Thermoelectric energy conversion: Assessment of limiting capabilities

Abstract

Based on a thermodynamic ratio between the thermopower coefficient and entropy of the electrically conducting medium, we obtained an estimated value of the thermoelectric efficiency parameter ZT for an electronic system of fully ionised plasma. An example of such a system, which is in the most disordered state, is the electron-nuclear plasma of the Sun. The resulting universal value ZT = (25/6) can be considered as an assessment of the limiting capabilities of thermoelectric energy conversion.

Keywords

• thermoelectricity
• the most disordered state of an electronic system
• solar plasma
• dimensionless parameter of thermoelectric efficiency ZT
• limit value of ZT