Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K35/00—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting
  • B23K35/22—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting characterised by the composition or nature of the material
  • B23K35/24—Selection of soldering or welding materials proper
  • B23K35/28—Selection of soldering or welding materials proper with the principal constituent melting at less than 950 degrees C
  • B23K35/286—Al as the principal constituent
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K1/00—Soldering, e.g. brazing, or unsoldering
  • B23K1/0008—Soldering, e.g. brazing, or unsoldering specially adapted for particular articles or work
  • B23K1/0016—Brazing of electronic components
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K35/00—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting
  • B23K35/02—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting characterised by mechanical features, e.g. shape
  • B23K35/0222—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting characterised by mechanical features, e.g. shape for use in soldering, brazing
  • B23K35/0233—Sheets, foils
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K35/00—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting
  • B23K35/02—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting characterised by mechanical features, e.g. shape
  • B23K35/0222—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting characterised by mechanical features, e.g. shape for use in soldering, brazing
  • B23K35/0233—Sheets, foils
  • B23K35/0238—Sheets, foils layered
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K35/00—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting
  • B23K35/22—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting characterised by the composition or nature of the material
  • B23K35/38—Selection of media, e.g. special atmospheres for surrounding the working area
  • B23K35/383—Selection of media, e.g. special atmospheres for surrounding the working area mainly containing noble gases or nitrogen
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B15/00—Layered products comprising a layer of metal
  • B32B15/01—Layered products comprising a layer of metal all layers being exclusively metallic
  • B32B15/016—Layered products comprising a layer of metal all layers being exclusively metallic all layers being formed of aluminium or aluminium alloys
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10N10/00—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects
  • H10N10/01—Manufacture or treatment
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10N10/00—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects
  • H10N10/80—Constructional details
  • H10N10/81—Structural details of the junction
  • H10N10/817—Structural details of the junction the junction being non-separable, e.g. being cemented, sintered or soldered
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10N10/00—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects
  • H10N10/80—Constructional details
  • H10N10/85—Thermoelectric active materials
  • H10N10/851—Thermoelectric active materials comprising inorganic compositions
  • H10N10/855—Thermoelectric active materials comprising inorganic compositions comprising compounds containing boron, carbon, oxygen or nitrogen
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10N19/00—Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one thermoelectric or thermomagnetic element covered by groups H10N10/00 - H10N15/00
  • H10N19/101—Multiple thermocouples connected in a cascade arrangement
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K2101/00—Articles made by soldering, welding or cutting
  • B23K2101/36—Electric or electronic devices
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K2103/00—Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
  • B23K2103/02—Iron or ferrous alloys
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K2103/00—Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
  • B23K2103/08—Non-ferrous metals or alloys
  • B23K2103/10—Aluminium or alloys thereof
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K2103/00—Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
  • B23K2103/18—Dissimilar materials
  • B23K2103/20—Ferrous alloys and aluminium or alloys thereof

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a thermoelectric device, in particular for generating an electric current in a motor vehicle, and a method of manufacturing said device. .
• thermoelectric devices using so-called electrical thermo elements, for generating an electric current in the presence of a temperature gradient between two of their opposite faces according to the phenomenon known as the Seebeck effect.
• These devices comprise a stack of first tubes, intended for the circulation of the exhaust gases of an engine, and second tubes, intended for the circulation of a heat transfer fluid of a cooling circuit.
• the electrical thermo elements are sandwiched between the tubes so as to be subjected to a temperature gradient from the temperature difference between the hot exhaust gases and the cold cooling fluid.
• Such devices are particularly interesting because they make it possible to produce electricity from a conversion of the heat coming from the exhaust gases of the engine. They thus offer the possibility of reducing the fuel consumption of the vehicle by replacing, at least partially, the alternator usually provided therein to generate electricity from a belt driven by the engine crankshaft. .
• thermoelectric devices used to date are their high cost, particularly due to the rare materials used to produce the thermoelectric elements, and a first object of the invention is to allow the use of electric thermo elements. at a reduced cost, compatible with the cost of the automobile industry.
