Predicted Thermal Stress in a Multileg Thermoelectric Module (TEM) Design

2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Suhir ◽  
A. Shakouri

A physically meaningful analytical (mathematical) model is developed for the prediction of the interfacial shearing thermal stress in an assembly comprised of two identical components, which are subjected to different temperatures. The bonding system is comprised of a plurality of identical columnlike supports located at equal distances (spaces) from each other. The model is developed in application to a thermoelectric module (TEM) design where bonding is provided by multiple thermoelectric material supports (legs). We show that thinner (dimension in the horizontal direction) and longer (dimension in the vertical direction) TEM legs could result in a significant stress relief, and that such a relief could be achieved even if shorter legs are employed, as long as they are thin and the spacing between them is significant. It is imperative, of course, that if thin legs are employed for lower stresses, there is still enough interfacial “real estate,” so that the adhesive strength of the assembly is not compromised. On the other hand, owing to a lower stress level in an assembly with thin legs and large spacing, assurance of its interfacial strength is less of a challenge than for a conventional assembly with stiff, thick, and closely positioned legs. We show also that the thermal stresses not only in conventional TEM designs (using Be2Te3 as the thermoelectric material, and Sn-Sb solder), but also in the future high-power (and high operating temperatures) TEM design (using Si or SiGe as the thermoelectric material and Gold100 as the appropriate solder), might be low enough, so that the short- and long-term reliability of the TEM structure could still be assured. We have found, however, that thin-and-long legs should be considered for lower stresses, but not to an extent that appreciable bending deformations of the legs become possible. Future work will include, but might not be limited to, the finite-element computations and to experimental evaluations (e.g., shear-off testing) of the stress-at-failure for the TEMs of interest.

Author(s):  
Chang Li ◽  
Zhengwei Chen ◽  
Hexin Gao ◽  
Dacheng Zhang ◽  
Xing Han

It is of great significance to reveal the microevolution mechanism of welded structures during thermo-mechanical coupling to improve the welding quality. In this paper, a random microcrystalline structure model for welds is established by the Voronoi tessellation method. According to the nanoindentation results, heterogeneous grains are produced. A welding workpiece model with statistical significance is established. On this basis, the Python script and the birth and death element method are used to realize the transient growth of a weld, and a thermo-mechanical coupling model for the SUS301L-HT stainless steel metal inert gas welding process is established. The temperature field and thermal stress field are calculated. The calculation shows that the thermal stresses along the growth direction of the weld area are in the form of a “trapezoid,” and the stresses at both ends are small. The stress in the vertical direction of the weld has a single peak, and the peak appears in the center of the weld. The stress distribution of the model that considers heterogeneous grains is obviously inhomogeneous compared with that of the traditional model. The thermal stress distribution in the weldment is obviously inhomogeneous due to the heterogeneous grains, the stresses at the boundaries of the adjacent grains in the weldment change abruptly. It is found that the greater the difference in the mechanical properties between grains is, the more obvious the change.


Author(s):  
Hamed Hosseinzadeh

Metal 3D printing technology is a promising manufacturing method. The quality of the printed product can pass for mechanical application, if the anisotropy of the microstructure, imperfections, deformation, and residual stress of the printed sample could be lower than the appropriate level or if they are fully illuminated. Thermal stress is one of the significant reasons for deformation in the 3D printed samples. Thermal stresses are the direct consequence of the local temperature gradient. In this research, the effect of the temperature printer’s chamber (from room temperature to 900 C) was studied on thermal stress and subsequent total deformation in the printed sample. The printed sample is a six-layers-printed walk, which could be considered as a building block of other complex shapes and give us inside about deformation. The computational results show a meaningful reduction in thermal stress and deformation at the higher temperature of the printer’s chamber. The lower final deformation of the printed sample is an important subject, especially for samples with complex shapes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 79 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Suhir ◽  
A. Shakouri

An analytical (mathematical) thermal stress model has been developed for an electronic assembly comprised of identical components bonded at their end portions and subjected to different temperatures. The model is used to assess the effect of the size (dimension in the x-direction) and compliance of the bonded regions (legs) on the maximum interfacial shearing stress that is supposedly responsible for the mechanical robustness of the assembly. The numerical example is carried out for a simplified two-legged Bismuth-Telluride-Alloy (BTA)-based thermoelectric module (TEM) design. It has been determined that thinner (dimension in the horizontal, x-direction) and longer (dimension in the vertical, y-direction) bonds (legs) could result in a considerable relief in the interfacial stress. In the numerical example carried out for a 10 mm long (dimension in the x-direction) TEM assembly with two peripheral 1 mm thick (dimension in the x-direction) legs, the predicted maximum interfacial shearing stress is only about 40% of the maximum stress in the corresponding homogeneously bonded assembly, when the bond occupies the entire interface between the assembly components. It has been determined also that if thick-and-short legs are employed, the maximum interfacial shearing stress might not be very much different from the stress in a homogeneously bonded assembly, so that there is no need, as far as physical design and robustness of the assembly is concerned, to use a homogeneous bond or a multileg system. The application of such a system might be needed, however, for the satisfactory functional (thermo-electrical) performance of the device. In any event, it is imperative that sufficient bonding strength is assured in the assembly. If very thin legs are considered for lower stresses, the minimum acceptable size (real estate) of the interfaces (in the horizontal plane) should be experimentally determined (say, by shear-off testing) so that this strength is not compromised. On the other hand, owing to a lower stress level in an assembly with thin-and-long legs, assurance of its interfacial strength is less of a challenge than for an assembly with a homogeneous bond or with stiff thick-and-short legs. The obtained results could be used particularly for considering, based on the suggested predictive model, an alternative to the existing TEM designs, which are characterized by multiple big (thick-and-long) legs. In our novel design, fewer small (thin-and-short) legs could be employed, so that the size and thickness of the TEM is reduced for the acceptable stress level.


Author(s):  
Jaan Taagepera ◽  
Marty Clift ◽  
D. Mike DeHart ◽  
Keneth Marden

Three vessel modifications requiring heat treatment were analyzed prior to and during a planned turnaround at a refinery. One was a thick nozzle that required weld build up. This nozzle had been in hydrogen service and required bake-out to reduce the potential for cracking during the weld build up. Finite element analysis was used to study the thermal stresses involved in the bake-out. Another heat treatment studied was a PWHT of a nozzle replacement. The heat treatment band and temperature were varied with location in order to minimize cost and reduction in remaining strength of the vessel. Again, FEA was used to provide insight into the thermal stress profiles during heat treatment. The fmal heat treatment study was for inserting a new nozzle in a 1-1/4Cr-1/2Mo reactor. While this material would ordinarily require PWHT, the alteration was proposed to be installed without PWHT. Though accepted by the Jurisdiction, this nozzle installation was ultimately cancelled.


1975 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 1060-1066
Author(s):  
P. F. Thomason

Closed form expressions for the steady-state thermal stresses in a π/2 wedge, subject to constant-temperature heat sources on the rake and flank contact segments, are obtained from a conformal mapping solution to the steady-state heat conduction problem. It is shown, following a theorem of Muskhelishvili, that the only nonzero thermal stress in the plane-strain wedge is that acting normal to the wedge plane. The thermal stress solutions are superimposed on a previously published isothermal cutting-load solution, to give the complete thermoelastic stress distribution at the wedge surfaces. The thermoelastic stresses are then used to determine the distribution of the equivalent stress, and this gives an indication of the regions on a cutting tool which are likely to be in the plastic state. The results are discussed in relation to the problems of flank wear and rakeface crater wear in metal cutting tools.


2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toby D. Rule ◽  
Ben Q. Li ◽  
Kelvin G. Lynn

Abstract CdZnTe single crystals for radiation detector and IR substrate applications must be of high quality and controlled purity. The growth of such crystals from a melt is very difficult due to the low thermal conductivity and high latent heat of the material, and the ease with which dislocations, twins and precipitates are introduced during crystal growth. These defects may be related to solute transport phenomena and thermal stresses associated with the solidification process. As a result, production of high quality material requires excellent thermal control during the entire growth process. A comprehensive model is being developed to account for radiation and conduction within the furnace, thermal coupling between the furnace and growth crucible, and finally the thermal stress fields within the growing crystal which result from the thermal conditions imposed on the crucible. As part of this effort, the present work examines the heat transfer and fluid flow within the crucible, using thermal boundary conditions obtained from experimental measurements. The 2-D axisymetric numerical model uses the deforming finite element method, with allowance made for melt convection, solidification with latent heat release and conjugate heat transfer between the solid material and the melt. Results are presented for several stages of growth, including a time-history of the solid-liquid interface (1365 K isotherm). The impact of melt convection, thermal end conditions and furnace temperature gradient on the growth interface is evaluated. Future work will extend the present model to include radiation exchange within the furnace, and a transient analysis for studying solute transport and thermal stress.


Sensors ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 2603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiyong Chen ◽  
Meifeng Guo ◽  
Rong Zhang ◽  
Bin Zhou ◽  
Qi Wei

The mechanical stress in silicon-on-glass MEMS structures and a stress isolation scheme were studied by analysis and experimentation. Double-ended tuning forks (DETFs) were used to measure the stress based on the stress-frequency conversion effect. Considering the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) of silicon and glass and the temperature coefficient of the Young’s modulus of silicon, the sensitivity of the natural frequency to temperature change was analyzed. A stress isolation mechanism composed of annular isolators and a rigid frame is proposed to prevent the structure inside the frame from being subjected to thermal stresses. DETFs without and with one- or two-stage isolation frames with the orientations <110> and <100> were designed, the stress and natural frequency variations with temperature were simulated and measured. The experimental results show that in the temperature range of −50 °C to 85 °C, the stress varied from −18 MPa to 10 MPa in the orientation <110> and −11 MPa to 5 MPa in the orientation <100>. For the 1-stage isolated DETF of <110> orientation, the measured stress variation was only 0.082 MPa. The thermal stress can be mostly rejected by a stress isolation structure, which is applicable in the design of stress-sensitive MEMS sensors and actuators.


Author(s):  
Cun Wang ◽  
Tao Zhang ◽  
Cheng Zhao ◽  
Jian Pu

A three dimensional numerical model of a practical planar solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack based on the finite element method is constructed to analyze the thermal stress generated at different uniform temperatures. Effects of cell positions, different compressive loads, and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch of different SOFC components on the thermal stress distribution are investigated in this work. Numerical results indicate that the maximum thermal stress appears at the corner of the interface between ceramic sealants and cells. Meanwhile the maximum thermal stress at high temperature is significantly larger than that at room temperature (RT) and presents linear growth with the increase of operating temperature. Since the SOFC stack is under the combined action of mechanical and thermal loads, the distribution of thermal stress in the components such as interconnects and ceramic sealants are greatly controlled by the CTE mismatch and scarcely influenced by the compressive loads.


Crystals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1053
Author(s):  
Chengmin Chen ◽  
Guangxia Liu ◽  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Guodong Wang ◽  
Yanjin Hou ◽  
...  

In this paper, a transient numerical simulation method is used to investigate the effects of the two furnace configurations on the thermal field: the shape of the melt–crystal (M/C) interface and the thermal stress in the growing multicrystalline ingot. First, four different power ratios (top power to side power) are investigated, and then three positions (i.e., the vertical, angled, and horizontal positions) of the insulation block are compared with the conventional setup. The power ratio simulation results show that with a descending power ratio, the M/C interface becomes flatter and the thermal stress in the solidified ingot is lower. In our cases, a power ratio of 1:3–1:4 is more feasible for high-quality ingot. The block’s position simulation results indicate that the horizontal block can more effectively reduce the radial temperature gradient, resulting in a flatter M/C interface and lower thermal stress.


1956 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 395-402
Author(s):  
Jerome Weiner

Abstract The thermal stresses in a free plate of elastoplastic material subjected to a varying heat input over one face are determined. A heuristic solution is first found by suitable modifications of the known elastic solution. It is then verified that the solution satisfies all the conditions of the appropriate uniqueness theorem and represents therefore the unique solution to the problem. Residual stresses are determined and found to depend markedly on the peak magnitude of the heat input.


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