Running single Peltier Module at high power vs running multiple peltier Modules at low power? Which is more efficient?

Question

Please give calculation for peak power consumption wrt whichever is efficient.

Answer 1

A thermoelectric cooling module has a thermal efficiency of some fraction of Carnot efficiency. The thermoelectric cooling wiki puts them at 10 to 15% of Carnot efficiency.

Running themoelectric modules in a series (stacked) configuration would be very disadvantageous as the waste heat also has to be pumped.

Running thermelectric modules in a parallel (side by side) configuration would be advantageous because it would permit more heat transfer surface area on both sides of the module, which gives smaller temperature differences, which gives a higher Carnot efficiency.

Running multiple themoelectric modules in parallel is more efficient than a single module for the same energy input.