• the invention thus proposes to use electric thermo elements made from materials of economic interest through the use of constituents available in large quantities.
• thermoelectric elements in order to have a current and a voltage of a sufficiently high level, it is necessary to connect the electric thermoelectric elements together, in series and / or in parallel, by means of electric conduction tracks. , provided on the surface of the tubes.
• Different solutions have already been studied to braze the thermoelectric elements on the conduction tracks.
• thermoelectric elements employing relatively common materials it has already been successfully tried brazing with silver.
• thermoelectric device comprising a plurality of elements, called electrical thermo, to create an electric current from a temperature gradient applied between two of their faces, called contact faces, electrical conduction tracks, and a solder connection between said contact faces and electrical conduction tracks.
• said solder comprises an alloy based on aluminum and silicon.
• Solid phase brazing is understood to mean a brazing in which the material for brazing is brought into a pasty state, located below its liquidus.
• the silicon content of the solder, by weight is less than 20%
• the silicon content of the solder, by weight is between 5 and 5
• the conduction tracks are made of nickel and / or copper
• thermoelectric elements are based on silicon alloy
• thermoelectric elements are of the Mg2Si or MnSi type.
• the invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric device comprising a plurality of so-called electric thermo elements, making it possible to create an electric current from a temperature gradient applied between two of their faces, called contact, and electrical conduction tracks.
• a solder connection between said contact faces and the electric conduction tracks by soldering in the solid phase.
• brazing is carried out by applying a pressure to the elements to be soldered
• brazing is carried out under an inert atmosphere
• brazing is carried out under vacuum
• said joining solder is produced using a brazing material having a melting point greater than 580 ° C., the brazing material comprises an alloy based on aluminum and silicon.
• the brazing material consists of a strip having a thickness of between 20 and 500 micrometers, in particular between 50 and 200 micrometers,
• the brazing material comes from a strip, capable of simultaneously constituting the conduction tracks and said joining solder,
• said strip comprises an aluminum core plated on at least one of its faces with an alloy based on aluminum and silicon.
• FIG. 1 illustrates in perspective, an example of a thermoelectric device, represented in exploded form
• FIG. 2 schematically illustrates, in longitudinal sectional view, a tube of the device of FIG. 1, partially illustrated, and an electric thermo element disposed on said tube, this before soldering, according to a first embodiment of FIG. the invention
• FIG. 3 schematically illustrates, in longitudinal sectional view, a tube of the device of FIG. 1 and a pair of electric thermo elements disposed on said tube, this before soldering, according to a second embodiment of the invention. 'invention.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a thermoelectric device comprising thermal conduction supports in contact with a hot or cold source, such as a plurality of tubes 1 for circulating a first fluid alternating with a plurality of tubes 2 for circulating a second fluid. Said tubes 1, 2 extend here parallel to each other in the same direction.
• the circulation tubes 1 of the first fluid are configured, for example, for the circulation of a fluid, said to be hot. It may be the exhaust gas of a motor vehicle engine.
• the tubes 2 circulation of the second fluid are configured, for example, for the circulation of a fluid, said cold, having a temperature lower than the temperature of the first fluid. It may be a coolant, such as a mixture of water and glycol, from, for example, a low temperature cooling loop of the vehicle.
• circulation tubes 1 of exhaust gas are three in number and the circulation tubes 2 of the coolant are four in number.
• Said device further comprises a plurality of elements, called electrical thermo, for creating an electric current from a temperature gradient applied between two of their faces, said contact faces.
• said electric thermoelectric elements are based on relatively common materials and therefore inexpensive. These are, for example, materials based on silicon alloy. It will thus be possible to use thermoelectric elements of the Mg2Si or MnSi type. According to the Seebeck effect, such elements allow the creation of an electric current in a load connected to said contact faces.
• thermoelectric elements 4 schematically visible in Figures 2 and 3, here have a substantially parallelepiped shape and the contact faces 3a, 3b are opposite to each other. These are arranged vis-à-vis the outer surface of said tubes 1, 2 of circulation of the first and second fluid. It will be noted from time to time that in FIGS. 2 and 3, for the sake of simplification, the cold tube is not shown and the hot tube 1 is presented only partially, only its outer wall located in with respect to the thermoelectric elements 4 being illustrated.
