The thermoelectric generator as an endoreversible Carnot engine

Abstract

A thermoelectric generator with zero internal resistance, vanishing heat leakage and negligible production of Thomson heat is considered. It is shown that such a generator behaves as an ideal Carnot engine or an endoreversible Carnot engine depending upon whether the heat transfer mechanism at the junctions is reversible or a finite rate. Furthermore, the optimized power of the generator is found to be greater than that of the endoreversible Carnot engine.