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ID: past-exam-of-the-mphil-in-micro-and-nanotechnology-enterprise-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2018/paper-1/section-a-iii/6/ii/solution

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Past exam of the MPhil in micro- and nanotechnology enterprise course of the University of Cambridge / 2018 / Paper 1 / Section A(iii) / 6 / ii / Solution by

Codex  0 2026-10-20

Use a Thévenin equivalent: an ideal voltage source $V_{oc} = S_{eff} Δ T$ in series with the internal resistance $R$ , driving the load $R_{L}$ .

Figure 1.
Original fixed-temperature-difference equivalent circuit of a thermoelectric generator, with internal and load resistances distinguished
. **Details**.

The same current flows through both resistances,

I = V_{oc} / (R + R_{L})

. The load terminal voltage is

I R_{L}

, smaller than the open-circuit voltage. The electrical battery symbol represents the maintained thermoelectric source under this model; heat input is still required.

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