INVESTIGATION OF THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF LIQUID METALS

Abstract

An apparatus was designed and developed for measuring Seebeck potentials and electric resistivities of corrosive liquids up to temperatures of about 600C. A complete description of the test apparatus and the procedures used in its initial operation up to 600C are given. Experimental results for the absolute Seebeck coefficients of sodium and potassium are in good agreement with published values from previous investigations performed at temperatures up to 400C. The obtained values are in the range of 0-40 uV/C, potassium having the highest values. These results indicate that the absolute Seebeck coefficients in the liquid state seem to be higher than that of the solid state by as much as a factor of about three for both metals. Quantitative calculations indicate that these particular metals offer more advantages thermoelectrically in the liquid state than in the solid state. Results for the electrical resistivity were too high by about four orders of magnitude and therefore they were considered to be erroneous. It is proposed how to improve the test apparatus to obtain more meaningful resistivity values and how to extend the temperature range of the facility to the design temperature 800C. It is suggested that the thermoelectric properties of liquid semiconductors be investigated in the future.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1969
Accession Number
AD0697277

Entities

People

  • David W Taylor
  • Hugh Grant Anderson Jr.

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Alkali Metals
  • Coefficients
  • Containers
  • Data Reduction
  • Electrical Conductivity
  • Heat Transfer
  • High Temperature
  • Liquid Metals
  • Liquids
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Metals
  • Photoelectrochemical Cells
  • Potassium
  • Semiconductors
  • Thermal Conductivity
  • Transport Properties

Readers

  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Solar Photovoltaics and Thermoelectric Devices.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems