JP5771852B2 - A thermoelectric conversion element that includes a space part or a connected space part that reduces the amount of heat transfer to the thermoelectric material and the working material flow is greater than the original thermoelectric material - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

  The present invention relates to a method for converting thermal energy and electrical energy.

  There are thermoelectric power generation using a thermoelectric material and thermionic power generation in a power generation system that converts thermal energy into electric energy. When thermoelectric material is used as reverse conversion, it can be used in a cooling system. Thermoelectric materials are materials that use the phenomenon of transport in relation to the amount of heat transfer and the amount of current, and work materials responsible for the heat transport phenomenon are classical work materials such as electrons and holes that can be handled by classical mechanics. There is a quantum working material where the quantum effect becomes prominent mainly at extremely low temperatures. The current transport phenomenon also uses a wide range of electrical conductivity from metal to insulator. A material having a larger amount of charge transport than the amount of heat transfer is a thermoelectric material with good performance.

で定義され、無次元性能指数ＺＴ（Ｔは絶対温度）が大きな材料ほど熱電エネルギー変換効率が高い。ここで、Ｓはゼーベック係数と呼ばれる熱電能、熱伝導率κは作業物質の熱伝導成分κ_ｃと格子による熱伝導成分κ_ｐｈ成分の和、ρは作業物質の電気抵抗率である。温度を変化させないで大きいＺＴを得るためには、大きなＳ、小さなκ及び小さなρにすればいい。これら三つの熱電特性はいずれも作業物質の濃度の関数であり、その濃度が高くなるとＳおよびρは小さくなり、κは大きくなる。半導体理論によると使用温度域によって最適な電子あるいはホール濃度が存在する。
その濃度に対して熱電性能をよくするには
１）電子あるいはホール濃度を高くしρを小さくする
２）Ｗｉｅｄｅｍａｎｎ−Ｆｒａｎｚの法則よりκ_ｃ∝１／ρであることからκ_ｐｈを小さくする
３）電子あるいはホールの有効質量の大きな材料系でＳを大きくする
の３通りが考えられる。
上記の無次元性能指数は古典系作業物質の伝熱量と電流量に関する熱平衡輸送理論を用いて導出されている。この理論は量子系作業物質にも拡張できる。The performance index of thermoelectric materials for electrons and holes in the case of classical working substances is usually the figure of merit Z

A material having a larger dimensionless figure of merit ZT (T is an absolute temperature) has a higher thermoelectric energy conversion efficiency. Here, S is the thermoelectric power called Seebeck coefficient, the thermal conductivity κ is the sum of the thermal conduction component κ _c of the working material and the thermal conduction component κ _ph component of the lattice, and ρ is the electrical resistivity of the working material. In order to obtain a large ZT without changing the temperature, a large S, a small κ, and a small ρ can be used. These three thermoelectric properties are all a function of the concentration of the working substance. As the concentration increases, S and ρ decrease and κ increases. According to semiconductor theory, there is an optimum electron or hole concentration depending on the operating temperature range.
To improve the thermoelectric performance with respect to the concentration, 1) increase the electron or hole concentration and decrease ρ. 2) reduce κ _ph because it is κ _c ∝1 / ρ from the Wiedemann-Franz law 3) There are three ways to increase S in a material system having a large effective mass of electrons or holes.
The above dimensionless figure of merit has been derived using the thermal equilibrium transport theory for the amount of heat transfer and current of classical working materials. This theory can be extended to quantum working materials.

As a thermoelectric material, it is desirable that the Seebeck coefficient S is large, the thermal conductivity κ is as small as an insulator, and the electrical resistivity ρ is as low as a metal. Such a feature is expressed as Phonon Glass Electron Crystal, which aims at a high-mobility material that behaves like a turbulent material like glass for lattice vibration and behaves like a crystal for electrons or holes. Such materials have high classical system working substance concentration, are found among the degenerate state compounds and solid solutions thereof, to reduce the heat conduction component kappa _ph due to lattice vibrations leads to increasing the performance of the thermoelectric material.

According to Non-Patent Document 1, in Bi ₂ Te ₃ , when the length becomes shorter than the phonon mean free path, the phonon conducts ballistically in that direction. The heat transfer in the thin wire is characterized by the magnitude relationship between the length of the thin wire, the thickness in the direction perpendicular thereto, and the mean free path of the phonon when the heat transfer direction is taken along the length of the thin wire . When the length and thickness are longer than the phonon mean free path, the heat conduction follows the Fourier law and is a diffusive phonon. When the thickness is shorter than the phonon mean free path , the phonon conducts ballistic phonon in the thickness direction but heats more than the value characterized by diffusive phonon conduction due to phonon scattering due to the surface roughness of the wire. Conduction is reduced. When the length is shorter than the phonon mean free path, the ballistic phonon conduction, if not affected by the surface roughness, results in greater thermal conduction in the length direction than that characterized by diffusive phonon conduction. On the other hand, Non-Patent Document 2 evaluates the dependence on the amount of heat transfer in the thickness direction using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics for nanotubes. In a single-sheet nanotube, the surface roughness is reduced and there is an influence of ballistic phonon conduction in the length direction up to 1.6 μm at room temperature. As a result, the heat conduction is greater than the value characterized by diffusive phonon conduction. On the other hand, when the spatial dimension of the conductive material is small or when it is layered, the electrical conductivity is the allowance of the electrons carrying the current flowing in a narrow direction if the cross-sectional area traversed when the electrons move is small. The energy state interval generated is large and the scattering of electrons is less likely to occur, and the density of states of electrons changes depending on the spatial dimension, resulting in improved electrical conduction. Thermoelectric materials such as nanothin films, superlattices, and nanowires take advantage of the improvement in the figure of merit of thermoelectric materials at lower dimensions.

Thermoelectric materials currently in use include intermetallic compounds such as bismuth / tellurium and silicide compounds. Also, new thermoelectric materials include cage -type materials such as layered cobalt oxides and clathrate compounds, and those using strongly correlated electrons. The maximum use temperature of the PbTe-based compound is about 950K, but n-type PbTe has an about 450K maximum performance index of 1.7 × 10 ⁻³ K ⁻¹ when the electron concentration by impurity doping is 5 × 10 ²⁵ m ^−3. When the electron concentration is increased, the maximum performance index gradually decreases in proportion. At 7 × 10 ²⁵ m ⁻³ , the maximum performance index becomes 1.2 × 10 ⁻³ K ^{−1 at} about 800K. PbTe-based compound hot end temperature at the cold end temperature 300 K has a wide temperature range is 950K.

  Thermoelectric power generation is a power generation method that uses the movement of electrons into the space between electrodes. This power generation method uses a thermionic emission phenomenon in which electrons are emitted from the emitter of a high temperature electrode by thermal energy. In thermionic power generation, space charge may block the discharge of electrons from the emitter due to space charge limitation. To prevent this, there are methods using cesium and electrode spacing up to several micrometers. There is a way to make it narrower. Cesium is used to prevent space charge limitation between electrodes, or the difference between the work function of the emitter and that of the collector is increased to increase the electromotive force. Electron energy is lost due to elastic / inelastic collisions. Some are for space use with a distance between electrodes of 0.1 mm.

  A radiation heat transfer type thermoelectric conversion system has an insulating film or space that allows heat flow but does not flow current, and uses a thermoelectric material for power generation. An n-type and p-type semiconductor are paired to form a module, and these insulating films or spaces are in contact with either the high temperature side wall or the low temperature side wall. In this module, the electrical circuit is not directly connected to the thermoelectric material or electrodes.

  As a system using thermoelectric materials in which a heat flow and an electric current are parallel to each other and a space is arranged so as to prevent the flow in the flow direction, there are cooling systems of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. In these systems, since there is an external power supply, if the voltage is increased, a current flows through the space, and heat also moves through the semiconductor.

  The mechanical alloying method of Patent Document 3 is sometimes used to improve the figure of merit of a thermoelectric material without changing the chemical composition using a polycrystal. Further, in Patent Document 4, an iron silicide powder using polyvinyl alcohol as a binder is pressed, and then heated to remove polyvinyl alcohol by heating, an amorphous structure produced by a sol-gel method or a dry film forming method. The film aims to reduce manufacturing costs. In Patent Document 5, spark plasma sintering is used to prevent recrystallization.

