Thermoelectric apparatus and method of fabricating the same

• US 8,664,509 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Liu, Chun-Kai, Dai, Ming-Ji, Feng, Suh-Yun, Liao, Li-Ling
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baumann, Liesl C
• Application Number:
  US13/040,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20120118346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 136200-242
• US Class Current: 136/205
• 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

Abstract

A thermoelectric apparatus includes a first and a second assemblies, at least a first and a second heat conductors. The first assembly includes a first and a second substrates, and several first thermoelectric material sets disposed between the first and second substrates. The first substrate has at least a first through hole. The second assembly includes a third and a fourth substrates, and several second thermoelectric material sets disposed between the third and fourth substrates. The fourth substrate has at least a second through hole. Each of the first and second thermoelectric material sets has a p-type and an n-type thermoelectric element. The first and second heat conductors respectively penetrate the first and second through holes. Two ends of the first heat conductor respectively connect the second and fourth substrates, while two ends of the second heat conductor respectively connect the first and third substrates.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric apparatus, comprising:

a first assembly, comprising;

a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to each other, wherein the first substrate has at least a first through hole; and

a plurality of first thermoelectric material sets disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein each first thermoelectric material set has a p-type thermoelectric element and an n-type thermoelectric element electrically connected to each other, and the first thermoelectric material sets evolve heat at a first side connecting to the first substrate and absorb heat at a second side connecting to the second substrate;

a second assembly stacked above the first assembly, comprising;

a third substrate and a fourth substrate opposite to each other, wherein the fourth substrate has at least a second through hole, and the fourth substrate is located between the third substrate and the first substrate; and

a plurality of second thermoelectric material sets disposed between the third substrate and the fourth substrate, wherein each second thermoelectric material set has a p-type thermoelectric element and an n-type thermoelectric element electrically connected to each other, and the second thermoelectric material sets evolve heat at a third side connecting to the third substrate and absorb heat at a fourth side connecting to the fourth substrate;

at least a first heat conductor penetrating the first through hole, wherein two ends of the first heat conductor physically connect the second substrate and the fourth substrate respectively, such that a first end of the first heat conductor is in direct physical contact with the second substrate and a second end of the first heat conductor is in direct physical contact with the fourth substrate; and

at least a second heat conductor penetrating the second through hole, wherein two ends of the second heat conductor physically connect the third substrate and the first substrate respectively, such that a third end of the second heat conductor is in direct physical contact with the first substrate and a fourth end of the second heat conductor is in direct physical contact with the third substrate.

2. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the n-type thermoelectric element of each first thermoelectric material set is electrically connected to the p-type thermoelectric element of the adjacent first thermoelectric material set, and the n-type thermoelectric element of each second thermoelectric material set is electrically connected to the p-type thermoelectric element of the adjacent second thermoelectric material set.

3. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate has a plurality of first through holes, and the fourth substrate has a plurality of second through holes.

4. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 3, comprising:

a plurality of first heat conductors penetrating the first through holes respectively, wherein two ends of each first heat conductor connect the second substrate and the fourth substrate respectively; and

a plurality of second heat conductors penetrating the second through holes respectively, wherein two ends of each second heat conductor connect the third substrate and the first substrate respectively.

5. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an opening of each first through hole is larger than a cross-section of each first heat conductor, while an opening of each second through hole is larger than a cross-section of each second heat conductor.

6. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 4, comprising:

a plurality of first thermal insulating materials disposed between the first through holes and the first heat conductors respectively for isolating thermal transfer between the first heat conductors and the first substrate; and

a plurality of second thermal insulating materials disposed between the second through hole and the second heat conductors respectively for isolating thermal transfer between the second heat conductors and the fourth substrate.

7. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 4, comprising:

a plurality of first thermal insulating materials surrounding the first heat conductors respectively; and

a plurality of second thermal insulating materials surrounding the second heat conductors respectively.

8. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein two ends of the first heat conductor penetrate the second and fourth substrates respectively, and two ends of the second heat conductor penetrate the first and third substrates respectively.

9. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of third thermoelectric material sets disposed between the first substrate and the fourth substrate, and each third thermoelectric material set has a p-type thermoelectric element and an n-type thermoelectric element electrically connected to each other.

10. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 9, wherein of the third thermoelectric material sets, the n-type thermoelectric element of each third thermoelectric material set is electrically connected to the p-type thermoelectric element of the adjacent third thermoelectric material set.

11. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, being constructed in a form of a vacuum sealing structure.

12. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a sealing material disposed between the second substrate and the third substrate for sealing the thermoelectric apparatus.

13. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first heat conductor and the second heat conductor respectively are a heat conductive pillar.

14. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first heat conductor and the second heat conductor can be made of metal or ceramic material.

15. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first heat conductor and the second heat conductor are respectively disposed by soldering.

16. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements comprise bismuth telluride (Bi₂Te₃), lead telluride (PbTe), tin telluride (PbSnTe), silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe), half-Heusler alloy, silicide or tungsten diselenide (WSe₂).

17. The thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and third substrates and the second and fourth substrates are made of a ceramic material, or a silicon or metal base whose surface is covered by an insulating material.