Thermoelectric device

• US 10,454,013 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MicroPower Global Ltd.
• Original Assignee: MicroPower Global Ltd.
• Inventors: Zirkle, Thomas E., Gardner, Robert M., Kilbourn, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): White, Sadie
• Application Number:
  US13/678,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20140137918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,531 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/817 the junction being non-separable, e.g. being cemented, sintered or soldered
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 19/101 Multiple thermocouples connected in a cascade arrangement

Abstract

A thermoelectric device, module, and system, and method for and method for making is provided. The thermoelectric device (200) having a first and second elements (202 and 204). The first and second elements (202 and 204) having first and second portions (206 and 208), and third and fourth portions (212 and 214) with first and second regions (210 and 216) connected between the first and second portions (206 and 208) and third and fourth portions (112 and 114), respectively. The first and second portions (206 and 208) and third and fourth portions (112 and 114) are electrically coupled though regions (210 and 216) and with thermal conductance between first and second portions (206 and 208) and third and fourth portions (212 and 214) being inhibited by regions (110 and 116), respectively. Thermoelectric element (203) having first and second electrodes (219, 221), wherein electrode (221) of the thermoelectric element (103) is electrically and thermally coupled to portion (208) and wherein the electrode (119) is electrically and thermally coupled to portion (112).

Claims

1. A thermoelectric device including a hot side and a cold side opposite the hot side, the thermoelectric device comprising:

a first element having a first portion, a second portion and a first region, the first and second portions of the first element being electrically conductive, the first region being electrically conductive and thermally insulative disposed between the first and second portions of the first element;

a second element having a third portion, a fourth portion, and a second region, the third and the fourth portions of the second element being electrically conductive, the second region being electrically conductive and thermally insulative disposed between the third and fourth portions of the second element; and

a plurality of thermoelectric elements including a first thermoelectric element and a second thermoelectric element,

wherein;

the first thermoelectric element is disposed on the second portion of the first element, and the first thermoelectric element is disposed on the third portion of the second element,

the hot side of the thermoelectric device is closer to the second portion of the first element than to the first thermoelectric element,

the cold side of the thermoelectric device is closer to the third portion of the second element than to the first thermoelectric element,

the cold side of the thermoelectric device is closer to the fourth portion of the second element than the first thermoelectric element,

the second thermoelectric element is disposed on the fourth portion of the second element and spaced apart from the first thermoelectric element, and

wherein all of the thermoelectric elements within the thermoelectric device have a same conductivity type.

2. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second elements are made of a metal.

3. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the metal is copper or nickel.

4. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second elements are made of a metal alloy.

5. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the metal alloy is made in part of aluminum.

6. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first region is made in part of a nickel material.

7. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first thermoelectric element is made of lead telluride (PbTe).

8. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first thermoelectric element is made of a bismuth chalcogenide.

9. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the bismuth chalcogenide is Bismuth Telluride.

10. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first thermoelectric element is made of silicon-germanium.

11. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion are linear.

12. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second and third portions are substantially parallel.

13. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first portion and the fourth portion are at ninety degree angles.

14. A thermoelectric device comprising:

a first element having a first portion, a second portion, and a first region, the first portion having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second portion having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface, wherein the first portion and the second portion are electrically and thermally conductive, the first region extends from the first portion to the second portion and is thermally insulative and electrically conductive;

a second element having a third portion and a fourth portion, and a second region, the third portion having a fifth surface and a sixth surface opposite the fifth surface, the fourth portion having a seventh surface and a eighth surface opposite the seventh surface, wherein the third portion and the fourth portion are electrically and thermally conductive, and the second region extends from the third portion to the fourth portion and is thermally insulative and electrically conductive, wherein the first, third, fifth, and seventh surfaces face one side of the thermoelectric device, and the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth surfaces face another side of the thermoelectric device;

a first thermoelectric element having a first contact area and a second contact area, the first contact area of the first thermoelectric element electrically and mechanically coupled to the fourth surface of the second portion of the first element and the second contact area of the first thermoelectric element electrically and mechanically coupled to the fifth surface of the third portion of the second element; and

a second thermoelectric element having a third contact area and a fourth contact area, the third contact area of the second thermoelectric element electrically and mechanically coupled to the fourth portion of the second element,

wherein;

the first and second thermoelectric elements have a same conductivity type, and

the third portion, the fourth portion, and the second region of the second element are substantially parallel.

15. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the first region is made of a copper material.

16. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the first, third, fifth, and seventh surfaces face a hot side of the thermoelectric device, and the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth surfaces face a cold side of the thermoelectric device.

17. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the first region is made of an oxide.

18. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the oxide is made of Iridium Tin Oxide (InSnO₂) or Tin Oxide (SnO₂).

19. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

the first surface of the first portion of the first element and the third surface of the second portion of the first element are in a first plane,

the second surface of the first portion of the first element and the fourth surface of the second portion of the first element are in a second plane,

the fifth surface of the third portion of the second element and the seventh surface of the fourth portion of the second element are in a third plane, or

the sixth surface of the third portion of the second element and the eighth surface of the fourth portion of the second element are in a fourth plane.

20. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 14 further comprising:

a third element having a ninth surface and a tenth surface opposite the ninth surface, wherein the ninth surface faces the one side of the thermoelectric device, and the tenth surface faces the other side of the thermoelectric device, wherein the

second thermoelectric element is disposed on the eighth surface of the fourth portion of the second element and disposed on the ninth surface of the third element.

21. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 20 wherein no thermoelectric element is in direct physical contact with any of:

the second surface of the first portion of the first element;

the third surface of the second portion of the first element;

the sixth surface of the third portion of the second element; and

the seventh surface of the fourth portion of the second element.

22. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the first region of the first element are substantially parallel.

23. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first surface of the first element is made of a metal.

24. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the metal of the first surface comprises of at least one of Cu, Al, AlCu, Ag, Steel, Fe, a monocrystalline material, a polycrystalline material, and an amorphous material.

25. A thermoelectric device comprising:

a first substrate having an internal surface in a stair-step configuration including a first plurality of stair-steps, being thermally conductive and having a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface, wherein the first and second surfaces are substantially parallel and are off-set by a value, the third surface extends between the first and second surfaces at a first angle to the first and second surfaces,

a second substrate having an internal surface in a stair-step configuration including a second plurality of stair-steps, being thermally conductive and having a fourth surface, a fifth surface, and a sixth surface, wherein the fourth and fifth surfaces are substantially parallel and are off-set by a value, the sixth surface extends between the fourth and fifth surfaces at a second angle to the fourth and fifth surfaces;

a first thermally conductive and electrically insulative layer disposed on the first, second, and third surfaces of the first substrate;

a second thermally conductive and electrically insulative layer disposed on the fourth, fifth and sixth surfaces of the second substrate;

a first electrically conductive element having a first portion with seventh and eighth surfaces and a second portion having ninth and tenth surfaces, and a first region, the first region disposed between the first and second portions of the first electrically conductive element, wherein the first electrically conductive element is disposed on the first thermally conductive and electrically insulative layer;

a first thermoelectric element disposed on the tenth surface of the second portion of the first electrically conductive element; and

a second electrically conductive element having a third portion with eleventh and twelfth surfaces and a fourth portion having thirteenth and fourteenth surfaces, and a second region, the second region disposed between the third and fourth portions of the second electrically conductive element, wherein the eleventh surface of the third portion of the second electrically conductive element is disposed on the first thermoelectric element, and wherein the second electrically conductive element is disposed on the second thermally conductive and electrically insulative layer of the second substrate.

26. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the first or second substrate is made of a metal.

27. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the metal of the first or second substrate comprises aluminum, copper, and/or tin.

28. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the first or second substrate is made of an alloy.

29. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the alloy of the first or second substrate comprises Steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and/or bronze.

30. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the first or second substrate is made of a semiconductor material.

31. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the first or second substrate comprises silicon, carbon, and/or sapphire.

32. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the substrates are made of different materials.

33. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 32 wherein one of the first and second substrates is made of aluminum, and the other of the first and second substrates is made of stainless steel.

34. The thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the thermoelectric device includes a plurality of thermoelectric elements, including the first thermoelectric element, and wherein all of the thermoelectric elements within the thermoelectric device have a same conductivity type.