Thermoelectric element

Abstract

Abstract A THERMOELECTRIC ELEMENT CONSISTING OF AN END-GROOVED THERMOELECTRIC BODY HAVING CONDUCTIVE GRANULES FIRMLY EMBEDDED IN AT LEAST ONE END THEREOF IS FORMED BY PLACING CONDUCTIVE GRANULES ON A NON-REACTIVE GROOVED SURFACE, PLACING EITHER A PREFORMED THERMOELECTRIC BODY OR PREFERABLY A MOLDABLE THERMOELECTRIC POWDER ON TOP OF THESE GRANULES, AND APPLYING HEAT AND PRESSURE THERETO. PREFERABLY THE GROOVES ARE V-SHAPED AND IN A CONCENTRIC CIRCULAR PATTERN. A UNITARY THERMOELECTIC DEVICE IS FORMED BY BONDING THE THERMOELECTRIC ELEMENT TO A CONDUCTIVE BODY, A BARRIER LAYER BEING PRESENT BETWEEN FACING SURFACES OF THE THERMOELECTRIC AND CONDUCTIVE BODIES. UPON APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE ASSEMBLY, THE CONDUCTIVE GRANULES PIERCE THE BARRIER LAYER AND FORM INTERLOCKING LOW RESISTANCE CONDUCTIVE PATHS BETWEEN THE BODIES. SERIES-CONNECTED THERMOELECTRIC MODULES ARE FORMED BY BONDING IN A SINGLE OPERATION ALTERNATE N- AND P-TYPE THERMOELECTRIC ELEMENTS GROOVED AT BOTH ENDS AND CONTAINING CONDUCTIVE GRANULES FIRMLY EMBEDDED IN THE GROOVES TO A CONUCTIVE BODY AT ONE END AND TO SEPARATE CONDUCTIVE BODIES AT THE OTHER END OF THE ELEMENTS. A BARRIER LAYER WHICH IS PRESENT BETWEEN THE FACING SURFACES OF THE THERMOELECTRIC AND CONDUCTIVE BODIES IS PIERCED BY THE CONDUCTIVE GRANULES WHICH FORM INTERLOCKING LOW RESISTANCE CONDUCTIVE PATHS BETWEEN THE BODIES.

Inventors

• 👤 Richard C Saunders

Bibliographic Details