Thin film thermoelectric devices for power conversion and cooling
First Claim
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1. A thermoelectric device comprising:
- at least one thermoelectric unit comprising, a plurality of thermoelectric pairs of n-type and p-type thermoelements, a first header coupled to one side of the thermoelectric pairs, a second header coupled to a second side of the thermoelectric pairs, and all of said plurality of thermoelectric pairs between the first and second headers defining a thermal conduction channel area through all of the plurality of thermoelectric pairs that is smaller than an area of at least one of the first header and the second header adjacent the plurality of thermoelectric pairs such that the thermal conduction channel area is a fraction of the area of said at least one of the first header and the second header adjacent the plurality of thermoelectric pairs, and wherein said fraction is less than 0.5%.
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Abstract
A thermoelectric device having at least one thermoelectric unit including at least one thermoelectric pair of n-type and p-type thermoelements, a first header coupled to one side of the thermoelectric pair, and a second header coupled to a second side of the thermoelectric pair. The thermoelectric pair has a thermal conduction channel area smaller than an area of the first header or the second header such that the thermal conduction area is a fraction of the area of the first header or the second header.
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Citations
93 Claims
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1. A thermoelectric device comprising:
at least one thermoelectric unit comprising, a plurality of thermoelectric pairs of n-type and p-type thermoelements, a first header coupled to one side of the thermoelectric pairs, a second header coupled to a second side of the thermoelectric pairs, and all of said plurality of thermoelectric pairs between the first and second headers defining a thermal conduction channel area through all of the plurality of thermoelectric pairs that is smaller than an area of at least one of the first header and the second header adjacent the plurality of thermoelectric pairs such that the thermal conduction channel area is a fraction of the area of said at least one of the first header and the second header adjacent the plurality of thermoelectric pairs, and wherein said fraction is less than 0.5%. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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2-5. -5. (canceled)
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20. (canceled)
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50. A thermoelectric device comprising:
plural cascaded thermoelectric units, each unit including, a plurality of thermoelectric pairs of n-type and p-type thermoelements, a first header coupled to one side of the plurality of thermoelectric pairs, a second header coupled to a second side of the plurality of thermoelectric pairs, all of the plurality of thermoelectric pairs between the first and second headers defining a thermal conduction channel area smaller than an area of at least one of the first header and the second header and the thermal conduction channel area defining a packing fraction relative to an area of said at least one of the first header and the second header, wherein said packing fraction is less than 50%, wherein the plural cascaded thermoelectric units comprises first and second thermoelectric units thermally coupled in series between a heat source and a heat sink so that a temperature of a header between thermoelements of the first and second thermoelectric units is between a temperature of the heat source and a temperature of the heat sink during operation wherein a packing fraction in said at least one lower thermoelectric unit is less than 0.5%. - View Dependent Claims (51, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64, 90, 91, 92, 93)
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52-54. -54. (canceled)
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60. (canceled)
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65-67. -67. (canceled)
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68. A system for thermoelectric power conversion, comprising:
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a plurality of thermoelectric pairs of n-type and p-type thermoelements; a first header coupled to one side of the plurality of thermoelectric pairs; a second header coupled to a second side of the plurality of thermoelectric pairs; all of said plurality of thermoelectric pairs between the first and second headers defining a thermal conduction channel area smaller than an area of at least one of the first header and the second header such that the thermal conduction channel area is a fraction of the area of said at least one of the first header and the second header, said fraction being less than 0.5%; and a heat sink coupled to the second header and configured to dissipate heat at a rate which maintains a temperature of the second header below a temperature of the first header. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
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69-72. -72. (canceled)
Specification