In Non-Patent Document 3, BiSbTe crystals are crushed to a few tens of nanometers in argon and then hot-pressed and hardened in order to increase the figure of merit by reducing thermal conductivity without impairing electrical conductivity. . An “amorphous structure between crystals” is produced at low cost between crystals, and ZT = 1.4 with 40% improvement. In Patent Document 6, in order to prevent heat flow and flow current, a thermoelectric material in which a grain boundary layer composed of a glass layer is not substantially present at the interface between crystals to prevent lattice vibration is 100 nanometers or less. Is used. Here, a thermoelectric material having a cage structure is used and formed on a substrate by a normal temperature impact solidification phenomenon by an aerosol deposition method.

How the working material moves in the space between the objects depends on the potential of the working material. In the vicinity of the surface in contact with the space, the potential is lowered by the electromirror effect. Its potential, by simulation, or analytically determined as non-patent document 4.

The working substance can be moved from the surface to the space by passing through the potential barrier of the working substance in the space surrounding the surface through the tunnel through the potential of the working substance by energy such as heat and electromagnetic waves. In thermionic emission, the work function and emission current are related by the Richardson-Dushman equation. In field electron emission, the current due to tunnel transmission can be related to the electric field strength by the Fowler Nordheim equation or the like. The amount of work substance released in the space is determined by the tunnel probability, heat, and electromagnetic waves. When laser irradiation is performed, the amount of work substance released is determined by the amount of laser irradiation. When the current density exceeds 1 × 10 ¹⁰ A / m ² , the amount of charge in the space increases, and the current is limited by the space charge, resulting in a poor figure of merit (Non-patent Document 5). The current in the space becomes more efficient as the distance between the terminals is shorter.

  There is a nuclear battery that converts radiation energy into electric power. This can be divided into those that do not use the heat associated with nuclear decay and those that do not. There are a thermoelectric conversion method and a thermionic conversion method for using heat. Among those that do not use heat, there is one that obtains an electromotive force by irradiating a semiconductor pn junction with radiation.

In thermoelectric power generation using radioisotopes , as described in paragraph 0035, the radioisotope uses the radiation particle beam in the process of natural decay, and the decay heat of the part containing the radioisotope or the collection part of the radiation particle beam. Thermoelectric power generation is performed using the thermal energy generated at that time.

  To join thermoelectric materials into a module, they must be joined. Bonding methods include solder bonding method, heat pulse method (thermal plasma spraying method), physical vapor deposition method, welding method, electroplating method (chemical vapor deposition method), pressure contact method, diffusion bonding method, thick film firing method (bonding) There is an aggregation method). In the solder joint method, deterioration occurs due to diffusion of the solder material in use. In the thick film firing method, physical defects are likely to occur at the bonding interface due to impurities and oxygen mixing. Moreover, since it joins, a thermal stress generate | occur | produces in the joining interface, and has a big influence on the durable years of thermoelectric material.

Systems using thermoelectric materials are optimized by selecting the type / shape / size of the thermoelectric material and the type / thickness of the surrounding heat insulating material according to the temperature range and heat quantity to be used. Heat should be dissipated using air-cooled fins, air-cooled fins with fans, or water cooling, and heat exchange with other structures must also be considered. The thermoelectric material is attached to the electrode / structure by grease, adhesion, or soldering. In addition, an epoxy resin is used to prevent moisture from entering the module in the system so that there is no electrochemical elution of solder, or there is no diffusion of grease or adhesive as described in claim 1. Sealed with silicon resin. Such grease and sealing material cause heat conduction between the low-temperature part and the high-temperature part of the module, which reduces the performance.

となる。
Ｒ^ｍｏｄ _ｉκ^ｍｏｄを形状因子（直方体形状の熱電材料の断面積／長さ）とπ型の数を成績係数Φ（＝Ｑ_ｃ／Ｐ 冷却稼動、＝Ｑ_ｈ／Ｐ 発電稼動）の向上によるジュール熱発生と外界への熱放出による非可逆過程による損出の低減。ここで、Ｑ_ｃとＱ_ｈはそれぞれ低熱源と高熱源からの吸収熱量、Ｐは電気的仕事を表す。また、絶縁体にセラミックス基盤が用いられるモジュールとセラミック基盤のない（スケルトンタイプ）ものがある。熱源間温度差や基盤の大きさによるがセラミックス基盤では高熱源と低熱源に挟まれた熱電モジュールに生じる熱応力が、スケルトンタイプより大きくなる。また、熱源と絶縁体、絶縁体と電極、電極と熱電材料、複数の異種熱電材料の接合からなるセグメント異種熱電材料、組成比や不純物濃度の最適化を温度分割し、熱流が直列になるように積重ねて一つの素子にするセグメント素子等の界面に生じる熱応力に対する耐久性の向上による耐熱サイクル性の改善が行われている。Some modules using thermoelectric materials are π-type modules in which a pair of p-type and n-type thermoelectric materials having different polarities are sandwiched between electrode pairs. The module internal resistance R ^mod _i and the thermal conductivity κ ^mod depend on the cross-sectional area and length of these thermoelectric material pairs. Module performance index Z ^mod is

