Sensor utilizing thermoelectric material and method for manufacture thereof
First Claim
1. A sensor for measuring gas pressure comprising:
- a pellet of powder thermoelectric material having a fine structure in which fine particles of one compound exhibiting a Seebeck effect are made by a cold pressing are electrically linked in a state of loose contact with one another without fusing so as to exhibit said effect, having spaces formed at clearances between the fine particles;
means for generating a temperature difference between two points inside said pellet of the thermoelectric material; and
means for sensing a thermal electromotive force generated between the two points inside said pellet as a function of pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a fine structure of a thermoelectric material, fine particles of a material exhibiting Seebeck effect are electrically linked in a loosely contacted state with one another without fusing, having spaces formed at clearances among the fine particles. A method of manufacturing the thermoelectric material comprises a step of compacting fine particles made of a material exhibiting Seebeck effect through a cold pressing. Also, disclosed is a sensor for quantitatively sensing a substance, which comprises a pellet of a powder thermoelectric material, where a temperature difference is generated between two points inside the piece of thermoelectric material. The sensor further includes thermocouples connected to a heater plate (6) and a cooling plate, and a controller which is electrically connected in the loop circuit of the thermocouples for detecting thermoelectric current corresponding to the temperature difference, thereby to control the heating of the heater plate.
38 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A sensor for measuring gas pressure comprising:
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a pellet of powder thermoelectric material having a fine structure in which fine particles of one compound exhibiting a Seebeck effect are made by a cold pressing are electrically linked in a state of loose contact with one another without fusing so as to exhibit said effect, having spaces formed at clearances between the fine particles; means for generating a temperature difference between two points inside said pellet of the thermoelectric material; and means for sensing a thermal electromotive force generated between the two points inside said pellet as a function of pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A sensor for measuring gas pressure and density of a specific substance comprising:
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a pellet of powder thermoelectric material having a fine structure in which fine particles of one compound exhibiting a Seebeck effect are made by a cold pressing and are electrically linked in a state of loose contact with one another without fusing so as to exhibit said effect, having spaces formed at clearances between the fine particles; means for generating a temperature difference between two points inside said pellet of the thermoelectric material; and means for sensing a thermal electromotive force generated between the two points inside said pellet; and wherein said fine particles of the thermoelectric material are coated with a material having a specificity of adsorption of the specific substance. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method of manufacturing a sensor for quantitatively detecting a specific substance in an atmospheric gas comprising the steps of:
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a. producing a powder thermoelectric material having a composition of Fe0.985 Mn0.015 Si2 by a method comprising; i. compacting fine particles made of one compound exhibiting a Seebeck effect, said compacting consisting essentially of a cold pressing to produce a thermoelectric material composed of fine particles loosely contacting each other so as to exhibit said effect, with spaces formed at clearances between the particles, and before said cold pressing, the steps of melting specified amounts of raw materials of Fe, Mn and Si, each having a purity of not less than 99.9% in an arc furnace and then crushing; ii. repeating the cycle of melting/crushing; iii. analyzing the composition of the resultant material; and iv. then adjusting the ratio of the raw materials to derive a composition of Fe0.985 Mn0.015 Si2 ; and b. processing the resultant powder thermoelectric material into granules each having a size of 5 to 10 μ
m in diameter;c. mixing formaldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme serving as a material having a specificity of adsorption into polyacrylamide sol and mixing the resultant mixture with the powder thermoelectric material of Fe0.985 Mn0.015 Si2, thereby to obtain a slurry; d. atomizing the mixed slurry in a dried Ar gas atmosphere thereby to gelatinize the polyacrylamide sol, dispersing excessive solvent by evaporation; and e. dispersing the obtained powder material in an organic solvent to be formed on a glass substrate through printing. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification