Field emission based thermoelectric device

• US 20050016575A1
• Filed: 06/12/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Renold PLC
• Original Assignee: Renold PLC
• Inventors: Miskovsky, Nicholas Matthew, Chung, Moon S., Cutler, Paul Henry, Kumar, Nalin
• Application Number:
  US10/866,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20050016575A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/205
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/00 Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N19/00

Abstract

This invention describes novel architectures for enhancing the efficiency of thermoelectric devices by incorporating high thermal resistivity and high electrical conductivity sections based on field emission devices. The uses of such devices include coolers and electricity generators.

Claims

1. A device comprising an assembly containing a thermoelectric device and one or more other devices where these other devices act as electrically conducting but thermally insulating elements.

2. A device of claim 1, where the electrically conducting but thermally insulating elements are field emission devices.

3. A device of claim 1, where the electrically conducting but thermally insulating elements are triode type field emission devices.

4. A device of claim 1, where the electrically conducting but thermally insulating elements are diode type field emission devices.