A numerical study on the performance of miniature thermoelectric cooler affected by Thomson effect

► Performances of miniature thermoelectric coolers are investigated numerically. ► Influences of scaling effect and Thomson effect on cooling performance are addressed. ► Three different thermoelectric cooling modules are analyzed. ► Miniature TEC is a desirable device to achieve thermoelectric cooling with high performance. ► The cooling power of a TEC module with Thomson effect can be improved by 5-7%.