It becomes.
R ^mod _i κ ^mod is improved by improving the shape factor (cross-sectional area / length of a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped thermoelectric material) and the number of π-type coefficients of performance Φ (= Q _c / P cooling operation, = Q _h / P power generation operation) Reduction of loss due to irreversible processes due to Joule heat generation and heat release to the outside world. Here, Q _c and Q _h absorption heat from each low-temperature heat source and a high heat source, P is representative of the electrical work. In addition, there are a module in which a ceramic substrate is used as an insulator and a module without a ceramic substrate (skeleton type). Depending on the temperature difference between the heat sources and the size of the substrate, the thermal stress generated in the thermoelectric module sandwiched between the high and low heat sources is greater in the ceramic substrate than in the skeleton type. In addition, heat source and insulator, insulator and electrode, electrode and thermoelectric material, segment heterogeneous thermoelectric material consisting of joints of multiple different thermoelectric materials, optimization of composition ratio and impurity concentration, temperature division, so that the heat flow is in series The heat cycle resistance is improved by improving the durability against thermal stress generated at the interface of the segment element or the like which is stacked to form one element.

（＋はゼーベック効果による発電動作、−はペルチェ効果による冷却動作）
なるエネルギー収支バランスが生じる。システム効率ηは

である。ηを最大化するには
１）使用するモジュールの能力と目標性能とをバランスさせる。
２）モジュール単体の性能を適当な経済性で最大発揮できるようにする。
を考慮に入れる。
例えば、発電稼動のシステム効率η_ｇｅｎは

である。モジュール内部抵抗Ｒ_ｉ ^ＭＯＤと外部仕事する際の抵抗Ｒ_ｏの比ｍ＝Ｒ_ｏ／Ｒ_ｉ ^ＭＯＤについて、η_ｇｅｎを最大にするｍになるように最適化する。最大効率η_ｍａｘは温度条件と熱電材料の物性値すなわち性能指数のみによって決まることが知られている。また、冷却稼動のシステム効率η_ｒｅは

で表される。η_ｒｅを最大にするｍになるように最適化する。その結果、Ｒ_ｏに流れる作業物質流が最小化されＰが最小になる。Surface contacting the coating is an electrode plate with an insulator in contact with a certain heat source to that different heat source is a pair of film is an electrode plate with an insulator. A system is configured between the electrode pairs in units of π-type modules. For example, in order to increase the output current in power generation operation, in order to increase the parallel arrangement or the output voltage on a single coated electrode plate so that the legs of the plurality of π-type modules have the same thermoelectric material, respectively. In addition, there are a series arrangement in which π-type modules are turned upside down and pairs having different polarities are arranged on a single coated electrode plate, or a composite arrangement of these. Thus, the plurality of π-type modules are assembled from a plurality of pairs of heat sources, electrodes, and thermoelectric materials having different polarities. It is necessary to change the figure of merit of thermoelectric material pairs to improve module performance . At this time, the cross-sectional areas and lengths of the thermoelectric material pairs of each π-type foot are different. The thermoelectric system obtains a heat quantity Q _in from one heat source and applies it to the thermoelectric module, and the heat quantity flows through the thermoelectric material and is released to the other heat source as a heat release quantity Q _out . During this time, electrical work P acts on the outside world. That is,

(+ Is power generation operation by Seebeck effect,-is cooling operation by Peltier effect)
The energy balance becomes. System efficiency η is

It is. To maximize η 1) Balance the capabilities of the modules used and the target performance.
2) To maximize the performance of a single module with appropriate economic efficiency.
Take into account.
For example, the system efficiency η _gen for power generation operation is

It is. The ratio m = R _o / R _i ^MOD of the module internal resistance R _i ^MOD and the resistance R _{o at} the time of external work is optimized so as to be m that maximizes η _gen . It is known that the maximum efficiency η _max is determined only by temperature conditions and physical property values of thermoelectric materials, that is, performance indexes. The system efficiency η _{re for} cooling operation is

It is represented by Optimize for m to maximize _ηre . As a result, P working substance flowing through the R _o is minimized is minimized.

