Multiple fields generated by two dissimilar conductive punches on thermoelectric material

Abstract

Exposed to high load concentrations environments such as mechanical, thermal, and electrical, thermoelectric equipment may be damaged by the contact surface during operation, resulting in equipment failure. The effects of two dissimilar rigid punches on the thermoelectric material layer under mechanical force and thermoelectric loading are investigated in this article. Using the Fourier transform, the problem is turned into a system of three singular integral equations containing the thermoelectric effect, and the collocation methods are used to solve it numerically. The effects of thermoelectric load, thermoelectric material layer thickness, and the distance between two punches on the electric current density, energy flux, and surface normal stress distribution are thoroughly discussed. The results show that when the two punches are close to each other, below the two punches, the electric current density, energy flux, and contact stress values are larger near the distal end and lower at the inner edge. The stresses at the inner edge of the two indices show opposite characteristics with an increasing of total energy flow and total current, whereas they are consistent at the outer edge. The results aid in the measurement of the multifield coupling properties of finite-thickness thermoelectric material using indenter experiments.