• thermoelectric elements 4 may be, for a first part, elements of a first type, said P, for establishing an electrical potential difference in a direction, said positive, when they are subjected to a temperature gradient given, and for the other party, elements of a second type, said N, allowing the creation of an electrical potential difference in an opposite direction, said negative, when they are subjected to the same temperature gradient.
• thermoelectric elements 4 are here divided into plies 5 provided between the tubes 1 for circulating the first fluid and the tubes 2 for circulating the second fluid.
• thermoelectric elements are electrically connected.
• the P-type thermoelectric elements and the N-type thermoelectric elements of the same ply 5 may be associated with one another so as to allow the flow of the series current from one element of the first type to one element of the second. type.
• the thermoelectric elements thus associated form a basic conduction cell and the cells obtained may be associated in series and / or in parallel. Inside the same conduction cell, thermoelectric elements of the same type may be associated in parallel to increase the intensity of the current supplied.
• the sheets 5 are electrically connected together, in series and / or in parallel.
• An electrical connector not shown, allows the device to be connected to an external electrical circuit. The current generated by all of said electric thermo elements is thus transmitted to the electrical circuit to which said device is connected.
• Said circulation tubes 1, 2 have, for example, a flattened section in an elongation direction, orthogonal to the direction of extension of the tubes.
• Said circulation tubes 1, 2 may thus be flat tubes. This means that they have two large flat parallel faces connected by short sides.
• the thermoelectric elements 4 are in contact with one and / or the other of the flat faces of the tubes 1, 2 by their contact faces 3a, 3b.
• Said tubes 1, 2 have, for example, a multiplicity of channels.
• Said tubes 2 intended for the circulation of the cold fluid are constituted, for example, aluminum and / or aluminum alloy. They are, in particular, extruded. Their channels can be of round section.
• the tubes 1 intended for the circulation of hot fluid consist, in particular, of stainless steel. They are formed, for example, by profiling, welding and / or brazing. Their fluid passage channels are separated, in particular, by partitions connecting the opposite planar faces of the tubes.
• Said device further comprises, for example, a manifold plate 15 at each end of said tubes 1 for circulation of the first fluid.
• Said collector plate 15 is provided with orifices 6 in which the ends of said tubes 1 for circulating the first fluid are inserted.
• Said device may also comprise manifolds 7 in fluid communication with the end of said circulation tubes 1 of the first fluid and fixed to the collector plates 5 by means of screws 8.
• Said boxes comprise an orifice 16 for the inlet and or the output of the first fluid.
• Said tubes 2 for circulating the second fluid may be provided at each of their ends with collectors 9 enabling said tubes 2 for circulating the second fluid to be placed in communication with a collector box, not shown, of the second fluid via orifices 10 opening on a side face of the beam defined by the stack of tubes 1, 2 of circulation of the first and second fluid.
• thermoelectric device further comprises electrical conduction tracks, and a solder junction between said contact faces and electric conduction tracks.
• said electrical conduction tracks and the material used to form said solder are respectively marked 20, 22. They are here illustrated in their form before soldering. After brazing, the soldering material is distributed between the thermoelectric elements 4 and the electric conduction tracks 20 to form said solder joint which establishes an electrically and thermally conductive connection between said electric thermoelectric elements 4 and said tracks 20.
• Said electrical conduction tracks 20 are provided in contact with the hot and / or cold thermal conduction supports, that is to say, here, the hot tubes 1 and / or cold 2.
• the conduction paths are, for example , nickel and / or copper.
• a layer of thermally conductive and electrically insulating material 24 may be provided between the hot and / or cold thermal conduction supports and said conduction tracks 20, such as an alumina layer.
• the exhaust gases run through the hot tubes while the coolant flows through the cold tubes.
• a temperature gradient is thus established between the hot tubes and the cold tubes. It is applied to the electric thermoelectric elements 4 through the alumina layer 24, the conduction tracks 20 and the solder joint. It allows said electric thermoelectric elements 4 to generate an electric current, driven by the solder and the conduction tracks.