US2005 / 0016575A1 JP2009-21593 JP-A-9-55542 JP-A-10-27927 JP 10-41554 A JP2007-246326

Phys. Rev. B47, (1993) 16631 Jpn. J. et al. Appl. Phys. 47 (2008) 2005 Poudel, B.M. et al. , “High-Thermoelectric Performance of Nanostructured Bismuth Antimony Telluride Bulk Alloys,” Science, vol. 320, no. 5876, pp. 634-638, May 2008. Jpn. J. et al. Appl. Phys. 48,098006 (2009) Appl. Phys. 33, 2917 (1962) J. et al. -P. Fleurial, G.M. J. et al. Snyder, J .; A. Herman, P.M. H. Giaque, W.M. M.M. Phillips, M.M. A. Ryan, P.A. Shakkottai, E .; A. Kolawa and M.K. A. Nicolet: 18th International Conference on Thermoelectrics (1999).

  The thermoelectric material preferably has a low thermal conductivity like an insulator and a low electric resistance like a metal, but the electrical resistivity and the thermal conductivity are interdependent. As a result, developing a good thermoelectric material requires effort. The purpose is to further improve the efficiency of the thermoelectric system by bridging the space with spaces or fine wires.

In the first aspect, as shown in FIG. 1, a submicrometer space 12 is arranged so as to prevent heat transfer in the direction in which the heat flow or working substance flow of the thermoelectric materials 10 and 11 is transmitted. The heat transfer due to the existence of quasi-particles such as lattice vibration, magnon, and spin wave while maintaining almost the same or larger value as the working substance flow in the two left and right thermoelectric materials 10, 11 It is characterized by improving the efficiency of the thermoelectric system by suppressing the thermal fluctuations due to, and the quantum fluctuations at low temperatures. The distance between the pinnacle surfaces 13 between the terminals of the two thermoelectric materials 10, 11 that make up the space 12 in FIG. 1 depends on the absolute temperature T at the pinnacle surface 13, “distance” L _max (T) Exceeding this makes it possible to almost ignore the heat transfer due to the phonons in the space 12. Incidentally, compared to the lattice vibration _{L max} (T) magnon and _{L max,} such as spin waves (T) is much smaller. L _max (T) can be obtained from the actual measurement range of the distance between the atomic force microscope and the measurement surface. On the other hand, by making the space below sub-micro, it is possible to avoid being limited to the space charge of the working substance. The working material flow in this portion can be made larger by making the size of the space closer to L _max (T) from submicrometers. Hereinafter, a space including one or more of the above-described structures so as to prevent transmission of heat flow or working material flow is abbreviated as a space portion. Either one of the thermoelectric materials 10 and 11 can be a good working substance conductor other than the thermoelectric material. During operation, conduction of thermal energy due to radiation energy loss in the space portion depends on the temperature difference between the opposed terminals 13 and 14 in the space portion and the area to be opposed. When terminals 13 and 14 are wider than L _max (T) but narrower than sub-micrometers, the temperature difference between thermoelectric materials sandwiching the space and between thermoelectric materials and electrodes is about several Kelvin, so that almost no loss can be suppressed. . Further, by making the space 12 into a vacuum, heat transfer by convection there can be suppressed. Although the thermal conductivity in the metal is mostly due to heat conduction component kappa _c classical system working substance and becomes a semiconductor, the thermal conductivity component kappa _ph component due to the lattice becomes larger. By utilizing a difference in factors of physical transfer phenomena kappa _c and kappa _ph in space portion, a contrivance for reducing the zero and kappa _c the kappa _ph.
If the κ _ph component and the κ _c component are the same, the performance index of Equation 1 can easily be doubled if only the heat conduction by phonons is suppressed and the others remain unchanged. Thermoelectric materials with good figure of merit have the same κ _ph and κ _c components .
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments in accordance with the principles of the invention and together with the description schematically illustrate such embodiments. To do. The conceptual diagram of the invention emphasizes the essence of the invention.

