineering at Western Michigan University, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He is working on a master’s thesis project on optimal design of thermoelectric cooling and heating for car seat climate control.
• Hassan Mohammad Fagehi—A graduate student with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Jazan University.  He is currently pursuing a master's degree in mechanical engineering at Western Michigan University, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He is working on a master’s thesis project on thermoelectric generator for automotive exhaust waste heat recovery.
• Mohammed Mahmood Dhannoon—A graduate student with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Al Anbar University, 2006. He worked on a project entitled, "Fluid Flow in One Direction". Currently he is pursuing a master's degree in mechanical engineering at Western Michigan University, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He is working on a master’s thesis project on Miniature Thermoelectric Devices.
• Shripad Dhoopagunta—A graduate student with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, 2013. He worked on a project entitled, “Structural Integrity Assessment of Aerospace Pressure Vessel Using Ultrasonic Examination.” Currently he is pursuing a master's degree in mechanical engineering at Western Michigan University, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He is working on a master’s thesis project on materials, nanoparticles and thermoelectrics.
• Pooja Iyer Mani—A graduate student with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, 2014. She worked on a project entitled, “Design and Fabrication of Solar Electric Scooter”. Currently she is pursuing a master's degree in mechanical engineering at Western Michigan University, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. She is working on a master’s thesis project on effect of Thomson Effect and contact resistance on miniature thermoelectric devices.

Alumni

• Alaa Mohammed Ali Attar—A Ph.D. with a master’s graduate in mechanical engineering , Attar worked on a Ph.D. research topic entitled, “Studying the Optimum Design of Automotive Thermoelectric Air Conditioning.” He is a faculty member at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at King Abdul Aziz University, Rabigh.
• Sean Weera—With both Master of Science and Bachelor of Science from Western Michigan University, Weera worked on a thesis project entitled, “Effective Material Properties Method in Determining the Performance of Commercial Thermoelectric Modules”. He is a product engineer at Landscape Forms.

• Thermal design: heat sinks, thermoelectrics, heat pipes, compact heat exchangers, thermoacoustics and solar cells
• Optimal design of thermoelectric generators and coolers
• Applications: solar thermoelectric generators, low grade thermal energy conversion, radioisotope thermoelectric generators, automotive thermoelectric air conditioners, miniature thermoelectric modules and automotive exhaust waste heat recovery
• Physics of thermoelectrics, modeling of energy transport (non-parabolic two-band Kane model: semi-classical theories, scattering mechanisms of electrons and phonons, lattice thermal conduction and low-dimensional nanostructures)
• Thermoelectric materials and nanocomposites (optimization): bismuth telluride alloys, lead tellurides, silicon germaniums, magnesium silicides, tin selenides, skutterudites, clathrates, TAGS, LAST, half-Heusler, etc.

Solar thermoelectric generator—A model of solar thermoelectric generator is analyzed based on the concept of converting the thermal energy into electricity. A recent paper on solar thermoelectric generator reported a highest efficiency of 4.6%, in which the system had a vacuum glass in this enclosure, flat panel (absorber), thermoelectric generator and water circulation for cold side. A validation was applied which was in good agreement with this paper. Seeking to raise the efficiency; a same model but using a heat sink instead of water circulation, and applying Lee’s theory of optimal design using dimensionless parameters will be added in the system. Then, a new design using three segmented elements will be applied. A numerical simulation using ANSYS software will be created in all models for comparing with analytical solutions.

Thermoelectric generators for low grade waste heat recovery—This project focuses on using the technology of thermoelectrics for liquid-to-liquid, low-grade waste heat recovery (low temperature). Design and construction of a system of thermoelectric generator modules to convert waste heat into electricity hoping to decrease power generation cost.

Optimal design of thermoelectric cooling and heating for car seat climate control—Optimal design of a thermoelectric device is studied analytically using Dr. Lee’s newly developed optimization method based on the thermoelectric ideal equations along with dimensional analysis technique in order to improve the performance of the thermoelectric device in terms of the cooling and heating power and the coefficient of performance.

Thermoelectric generator for automotive exhaust waste heat recovery system—Design an analytical modeling along with experimental validation on the thermoelectric system that is used to convert part of the waste heat into usable electrical power hoping to reduce the exhaustion of energy and the environment pollution.

Miniature thermoelectric devices—This project presents the consideration of the contact resistance in miniature thermoelectric module farther progress in the development of short-legged thermoelectric micro modules for the cooling of high power density electronic components.

Thermoelectrics of nanostructures—To design a generic model to calculate the Figure of Merit (ZT) value of nanostructures in all the 3 dimensions; i.e.  1-D, 2-D and 3-D and in different types of materials. Also to estimate the effect of ZT on the behavior of electrons and photons.

Impact of Thomson Effect on thermoelectrics materials while varying leg length—A study is made based on the Thomson Effect of thermoelectric materials to compare the total efficiency calculated experimentally and analytically while using different parameters to base the study on. A comparison is made with the Thomson Effect involved and with only the ideal equations to determine its effect in practical applications.

