Thermoelectric converter

• US 5,038,569 A
• Filed: 04/17/1990
• Issued: 08/13/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohta, Hideo, Yamada, Kenji, Fujiwara, Kenichi, Tomatsu, Yoshitaka, Shirota, Yuichi, Nishizawa, Kazutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/510,262
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 62/3.1, 62/3.2, 62/3.3, 62/3.7
• US Class Current: 62/3.2
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/13 characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction

Abstract

A thermoelectric converter has a N-type thermoelectric element, a P-type thermoelectric element, an endothermic electrode and a radiative electrode. One surface of the N-type thermoelectric element is attached to one surface of the endothermic electrode and the other surface is attached to one surface of the radiative electrode. One surface of the P-type thermoelectric element is attached to the other surface of the radiative electrode and the other surface is attached to the other endothermic electrode.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric converter comprising:

a thermoelectric converting portion having an N-type thermoelectric element, a first electrode, and a P-type thermoelectric element and a second electrode which are stacked sequentially in the order stated in a way such that said first electrode completely separates said N-type thermoelectric element from said P-type thermoelectric element, being in contact with and separating adjacent and opposite surfaces of said N-type and P-type thermoelectric elements, respectively;

one of said electrodes being an endothermic electrode and the other being a radiative electrode;

endothermic means thermally connected to the endothermic electrode for absorbing heat; and

radiative means thermally connected to the radiative electrode for radiating heat.

4. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein a plurality of the P-type thermoelectric elements are attached to each endothermic electrode and an adjacent radiative electrode and a plurality of the N-type thermoelectric elements are attached to each radiative electrode and adjacent endothermic electrode.

5. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the endothermic means and the radiative means comprise louvers which are formed on the endothermic electrode and the radiative electrode.

6. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the endothermic means and the radiative means comprise corrugated fins which are attached to the endothermic electrode and the radiative electrode.

7. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the endothermic means and the radiative means comprise heat pipes which are thermally connected to the endothermic electrode and the radiative electrode respectively.

8. A thermoelectric converter of claim 1, 2 or 3 further comprising an insulator which insulates the radiative means from the endothermic means thermally and electrically.

9. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said electrodes are U-shaped.

10. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said electrodes are fan shaped.

11. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein each of said electrodes comprises a pair of parallel plates.

12. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said electrodes are comb shaped.

13. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said electrodes are zig-zag shaped.

14. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein each said electrode comprises a plurality of fingers adjacent ones of which are bent outward in opposite directions.

15. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said electrodes are oriented at an acute angle relative to a direction of alignment of said thermoelectric elements.

16. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 4 wherein said electrodes have a slit in a center portion thereof for compensating for mechanical expansion and contraction.

17. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 4 wherein said electrodes have two slits in a center portion thereof for compensating for mechanical expansion and contraction.

20. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein said N-type and P-type thermoelectric elements and said first and second electrodes are disposed with respect to a direction of stacking thereof.

21. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said N-type and P-type thermoelectric elements and said first and second electrodes are inclined and non perpendicular with respect to a direction of stacking thereof.

24. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 1, wherein said first electrode is a flat electrode having a width defined between surfaces to which said N-type thermoelectric element and said P-type thermoelectric element are coupled, and said thermoelectric converting portion is stacked such that resultant current flow is in a direction of stacking and in a direction of said width of said first electrode.

28. A thermoelectric converter as in claims 1 or 3, wherein said first electrode is in contact with an entirety of one face of both of said N and P thermoelectric elements.

2. A thermoelectric converter comprising:

a first electrode having one surface;

an N-type thermoelectric element having first and second opposite surfaces, the first surface being coupled to said one surface of said first electrode;

a second electrode having first and second opposite surfaces, the first of which is coupled to said second surface of the N-type thermoelectric element;

a P-type thermoelectric element which has one surface coupled to the said second surface of the second electrode in a location adjacent a coupled location of said N-type thermoelectric element on said second electrode;

one of said electrodes being an endothermic electrode and the other being a radiative electrode;

endothermic means thermally connected to the endothermic electrode for absorbing heat; and

radiative means thermally connected to the radiative electrode for radiating heat.

22. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 2 further comprising:

a third electrode having a first surface connected to a second surface, opposite to said first surface, of said P-type thermoelectric element;

a second N-type thermoelectric element connected to a second surface of said third electrode opposite to said first surface;

wherein a plane which would be formed in a direction of resultant current flow passing through at least a portion of all of said thermoelectric elements.

23. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 2 further comprising:

a second P-type thermoelectric element connected to a second surface, opposite to said first surface, of said first electrode.

25. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 2, wherein said second electrode is a flat electrode having a width defined between said first and second surfaces, and said thermoelectric converting portion is stacked such that resultant current flow is in a direction of stacking and in a direction of said width of said second electrode.

29. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 2, wherein said second electrode is in contact with an entirety of one face of both of said N and P thermoelectric elements.

3. A thermoelectric converter comprising:

two rows of thermoelectric converting portions, each thermoelectric converting portion having an N-type thermoelectric element, a first electrode, a P-type thermoelectric element and a second electrode which are stacked sequentially from one side to another side of each row in the order stated, in a way such that said first electrode completely separates said N-type thermoelectric element from said P-type thermoelectric element, being contact with and separating adjacent and opposite surfaces of said N-type and P-type thermoelectric elements, one of said electrodes being an endothermic electrode and the other being a radiative electrode;

connecting means for connecting electrically one row of thermoelectric converting portions with the other row of thermoelectric converting portions at the same sides thereof;

endothermic means thermally connected to the endothermic electrode for absorbing heat; and

radiative means thermally connected to the radiative electrode for radiating heat.

18. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 3, wherein two N-type thermoelectric elements are connected to one surface of the first electrode and two P-type thermoelectric elements are connected to the other surface of the first electrode.

26. A thermoelectric converter as in claim 3, wherein each said first electrode is a flat electrode having a width defined between surfaces to which said N-type thermoelectric element and said P-type thermoelectric element are coupled, and said thermoelectric converting portion is stacked such that resultant current flow is in a direction of stacking and in a direction of said width of said each first electrode.

19. A method of exchanging heat comprising the steps of:

making a thermoelectric converting portion having an N-type thermoelectric element, a first electrode, a P-type thermoelectric element and a second electrode which are stacked sequentially in the order stated, so that said first electrode is completely between said N-type thermoelectric element and said P-type thermoelectric element and in contact with adjacent surfaces of said N and P-type and thermoelectric elements, one of said electrodes being an endothermic electrode and the other being a radiative electrode;

connecting an endothermic means to said endothermic electrode;

applying current to said thermoelectric converting portion in a direction of stacking thereof, so that said endothermic means absorbs heat and the radiative electrode radiates heat.

27. A method as in claim 19, wherein said first electrode is a flat electrode having a width defined between surfaces to which said N-type thermoelectric element and said P-type thermoelectric element are coupled, and said thermoelectric converting portion is stacked such said applying current step forms resultant current flow in a direction of stacking and in a direction of said width of said first electrode.