3 papers
physics.app-ph2026
Reversibilities and irreversibilities in thermoelectric energy conversion
Tom Markvart
Similarly to Thomson, we consider the thermoelectric generator at open circuit as a classical heat engine. It is shown that, as long as the Thomson coefficient is nonzero, the oper…
physics.app-ph2025
Thermomechanical model of solar cells
Tom Markvart
The paper considers a model for the solar cell as a mechanical open-cycle thermodynamic engine where the chemical potential is produced in an isochoric process corresponding to the…
physics.app-ph2025
Solar cells and thermoelectric generators as finite-time chemical heat engines
Tom Markvart
This paper shows a fundamental thermodynamic similarity between thermoelectric and photovoltaic energy converters which, at open circuit, can be represented as isochoric engines ge…