Thermoelectric generator apparatus and operation method
First Claim
1. A method of operating a thermoelectric generator for generating electrical power in response to heat, comprising the steps of:
- cyclically producing increasing then decreasing temperature differences in the thermoelectric material of the generator, including cyclically increasing the temperature of part of said thermoelectric material to at least a temperature exceeding the melting temperature of said material; and
generating a cyclically increasing then decreasing electrical generator output signal, in response to said temperature differences, to transmit electrical power generated by the generator away from the generator.
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Abstract
A method of operating a thermoelectric generator includes: cyclically producing increasing then decreasing temperature differences in the thermoelectric material of the generator; and generating a cyclically increasing then decreasing electrical generator output signal, in response to such temperature differences, to transmit electrical power generated by the generator from the generator. Part of the thermoelectric material reaches temperatures substantially above the melting temperature of the material. The thermoelectric material of the generator forms a part of a closed electrical loop about a transformer core so that the inductor voltage for the loop serves as the output signal of the generator. A thermoelectric generator, which can be driven by the described method of operation, incorporates fins into a thermopile to conduct heat toward or away from the alternating spaces between adjacent layers of different types of thermoelectric material. The fins extend from between adjacent layers, so that they can also conduct electrical current between such layers, perpendicularly to the direction of stacking of the layers. The exhaust from an internal combustion engine can be employed to drive the thermoelectric generator, and, also, to act as a driver for a thermoelectric generator in accordance with the method of operation initially described.
48 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of operating a thermoelectric generator for generating electrical power in response to heat, comprising the steps of:
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cyclically producing increasing then decreasing temperature differences in the thermoelectric material of the generator, including cyclically increasing the temperature of part of said thermoelectric material to at least a temperature exceeding the melting temperature of said material; and generating a cyclically increasing then decreasing electrical generator output signal, in response to said temperature differences, to transmit electrical power generated by the generator away from the generator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A thermoelectric generator for generating electrical power in response to heat, comprising:
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a thermopile to receive the heat and generate electrical power in response to the heat, including a plurality of layers of thermoelectric material of a first type and a plurality of layers of thermoelectrical material of a second type, said layers of said two types having alternating thermoelectric material layer positions in said thermopile, each of said layers of each said type and the next said layer of the other said type being electrically connected across at least approximately the majority of the area between said layers; and electrical connector means for transmitting said generated electrical power away from said thermopile; said thermopile further including a plurality of heat conduction fins each between two said thermoelectric material layers of said two types in said alternating thermoelectric material layer positions, to conduct electrical current between said layers and extending substantially perpendicularly to the direction of stacking of said layers to a position substantially away from said layers. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A thermoelectric generator for generating electrical power in response to heat, comprising:
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a thermopile to receive the heat and generate electrical power in response to the heat, including a plurality of layers of thermoelectric material of a first type and a plurality of layers of thermoelectrical material of a second type, said layers of said two types having alternating thermoelectric material layer positions in said thermopile, each of said layers of each said type and the next said layer of the other said type being electrically connected to provide, with said plurality of layers of said two types, a substantially linear electrical path through and between said plurality of layers of said two types; and electrical connector means for transmitting said generated electrical power away from said thermopile, said thermopile further including a plurality of heat conduction fins each between two said thermoelectric material layers of said two types in said alternating thermoelectric material layer positions, to conduct electrical current between said layers and extending substantially perpendicularly to the direction of said electrical path to a position substantially away from said layers. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A thermoelectric generator system, comprising:
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a thermopile including a plurality of layers of thermoelectric material of a first type and a plurality of layers of thermoelectric material of a second type, said layers of said two types having alternating thermoelectric material layer positions in said thermopile, each of said layers of each said type and the next said layer of the other said type being electrically connected across at least approximately the majority of the area between said layers; means for cyclically producing increasing then decreasing temperature differences in said layers to generate cyclically increasing then decreasing electrical power in said thermopile; and electrical connector means for transmitting said generated electrical power away from said thermopile. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A thermoelectric generator system, comprising:
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a thermopile including a plurality of layers of thermoelectric material of a first type and a plurality of layers of thermoelectric material of a second type, said layers of said two types having alternating thermoelectric material layer positions in said thermopile, each of said layers of each said type and the next said layer of the other said type being electrically connected to provide, with said plurality of layers of said two types, a substantially linear electrical path through and between said plurality of layers of said two types; means for cyclically producing increasing then decreasing temperature differences in said layers to generate cyclically increasing then decreasing electrical power in said thermopile; and electrical connector means for transmitting said generated electrical power away from said thermopile. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A thermoelectric generator system, comprising:
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a thermopile for generating electrical current through said thermopile in response to heat; a magnetic core; and electrical connector means electrically connected to said thermopile for forming a closed electrical path of a single loop only through said thermopile about said core for said electrical current. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A thermoelectric generator system, comprising:
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a thermopile for generating electrical current through said thermopile in response to heat; a transformer core having a secondary, output inductor about said core; and electrical connector means electrically connected to said thermopile for forming a closed electrical path for said current including at least one loop of a primary, input inductor about said core.
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24. A thermoelectric generator system, comprising:
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a thermopile for generating electrical current through said thermopile in response to heat; a magnetic core; electrical connector means electrically connected to said thermopile for forming a closed electrical path of a single loop only through said thermopile about said core for said electrical current; and means for cyclically producing increasing then decreasing temperature differences in the thermoelectric material of said thermopile to generate a cyclically increasing then decreasing inductor voltage for said loop.
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25. A thermoelectric generator system, comprising:
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a thermopile for generating electrical current through said thermopile in response to heat; a transformer core having a secondary, output inductor about said core; electrical connector means electrically connected to said thermopile for forming a closed electrical path for said current including at least one loop of a primary, input inductor about said core; and means for cyclically producing increasing then decreasing temperature differences in the thermoelectric material of said thermopile to generate a cyclically increasing then decreasing inductor voltage for said loop.
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Specification