JP3188070B2 - Thermoelectric generation module - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermoelectric generation module for converting heat directly into electricity.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a thermoelectric power generation module shown in FIG. 3 is known. The thermoelectric power generation module includes an insulating heat collecting plate 1 made of ceramic or the like, electrodes 2, a p-type / n-type thermoelectric semiconductor 3, an adhesive layer 4, a heat radiating plate 5, and a constant voltage device 6. Here, the thermoelectric semiconductor 3 and the electrode 2
Constitutes a thermoelectric semiconductor element. In the thermoelectric generation module having such a configuration, the high-temperature heat source 7
When the heat flow 9 flows, positively-charged holes diffuse from the high-temperature side to low-temperature side in the p-type thermoelectric semiconductor, and negatively-charged electrons diffuse in the n-type thermoelectric semiconductor. Therefore, p-type
By connecting the n-type thermoelectric semiconductors 3 in pairs, a power output is generated, and the power 10 can be taken out through the constant power device through the constant voltage device.

[0003]

By the way, in the conventional thermoelectric power generation module, when the pressure of the atmosphere is low as in outer space due to heat at the electrode part of the high temperature part,
The thermoelectric semiconductor 3 has a problem in that the components evaporate and the performance (power generation output) of the thermoelectric semiconductor 3 is reduced.

[0004] To prevent this, a fused silica glass is coated. However, the softening point of the fused silica glass is 800 ° C. or higher, and the thermoelectric semiconductor used at 1000 ° C. has a problem that the components evaporate and the performance deteriorates.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a thermoelectric power generation module capable of preventing evaporation of material components of a thermoelectric semiconductor by coating an alumina alkoxide and forming an alumina layer on the surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a thermoelectric power generation module for extracting electricity directly from high-temperature heat.
Type thermoelectric semiconductor and a thermoelectric semiconductor element having electrodes on both sides of the thermoelectric semiconductor via an adhesive layer, a heat collecting plate provided at one end of the thermoelectric semiconductor element, and a thermoelectric semiconductor element at the other end of the thermoelectric semiconductor element. A thermoelectric power generation module comprising: a heat sink provided; and a constant voltage device electrically connected to an electrode of the thermoelectric semiconductor element.

[0007]

In the present invention, the evaporation of the material components of the thermoelectric semiconductor can be prevented by coating the side surfaces of the p-type / n-type thermoelectric semiconductor with alumina alkoxide.

[0008]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1 Referring to FIG. Reference numeral 21 in the figure denotes a plurality of p-type or n-type thermoelectric semiconductors. The side surfaces of these thermoelectric semiconductors 21 are coated with alumina alkoxide (alumina layer) 22. Each thermoelectric semiconductor 21
On the high-temperature heat source side, a plurality of electrodes 24 are provided as pairs of adjacent p-type and n-type thermoelectric semiconductors with an adhesive layer 23 interposed therebetween. An insulating heat collecting plate 25 made of ceramic or the like is connected to these electrodes 24. On the low-temperature heat source side of the thermoelectric semiconductor 21, an electrode 26 is formed with an arbitrary p-type thermoelectric semiconductor, an n-type thermoelectric semiconductor, and a predetermined p-type via an adhesive layer 23.
Plural thermoelectric semiconductors and n-type thermoelectric semiconductors are provided in pairs. A radiator plate 27 is connected to these electrodes 26. Any p-type thermoelectric semiconductor among the electrodes 26
A constant voltage device 28 is connected to the thermoelectric semiconductor 21 and the n-type thermoelectric semiconductor 21.

In the thermoelectric power generation module having such a configuration, the alumina layer 22 is formed on the thermoelectric semiconductor 21 as shown in FIG. First, the surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor 21 is degreased and washed with acetone, and masked so as not to have an unnecessary coating surface (see FIG. 2A). Next, the thermoelectric semiconductor 21
Is immersed in a solution in which alumina alkoxide and CH ₃ OH are mixed at a ratio of 1: 4, and pulled up (see FIG. 2B). Then, after taking out, it is heated at 500 ° C for 30 minutes in a vacuum furnace,
A hardening process is performed (see FIG. 2C).

According to the thermoelectric power generation module according to the above embodiment, since the p-type or n-type thermoelectric semiconductor 21 has a configuration in which the side surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor 21 is coated with the alumina layer 22, the evaporation of the material component of the thermoelectric semiconductor 21 is prevented. Can be prevented. In fact, a power generation module coated with alumina alkoxide (invention) for 1000 hours while maintaining the high temperature source at 1000 ° C. and the low temperature source at 0 ° C. in vacuum, and the power generation output without coating treatment (conventional) Is shown in Table 1 below.

[0011]

[Table 1] As is clear from Table 1, it was confirmed that the power generation output of the thermoelectric power generation module subjected to the coating treatment with alumina alkoxide did not decrease much less than the conventional case. This is because evaporation of the thermoelectric semiconductor component is prevented.

[0012]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
By coating with an alumina alkoxide and forming an alumina layer on the surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor, a thermoelectric power generation module capable of preventing evaporation of material components of the thermoelectric semiconductor can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a thermoelectric power generation module according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a method of forming an alumina layer on a thermoelectric semiconductor surface in the thermoelectric power generation module of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional thermoelectric power generation module.

[Explanation of symbols] 21: thermoelectric semiconductor, 22: alumina layer,
23 ... adhesive layer, 24,26 ... electrode, 25 ... heat collecting plate,
27: heat sink, 28: constant voltage device.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A thermoelectric power module for directly extracting electricity from high-temperature heat, comprising a p-type / n-type thermoelectric semiconductor having an alumina alkoxide coated on a side surface, and a thermoelectric semiconductor having electrodes on both sides of the thermoelectric semiconductor via an adhesive layer. A semiconductor element, a heat collecting plate provided on one end side of the thermoelectric semiconductor element, a heat radiating plate provided on the other end side of the thermoelectric semiconductor element, and a constant current electrically connected to an electrode of the thermoelectric semiconductor element. A thermoelectric power generation module comprising a voltage device.