Thermal management assessment of thermoelectric coolers with high-conductivity phase change materials: a numerical study

Thermoelectric coolers (TECs) are increasingly being used in electronic thermal management; nevertheless, their effectiveness is sometimes limited by heat buildup on the hot side. This numerical research looks at the use of high-thermal-conductivity phase change materials (PCMs) in finned TEC sink cavities to improve cooling stability and efficiency. Using COMSOL Multiphysics 6.3, the impacts of PCM type (gallium vs. OM32), PCM height (1.5 mm and 3 mm), and current input (1.0, 1.2, and 1.4 amps) were investigated. Gallium regularly beats OM32 in terms of temperature rise delay, cooling phase length, and ability to maintain better coefficients of performance (COP). Increasing PCM height from 1.5 mm to 3 mm further prolonged the phase change period for both materials. At 1 A, gallium with a 3 mm height achieved the highest COP improvement (~ 50% over the baseline case, where no PCM) and the most prolonged low-temperature period. At 1.4 A, gallium reached the lowest cold-side temperature recorded (~ 278 K), although with a reduced COP due to accelerated melting and increased Joule heating. Overall, gallium-filled configurations demonstrated superior thermal buffering and efficiency retention across all tested conditions, confirming the potential of high-conductivity PCMs as an effective passive thermal management strategy for compact, energy-efficient electronics and energy systems.