This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes a new manufacturing methodology to create thermoelectric coolers able to deliver levels of performance that cannot be achieved with traditional manufacturing techniques. This work will provide the proof of concept studies establishing the composition and methodology of forming these materials by a technique that allows high volume manufacturablility Thermoelectric materials with appropriate thermophysical properties and of an appropriate scale will be created and tested. Additionally, for commercial viability enabled by volume manufacturing, delivery methods will be modeled and evaluated.
The thermoelectric architecture proposed in this work is key to realizing the often touted but yet unrealized societal benefits of thermoelectric cooling and power generation. These include: (a) reduction in ozone depleting chemicals by the transition from vapor compression cooling to thermoelectric solid state cooling; (b) reduction in energy consumption and more efficient use of available energy by widespread use of high performance thermoelectric power generation from waste heat; and (c) broad improvements in general quality of life by high performance compact coolers that allow continued advancement of products in the biomedical, microelectronics, and optoelectronics industries.