• said solder comprises an alloy based on aluminum and silicon.
• a solder is thus used whose materials are relatively common and therefore have a low cost.
• brazing also makes it possible to withstand operating temperatures of the order of 500 ° C., or even 530 ° C., that is to say temperatures that are compatible with the circulation of exhaust gases in the tubes 1 at a temperature of the order of 750 ° C.
• operating temperatures of the order of 500 ° C., or even 530 ° C. that is to say temperatures that are compatible with the circulation of exhaust gases in the tubes 1 at a temperature of the order of 750 ° C.
• said alloy will in particular be used on the side of the hot source, that is to say, here, hot tubes 1.
• the aluminum content of the solder, by weight, is preferably the majority.
• the silicon content of the solder, by weight, is thus lower, for example at 20%. It may in particular be between 5 and 15%. It is, in particular, about 10%.
• the invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric device, such as that described above.
• the solder junction is made between said contact faces 3a, 3b of the electric thermoelectric elements 4 and said electric conduction tracks 20 by solid phase soldering.
• the metal diffusion is avoided without having to use an anti-diffusion layer between said electric thermoelectric elements 4 and said electric conduction tracks 20.
• said brazing can be carried out by applying pressure to the elements to be brazed.
• it may be means external to the device, printing the stack of tubes 1, 2 orthogonal force to their large flat faces.
• brazing conditions that make it possible to avoid oxidation of the brazing material. It may be, for example, brazing under an inert atmosphere. According to a variant, it will be possible to carry out said brazing under vacuum.
• Said solder is made, for example, using a brazing material 22 having a melting point, under normal pressure conditions, greater than 580 ° C. This is a melting point included, in particular, between 580 and 600 ° C.
• the brazing temperature is maintained, for example, below 580 ° C., in particular below 570 ° C. In this way, brazing can be achieved without reaching the liquidus, while sparing the thermoelectric elements 4 during soldering and by having a solder that can withstand the operating conditions.
• a material of brazing 22 comprising an alloy based on aluminum and silicon, as already mentioned above. In such an alloy, the amount of silicon employed makes it possible to adjust the temperature of the melting point.
• the brazing material 22 consists of a strip 26 with a thickness of between 20 and 500 microns, in particular between 50 and 200 microns. It is arranged between the conduction tracks 20 and the electric thermo elements 4. It is here in correspondence of the contact surfaces 3a, 3b of said electric thermo elements 4.
• the solder material 22 is from a strip 28, able to constitute simultaneously the conduction tracks and said solder. It is thus no longer necessary to provide reported conduction tracks.
• Said strip 28 comprises, for example, an aluminum core 30 plated on at least one of its faces, here both, an alloy 32 based on aluminum and silicon.
• said core 30 defines the conduction tracks while the plating alloy defines the solder, on one side, between the conduction tracks and the electric thermo elements 4 and, on the other, between the conduction support electrical, here tubes 1, 2, and conduction tracks.
• the thickness of the strip is configured according to the current to be passed. It can typically be between 0.5 and 2 mm. Moreover, the thickness of said plating alloy may represent between 10 and 30% of the total thickness of the strip 28.
• thermoelectric device is only one example of a thermoelectric device according to the invention that can be applied to devices having many other configurations.
• the thermal conduction supports provided with said electrical conduction tracks and said solder may be tubes of other shapes, made of other materials or arranged differently. It may still be thermal conduction fins connected to the cold source and / or the hot source, in particular through the intermediary of fluid circulation tubes.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Cooling Or The Like Of Semiconductors Or Solid State Devices (AREA)
• Measuring Temperature Or Quantity Of Heat (AREA)
• Manufacture Of Motors, Generators (AREA)

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• 2011
  • 2011-11-23 FR FR1160689A patent/FR2982996B1/fr active Active
• 2012
  • 2012-11-22 US US14/353,423 patent/US20140299170A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2012-11-22 WO PCT/EP2012/073404 patent/WO2013076215A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2012-11-22 EP EP12794276.1A patent/EP2783401A1/de not_active Withdrawn

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