Thermoelectric generator and production method for thermoelectric generator

• US 9,306,144 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakai, Akihiro, Kanno, Tsutomu, Takahashi, Kohei, Tamaki, Hiromasa, Kusada, Hideo, Yamada, Yuka
• Primary Examiner(s): Mowla, Golam
• Application Number:
  US14/554,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20150083181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 19/002 Compounds containing, besides selenium or tellurium, more than one other element, with -O- and -OH not being considered as anions
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 11/00 Generators or motors not provided for elsewhere; Alleged perpetua mobilia obtained by electric or magnetic means by hydrostatic pressure F03B17/04; by mechanical means F03G7/10; by dynamo-electric means, including arrangements of permanent magnets interacting with other permanent magnets, H02K53/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/13 characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/852 comprising tellurium, selenium or sulfur
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/853 comprising arsenic, antimony or bismuth H10N10/852 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/129 Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines

Abstract

An exemplary thermoelectric generator disclosed herein includes: a first electrode and a second electrode opposing each other; and a stacked body having a first end face and a second end face. The stacked body is structured so that first layers made of a first material and second layers made of a second material are alternately stacked, the first material containing a metal and particles having a lower thermal conductivity than that of the metal, the particles being dispersed in the metal, and the second material having a higher Seebeck coefficient and a lower thermal conductivity than those of the first material. Planes of stacking between the first layers and the second layers are inclined with respect to a direction in which the first electrode and the second electrode oppose each other.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric generator comprising:

a first electrode and a second electrode opposing each other; and

a stacked body having a first principal face and a second principal face and a first end face and a second end face, the first end face and the second end face being located between the first principal face and the second principal face, and the first electrode and the second electrode being respectively electrically connected to the first end face and the second end face;

the stacked body being structured so that first layers made of a first material and second layers made of a second material are alternately stacked, the first material containing a metal and particles having a lower thermal conductivity than that of the metal, the particles being dispersed in the metal, and the second material having a higher Seebeck coefficient and a lower thermal conductivity than those of the first material;

planes of stacking between the first layers and the second layers being inclined with respect to a direction in which the first electrode and the second electrode oppose each other, wherein

a potential difference occurs between the first electrode and the second electrode due to a temperature difference between the first principal face and the second principal face.

2. The thermoelectric generator of claim 1, wherein the first principal face and the second principal face are planes, and the stacked body has a rectangular solid shape.

3. The thermoelectric generator of claim 1, wherein the stacked body has a tubular shape, and the first principal face and the second principal face are, respectively, an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface of the tube.

4. The thermoelectric generator of claim 1, wherein,

the first material does not contain Bi but contains a metal different from Bi;

and

the second material contains Bi.

5. The thermoelectric generator of claim 1, wherein a content amount of the particles in the first material is not less than 0.1 wt % and not more than 10 wt %.

6. The thermoelectric generator of claim 5, wherein a content amount of the particles in the first material is not less than 1 wt % and not more than 5 wt %.

7. The thermoelectric generator of claim 1, wherein the particles are oxide particles.

8. The thermoelectric generator of claim 1, wherein the particles are particles of silicon dioxide.

9. The thermoelectric generator of claim 1, wherein the particles have a particle size of not less than 5 nm and not more than 100 nm.

10. The thermoelectric generator of claim 1, wherein the metal includes one or more selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, copper, chromium, and aluminum.

11. The thermoelectric generator of claim 1, wherein the second material is Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃.

12. A thermoelectric generation tube comprising the thermoelectric generator of claim 1,

the stacked body having a tubular shape.

13. A thermoelectric generation unit comprising a plurality of thermoelectric generation tubes of claim 12,

each of the plurality of thermoelectric generation tubes having an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface, and a flow path defined by the inner peripheral surface, such that a temperature difference between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface causes an electromotive force to be generated along an axial direction of the thermoelectric generation tube, and

the thermoelectric generation unit further comprising:

a container having the plurality of thermoelectric generation tubes accommodated in an interior thereof, the container having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for allowing a fluid to flow through the interior, the container having a plurality of openings in which the respective thermoelectric generation tubes are inserted; and

a plurality of electrically conductive members electrically connecting the plurality of thermoelectric generation tubes.

14. The thermoelectric generator of claim 2, wherein the particles are oxide particles.

15. The thermoelectric generator of claim 3, wherein the particles are oxide particles.

16. The thermoelectric generator of claim 4, wherein the particles are oxide particles.

17. The thermoelectric generator of claim 5, wherein the particles are oxide particles.

18. The thermoelectric generator of claim 6, wherein the particles are oxide particles.