JP2006319262A - Thermoelectric conversion module - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermoelectric conversion module capable of efficiently exercising the functions such as heating, cooling, and power generation even when the module is upsized. <P>SOLUTION: A circuit for thermoelectric conversion elements 5 is formed by fitting to insert p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) to element fitting holes 3 of an insulating board 30, and electrically connecting the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 corresponding to each other via electrodes 2 provided to one-end side and the other-end side in a piercing direction. A thermal conduction plate 6, 7 is provided on both the upper and lower of the insulating board 30 in a manner that board sides of the insulating board 30 are clamped by the thermal conduction plates, and outer circumferential ends of the upper and lower thermal conduction plates 6, 7 are fixed mutually by a plate-fixing screw 10. An insertion hole 4 for a board fixing screw 9 for fixing the insulating board 30 to the thermal conduction plates 6, 7 is formed to at least one point in the region of both sides of the insulating board 30, the board fixing screw 9 is inserted to the insertion hole 4 and fixed to the upper and lower thermal conduction plates 6, 7 so as to closely adhere the upper and lower thermal conduction plates 6, 7 and the electrodes 2 to each other via insulating thermal conduction sheets 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention includes, for example, optical communication parts, physics and chemistry equipment, portable coolers, thermoelectric conversion modules that are used for process temperature management in semiconductor processes and the like, and thermoelectric modules that generate electricity using the Seebeck effect. It concerns the conversion module.

  Thermoelectric conversion modules such as Peltier modules are used in various fields such as the optical communication field, and various configurations of thermoelectric conversion modules have been proposed. FIG. 4 shows an example of the structure of a typical thermoelectric conversion module. This thermoelectric conversion module 1 is a Peltier module, and thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are fitted through the element fitting holes 3 of an insulating substrate (insulating support plate) 30 having a plurality of element fitting holes 3. (For example, refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  The Peltier module thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is generally known as a Peltier element, and is formed of a P-type (p-type) thermoelectric conversion element 5a formed of a P-type semiconductor and an N-type semiconductor. N-type (n-type) thermoelectric conversion element 5b. The P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are made of a semiconductor single crystal such as bismuth tellurium having a length of about 0.5 to 3.0 mm, for example.

  The insulating substrate 30 is made of, for example, an electrically insulating plate having a thickness of about 0.2 to 1.0 mm, for example, a glass epoxy plate, and the thermoelectric conversion element 5 is formed on the upper and lower sides of the insulating substrate 30. The P-type thermoelectric conversion element 5a and the N-type thermoelectric conversion element 5b are respectively inserted into the corresponding element fitting holes 3 so that (5a, 5b) protrudes, for example, by about 0.1 to 1.6 mm. They are alternately arranged.

  Electrodes 2 are respectively provided at one end side (upper side here) and the other end side (lower side here) of the P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) in the penetrating direction to the element fitting hole 3. Is arranged. These electrodes 2 are all joined to the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) by soldering or the like, and the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are electrically connected in series via the corresponding electrodes 2. Thus, a circuit (PN element pair) of the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) is formed. Note that solder is not shown in the figure. Moreover, the circuit of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is connected to a power supply circuit etc. via the lead terminal and lead wire which are not illustrated.

  When a current flows through the circuit of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b), a current flows through the electrode 2 to the P-type thermoelectric conversion element 5a and the N-type thermoelectric conversion element 5b, and the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a , 5b) and a cooling / heating effect at the junction (interface) between the electrode 2 and the electrode 2. That is, a so-called Peltier effect is generated in which one end portion of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is heated while the other end portion is cooled depending on the direction of the current flowing through the junction.

  When one end, for example, the upper end of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is caused to generate heat by this Peltier effect, this heat is transmitted to the member provided on the upper side of the Peltier module, and this member is heated. Is called. On the contrary, when the upper end portion of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is cooled by the Peltier effect, the member provided on the upper side of the Peltier module is cooled (heat absorption).

JP-A-9-181362 JP-A-10-178216

  By the way, in order to improve the usability of the thermoelectric conversion module as described above, a thermoelectric conversion module 1 having a configuration as shown in FIG. 5 has been proposed and applied.

  This thermoelectric conversion module 1 is provided with heat conductive plates 6 and 7 above and below the thermoelectric conversion module shown in FIG. 4, and includes an insulating substrate 30 and P-type and N-type disposed on the insulating substrate 30. The thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) and the electrode 2 are sandwiched between the heat conducting plates 6 and 7. An insulating heat conductive sheet 8 is interposed between the heat conductive plates 6 and 7 and the electrode 2, and the outer peripheral end portions of the upper and lower heat conductive plates 6 and 7 (for example, outer peripheral ends of the heat conductive plates 6 and 7). The four corners are fixed to each other by a plate fixing screw 10.

  However, recently, a large-capacity thermoelectric conversion module has been studied, and as the thermoelectric conversion module becomes larger, attempts have been made to increase the area of the insulating substrate 30, as shown in FIG. When the thermoelectric conversion module 1 having the above-described configuration is changed to a module having an insulating substrate 30 having a large area, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the heat conduction plates 6 and 7 are bent, and the heat conduction plates 6 and 7 and the electrode 2 There was a problem that a gap was formed between the two. In FIG. 6, the insulating heat conductive sheet 8 is omitted.

  If a gap is generated between the heat conductive plates 6 and 7 and the electrode 2, when the thermoelectric conversion module 1 is a Peltier module, heating or cooling by the thermoelectric conversion module 1 may be performed via the heat conductive plates 6 and 7. Since the heat conduction is not performed well, the efficiency of heating and cooling is reduced. Similarly, in the case of the thermoelectric conversion module 1 that performs power generation, heat conduction through the heat conduction plates 6 and 7 is not performed well, and thus power generation efficiency is reduced.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a thermoelectric conversion module that can efficiently perform heating and cooling and power generation functions even when the size is increased.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration as means for solving the problems. That is, the first invention has an insulating substrate in which a plurality of element fitting holes are formed, and P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements are respectively fitted through the corresponding element fitting holes of the insulating substrate. The P-type thermoelectric conversion element and the N-type thermoelectric conversion element corresponding to each other through electrodes provided on one end side and the other end side in the penetration direction to the element fitting hole of the thermoelectric conversion element are provided. A thermoelectric conversion module in which a circuit of a thermoelectric conversion element is formed by electrical connection, wherein the insulating substrate is fixed to a fixed location in the thermoelectric conversion module in at least one in-plane region of the insulating substrate. A configuration in which an insertion hole of a substrate fixing member to be fixed is formed to be a means to solve the problem.

  In addition to the configuration of the first invention, the second invention is a mode in which the substrate surface of the insulating substrate is sandwiched from both the upper and lower sides, and P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversions disposed on the insulating substrate. A heat conduction plate that sandwiches the element and the electrode directly or via an insulating heat conducting member, and the outer peripheral end portions of the upper and lower heat conducting plates are fixed to each other by a plate fixing member and formed on the insulating substrate The board fixing member is inserted into the insertion hole of the board fixing member, and the board fixing member is fixed to the upper and lower heat conduction plates, and the heat conduction plate and the electrode are in close contact with each other directly or through the insulating heat conduction member. It is a means to solve the problem with the configuration.

  According to the present invention, the substrate fixing member for fixing the insulating substrate on which the P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements corresponding to each of the plurality of element fitting holes are fixed to the fixing portion in the thermoelectric conversion module. Since the insertion hole is formed so as to penetrate at least one in-plane region of the insulating substrate, the substrate fixing member is inserted into the insertion hole of the substrate fixing member, and the insulating substrate is fixed to the fixing portion in the thermoelectric conversion module. can do.

  This fixing makes it possible to securely fix the insulating substrate to the fixing portion. For example, as in the second invention, the fixing portion is formed in such a manner that the substrate surface of the insulating substrate is sandwiched from both the upper and lower sides. If the heat conduction plate sandwiching the thermoelectric conversion element and the electrode is used, even if the size of the thermoelectric conversion module is large, the heat conduction plate can be prevented from being distorted, and the heat conduction plate and the electrode can be brought into close contact with each other. Note that the heat conductive plate and the electrode may be in close contact with each other through an insulating heat conductive member, or if the surface of the heat conductive plate facing the substrate is subjected to an insulation treatment, the heat conductive plate and the electrode Can be in direct contact.

  Thus, in the present invention, for example, since the heat conduction plate and the electrode can be brought into close contact with each other directly or through an insulating heat conduction member, heat conduction through the heat conduction plate can be favorably performed. When the thermoelectric conversion module is a Peltier module or the like, the efficiency of heating or cooling can be improved, and when the thermoelectric conversion module is a power generation module, the power generation efficiency can be improved.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same names as those in the conventional example, and the duplicate description is omitted or simplified.

  FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a thermoelectric conversion module according to the present invention. As shown in this figure, the thermoelectric conversion module 1 of this embodiment example also has an insulating substrate 30 formed of, for example, a glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin, like the conventional thermoelectric conversion module. A plurality of element fitting holes 3 are formed in the insulating substrate 30 at intervals.

  Also in the present embodiment example, similarly to the conventional example, the corresponding thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are fitted and fixed in the respective element fitting holes 3, and the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are fixed. The corresponding P-type thermoelectric conversion element 5a and N-type thermoelectric conversion element 5b are electrically connected via a plurality of electrodes 2 provided on one end side and the other end side in the penetrating direction to the element fitting hole 3). Thus, a circuit of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 is formed.

  In addition, the electrode 2 arranged on one end side of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) and the electrode 2 arranged on the other end side are arranged so as to be shifted from each other, and the thermoelectric conversion element 5 The circuit is connected to an electric circuit such as a power supply circuit via a lead terminal 11 shown in FIG. 1B and a lead wire (not shown).

  The thermoelectric conversion module 1 according to the present embodiment is disposed in at least one place in the in-plane region of the insulating substrate 30 (here, one place in the central portion of the insulating substrate 30). An insertion hole 4 for a substrate fixing member to be fixed to the fixed portion is formed through.

  Further, the thermoelectric conversion module 1 of the present embodiment example is a P-type disposed on the insulating substrate 30 in such a manner that the substrate surface of the insulating substrate 30 is sandwiched from the upper and lower sides as in the proposed example shown in FIG. And N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) and heat conduction plates 6 and 7 sandwiching the electrode 2 are provided. An insulating heat conductive sheet 8 as an insulating heat conductive member is interposed between the heat conductive plates 6 and 7 and the electrode 2.

  FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the state of the thermoelectric conversion module 1 of the present embodiment viewed from the lower side through the lower heat conductive plate 7 and the lower insulating heat conductive sheet 8. As shown in this figure, the outer peripheral end portions of the upper and lower heat conducting plates 6 and 7 are provided by plate fixing screws 10 as plate fixing members provided on the four-side screw insertion portions 12 on the outer peripheral end side. They are fixed to each other.

  In the thermoelectric conversion module 1 according to this embodiment, the substrate fixing screw 9 as the substrate fixing member is inserted into the insertion hole 4 of the substrate fixing member formed in the insulating substrate 30, and the substrate fixing screw 9 is The heat conductive plates 6 and 7 are fixed to the upper and lower heat conductive plates 6 and 7, and the heat conductive plates 6 and 7 and the electrode 2 are in close contact with each other through the insulating heat conductive sheet 8.

  In FIG. 2, the circuit configuration of the thermoelectric conversion module 1 of the present embodiment is schematically shown using a plan view of the insulating substrate 30 as viewed from above. As shown in FIG. The arrangement pattern of the electrodes 2 on the front surface side of the insulating substrate 30 is different from the arrangement pattern of the electrodes 2 on the back surface side of the insulating substrate 30 shown in FIG. In the figure, 13 is a line indicating the connection state of the electrode 2.

  The thermoelectric conversion module 1 according to the present embodiment is configured as described above. Since the insertion hole 4 of the substrate fixing screw 9 is formed through the in-plane region of the insulating substrate 30, the substrate is fixed to the insertion hole 4. The screw 9 can be inserted to fix the insulating substrate 30 to the upper and lower heat conduction plates 6 and 7 sandwiching the P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) and the electrode 2.

  And by this fixing, even if the size of the thermoelectric conversion module is large, it can suppress that the heat conductive plates 6 and 7 are distorted, and the heat conductive plates 6 and 7 and the electrode 2 are connected via the insulating heat conductive sheet 8. Therefore, the thermoelectric conversion module 1 according to the present embodiment can satisfactorily conduct heat through the heat conducting plates 6 and 7. Therefore, when the thermoelectric conversion module 1 is a Peltier module or the like, the efficiency of heating or cooling can be improved, and when the thermoelectric conversion module 1 is a power generation module, the power generation efficiency can be improved. .

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment example, Various aspects can be taken. For example, in the above embodiment, the insulating heat conductive sheet 8 is interposed between the heat conductive plates 6 and 7 and the electrode 2, but an appropriate thickness is provided on the surface of the heat conductive plates 6 and 7 facing the substrate. If an insulating process such as forming an insulating film is performed, the insulating heat conductive sheet 8 may be omitted, and the heat conductive plates 6 and 7 and the electrode 2 may be in direct contact with each other.

  The insulating film can be formed of a thin film such as a ceramic thin film. Further, the insulating film may be formed by coating polyparaxylidene or the like by CVD (chemical vapor deposition).

  In the above embodiment, the insertion hole 4 for the substrate fixing screw 9 is formed at one central portion of the in-plane region of the insulating substrate 30. For example, as shown in FIG. May be formed at a plurality of locations in the in-plane region of the insulating substrate 30.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is an element having a rectangular cross-sectional shape, but the shape of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately selected. For example, an element having a circular cross-sectional shape or an element having another shape may be used.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the thermoelectric conversion module 1 is formed in a substantially square planar shape, but the planar shape may be a substantially rectangular thermoelectric conversion module 1 or the planar shape may be a substantially circular shape or a substantially elliptical shape. The thermoelectric conversion module 1 having a shape may be used.

  For example, FIG. 3B schematically shows a plan view of the insulating substrate 30 applied to the thermoelectric conversion module 1 having a substantially rectangular planar shape. In this example, the insulating substrate 30 is shown in FIG. The insertion holes 4 for the substrate fixing screws 9 are formed at two locations in the in-plane region. As described above, the insertion hole 4 of the substrate fixing screw 9 can be efficiently provided at a place where the distortion of the heat conducting plates 6 and 7 can be suppressed, so that the effect as in the above embodiment can be efficiently exhibited.

  Further, the shape of the insertion hole 4 of the board fixing screw 9 is not particularly limited, and is appropriately set.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the substrate fixing member is the substrate fixing screw 9 and the plate fixing member is the plate fixing screw 10. However, the substrate fixing member and the plate fixing member may be pins instead of screws. It may be a fixing member. Further, the number and location of the plate fixing members are not limited to the four corners of the heat conducting plates 6 and 7 as in the above embodiment, and are appropriately set.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the heat conductive plates 6 and 7 are provided in such a manner that the substrate surface of the insulating substrate 30 is sandwiched from both the upper and lower sides, but at least one of the heat conductive plates 6 and 7 may be omitted. Good. That is, when the insertion hole 4 for the substrate fixing member is formed in the in-plane region of the insulating substrate of the thermoelectric conversion module 1, for example, the member heated or cooled by the thermoelectric conversion module 1 has a plate-like portion. In addition, the thermoelectric conversion module 1 in a form in which the heat conduction plate 6 of FIG. 1 is omitted can be directly fixed to the plate-like portion via a substrate fixing member.

  Furthermore, although the above description has been given by taking an example of the structure of the Peltier module as the thermoelectric conversion module, the structure of the thermoelectric conversion module of the present invention is also applicable to the structure of a thermoelectric conversion module that generates power using the Seebeck effect. it can.

It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the example of 1 embodiment of the thermoelectric conversion module which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the circuit of the thermoelectric conversion element formed in the thermoelectric conversion module of the said embodiment example. It is explanatory drawing which abbreviate | omits an element fitting hole and shows an example of the insulating board | substrate applied to the other embodiment of the thermoelectric conversion module which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the conventional thermoelectric conversion module with a side view. It is explanatory drawing of the thermoelectric conversion module formed by pinching | interposing the thermoelectric conversion module of the type shown in FIG. 4 with a heat conductive plate. It is a figure for demonstrating the problem of the thermoelectric conversion module shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thermoelectric conversion module 2 Electrode 5,5a, 5b Thermoelectric conversion element 6,7 Thermal conductive plate 8 Insulating thermal conductive sheet 9 Substrate fixing screw 10 Plate fixing screw 30 Insulating substrate

Claims (2)

  The thermoelectric conversion element includes an insulating substrate having a plurality of element fitting holes, and P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements are respectively fitted through the corresponding element fitting holes of the insulating substrate. The corresponding P-type thermoelectric conversion element and N-type thermoelectric conversion element are electrically connected to each other through electrodes provided on one end side and the other end side in the penetration direction to the element fitting hole. A thermoelectric conversion module in which a circuit of an element is formed, wherein at least one in-plane region of the insulating substrate has an insertion hole for a substrate fixing member for fixing the insulating substrate to a fixing location in the thermoelectric conversion module A thermoelectric conversion module characterized in that is penetrated.   A heat conduction plate for sandwiching the P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements and electrodes disposed on the insulating substrate directly or via an insulating heat conducting member in such a manner that the substrate surface of the insulating substrate is sandwiched from above and below. The upper and lower heat conduction plates are fixed to each other by plate fixing members, and the substrate fixing members are inserted into the insertion holes of the substrate fixing members formed on the insulating substrate. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric conversion module is fixed to the upper and lower heat conduction plates, and the heat conduction plates and the electrodes are in close contact with each other directly or through the insulating heat conduction member.

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