We analyze the efficiency as thermoelectric energy converter of a silicon-germanium alloy with composition and temperature dependent heat conductivity. The dependency on composition is determined by a non-linear regression method (NLRM), while the dependency on temperature is approximated by a first-order expansion in the neighborhood of three reference temperatures. The differences with respect to the case of thermal conductivity depending on composition only are pointed out. The efficiency of the system is analyzed under the assumption that the optimal energy conversion corresponds to the minimum rate of energy dissipated. The values of composition and temperature which minimize such a rate are calculated as well.
Keywords: composition graded materials; composition-dependent heat conductivity; efficiency of thermoelectric systems; minimum of energy dissipated; silicon–germanium alloys.