Past projects

Studying the optimum design of automotive thermoelectric air conditioning—This work utilizes a newly developed optimal design theory and dimensional analysis technique, which allows for optimization of thermoelectric parameters simultaneously.  Applying this method on a unit cell located at the center of the TEAC system provides a simple way to study the optimum design and its feasibility; however, further studies are needed to simulate the optimum design of an entire TEAC system from given inlet parameters (i.e., hot and cold air mass flow rates and ambient temperatures). 

Effective material properties method in determining the performance of commercial thermoelectric modules—This work examines the validity of formulating the effective thermoelectric material properties as a way to predict thermoelectric module performance. The three maximum parameters (temperature difference, current, and cooling power) of a thermoelectric cooler were formulated on the basis of the hot junction temperature. Then, the effective material properties (Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistance, and thermal conductivity) were defined in terms of the three maximum parameters that were taken from either a commercial thermoelectric cooler module or the measurements. It is demonstrated that the simple standard equation with the effective material properties predicts well the performance curves of the four selected commercial products. Normalized parameters over the maximum parameters were also formulated to present the characteristics of the thermoelectric coolers along with the normalized charts. The normalized charts would be universal for a given thermoelectric material.

Ph.D. projects

Optimum design of automotive thermoelectric air conditioning

Senior design projects

Exhaust heat thermoelectric generator

Undergraduate projects as part of coursework

Thermal behavior of an electrical wire—When an electrically insulated stranded wire is subjected to a DC current, heat is generated in the wire, simultaneously dissipating into ambient air due to natural convection and radiation. The wire is anticipated to reach a steady-state temperature. The purpose of this project is an experimental and analytical study that includes the computer simulations on the thermal behavior of the electrical wire. An 18 gauge wire is laid horizontally up in the quiescent ambient air and subjected to three different assigned DC currents separately. The project is divided into three parts: analytical modelling, experimental data and numerical computations.

Double pipe heat exchanger—The device most frequently used for transfer of energy (heat) is the heat exchanger. A heat exchanger effects the heat transfer from one fluid to another. There are many types of heat exchangers, including double pipe, shell and tube, cross flow, and plate and frame. Specific applications may be found in space heating and air-conditioning, power production, waste heat recovery and chemical processing. In this project, we consider two types of heat exchangers: double pipe heat exchanger and shell and tube heat exchanger. This project is divided into three parts: experimental data, analytical solution and numerical simulations.

• Hassan Fagehi, Alaa Attar, HoSung Lee, Optimal Design an Automotive Exhaust Thermoelectric Generator, Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol. 47, No.7 3983-3995 (2018).
• Hadi Ali Madkhali, Ali Hamil, HoSung Lee, Validation, Optimization of a Solar Thermoelectric Generator Model, Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol.46, No.12, 6756-6768 (2017).
• Abdul Elarusi, Alaa Attar, HoSung Lee, Optimal Design of a Thermoelectric Cooling/Heating System for a Car Seat Climate Control (CSCC), Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol. 46, No.1 1984-1995 (2017).
• Abdul Elarusi, Hassan M. Fagehi, Alaa Attar, HoSung Lee, Theoretical Approach to Predict the Performance of Thermoelectric Generator Modules, Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol.46, No.2, 872-881 (2016).
• HoSung Lee, Thermoelectrics: Design and Materials, 464 pages, ISBN-13: 978-1118848951, John Wiley, November 21, 2016.
• HoSung Lee, A Theoretical Model of Thermoelectric Transport Properties for Electrons and Phonons, Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol. 45, No.2, 1115-1141 (2016)
• Alaa Attar and HoSung Lee, Designing and Testing the Optimum Design of Automotive Air-to-Air Thermoelectric Air Conditioner (TEAC) System, Energy Conversion and Management, Vol.112, 328-336 (2016)
• HoSung Lee, Alaa Attar, Sean Weera, Performance Prediction of Commercial Thermoelectric Cooler Modules using the Effective Material Properties,  Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol.44, No.6, 2157-2165 (2015).  
• Alaa Attar and HoSung Lee, Experimental Validation of the Optimum Design of Automotive Air-to-Air Air Conditioner (TEAC),  Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol.44, No.6, 2177-2185 (2015).
• Alaa Attar, HoSung Lee, Sean Weera, Optimal Design of Automotive Thermoelectric Air Conditioner (TEAC), Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol.43, No.6, 2179-2187 (2014)
• HoSung Lee, Optimal Design of Thermoelectric Devices with Dimensional Analysis, Applied Energy, 106, 79-88 (2013)
• HoSung Lee, The Thomson effect and the Ideal Equation on Thermoelectric Coolers, Energy, 56, 61-69 (2013)
• HoSung Lee, Thermal Design: Heat Sinks, Thermoelectrics, Heat Pipes, Compact Heat Exchangers, and Solar Cells, ISBN 978-0-470-49662-6, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (2010)