Thermal electric generator
First Claim
1. An electric generator comprising:
- a first layer including an electronic structure which fluctuates over time;
a rectifying current layer capacitively coupled to the first layer, the first layer and the rectifying layer having a thermal barrier therebetween, such that electrical fluctuations in the first layer are coupled to the rectifying layer, which rectifies the fluctuations to provide a current flow.
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Abstract
The Thermal Electric Generator (TEG) includes a high efficiency multi-layer semiconductor device adapted to enable heat, over a wide temperature range, to be converted into useful power. This is not a simple solar panel. The “heat” referred to here can be from radiation or any other convection or conduction source. One important aspect is that the TEG not only works in a “solar” environment, but is more particularly adapted to recover energy from heat generated by electronic components and circuits, mechanical rotating equipment and machinery, waste energy, furnaces, geothermal, etc. This heat comes in the form of released electrons, thus, the invention is based on the concept of fluctuation voltages and the conversion of the same into useful energy, which translates into an increased efficiency of over 50% compared to the peak existing efficiency (i.e., 16%) of existing solar panels
24 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An electric generator comprising:
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a first layer including an electronic structure which fluctuates over time;
a rectifying current layer capacitively coupled to the first layer, the first layer and the rectifying layer having a thermal barrier therebetween, such that electrical fluctuations in the first layer are coupled to the rectifying layer, which rectifies the fluctuations to provide a current flow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A thermal electric generator comprising:
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a first layer including a surface exposed to a thermal source, the first layer including electronic structure, which fluctuates according to thermal energy present within the first layer;
a potential barrier disposed in the first layer, which capacitively stores charge fluctuations exceeding the potential barrier;
a rectifying current layer capacitively coupled to the stored charge in the first layer, the first layer and the rectifying layer having a thermal barrier therebetween, such that electrical fluctuations in the first layer are coupled to the rectifying layer, which rectifies the fluctuations to provide a current flow. - View Dependent Claims (14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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15. The thermal electric generator according to claim 15, wherein the circuitry includes a device, the device being one of a resistor and a diode to provide the potential barrier.
Specification