By inserting the space portion, the space portion may mainly hinder the work material flow during power generation operation. The work substance is released from the surface using heat, electric field, electromagnetic waves, and the like. When the working substance moves in the direction from 11 to 10 in FIG. 1, the working substance is excited in the space portion by the excitation of the working substance by energy such as heat in the thermoelectric materials 13, 14 or in the vicinity of the spire surface 13. By tunneling through the potential barrier, the working substance moves to the space portion 12 and moves to the counter electrode 14. According to macroscopic quantum mechanics, the probability of tunneling through the potential barrier of the working material at the space interface 13 decreases exponentially as the working material mass increases, but fluctuations are suppressed when operating at very low temperatures. Therefore, L _max (T) becomes smaller and the distance between the terminals 13 and 14 can be made narrower, so that a thermoelectric conversion element using ions having a large working substance mass is also possible. In the case of electrons and holes in a semiconductor, the mass of holes is generally several times the mass of electrons. As a result, when the space 12 is separated to some extent, electrons are tunneled through the p-type semiconductor rather than through holes. When the thermoelectric material 11 is a semiconductor and the steeple 13 is a metal, the semiconductor 11 and the steeple 13 are preferably ohmic junctions during power generation operation and Schottky junctions during cooling operation .

By inserting the space portion, the space portion may mainly hinder the work material flow during power generation operation. The work substance is released from the surface using heat, electric field, electromagnetic waves, and the like. When the working substance moves in the direction from 11 to 10 in FIG. 1, the working substance is excited in the space portion by the excitation of the working substance by energy such as heat in the thermoelectric materials 13, 14 or in the vicinity of the spire surface 13. By tunneling through the potential barrier, the working substance moves to the space portion 12 and moves to the counter electrode 14. According to macroscopic quantum mechanics, the probability of tunneling through the potential barrier of the working material at the space interface 13 decreases exponentially as the working material mass increases, but fluctuations are suppressed when operating at very low temperatures. Therefore, L _max (T) becomes smaller and the distance between the terminals 13 and 14 can be made narrower, so that a thermoelectric conversion element using ions having a large working substance mass is also possible. In the case of electrons and holes in a semiconductor, the mass of holes is generally several times the mass of electrons. As a result, when the space 12 is separated to some extent, electrons are tunneled through the p-type semiconductor rather than through holes. When the thermoelectric material 11 is a semiconductor and the steeple 13 is a metal, the semiconductor 11 and the steeple 13 are preferably ohmic junctions during power generation operation and Schottky junctions during cooling operation.

  When voltage is applied to the space, the height of the spire is high and the distance between the terminals of the surfaces 13 and 14 is L _max If the radius is closer to (T) or the radius of curvature is small at the convex tip portion of the spire surface 13 in FIG. 1, the electric field becomes larger, and the potential of the working substance in the vicinity of the spire surface 13 of charged particles as the working substance. The height and thickness of the barrier are greatly reduced. The maximum electric field is in the vicinity of the convex tip of the steeple surface 13, and an enhancement factor β that depends on the height from the joint surface of the thermoelectric material 11 and the steeple surface 13 to the convex tip of the steeple surface 13 and the radius of curvature of the convex tip is used. Its maximum electric field E _Convex Is E _Convex = ΒE _s It becomes. Where E _s Is an electric field in the vicinity of a flat plate when the working substance discharge surface 13 of the thermoelectric conversion element is flat. This value is 10 for the working material to pass through the tunnel. ⁹ It must be larger than [V / m]. The electric field can be increased by reducing the radius of curvature of the steeple surface 13, increasing the height of the steeple, and shortening the distance between the terminals of the surfaces 13 and 14. The current depends on the electric field in the vicinity of the surface of the tip of the spire and the work substance emission area. Depending on the type of the work substance, the thermal excitation emission of the work substance, the field emission of the work substance, the light emission of the work substance, or the space 12 It flows according to the space charge distribution.

  When the voltage applied to the space 12 in FIG. 1 cannot increase the intensity of the electric field generated in the space portion to a required value or when the working material flow is small, the charged particle receiving terminal which is the working material as shown in FIG. By deforming the shape of the surface 22 so as to surround the charged particle emission spire surface 24 which is a working substance, the maximum electric field E _Convex The value of becomes higher than before deformation, and the area where charged particles are emitted increases. There is also a possibility that the electric field of other pointed parts will be maximized. As a result, the amount of charged particle emission increases. In this way, by changing the shape of the surfaces 22 and 24, the working substance flow in the space 23 due to the electric field emission of the charged particles as the working substance causes the working substance flow of any of the heat conducting materials 20 and 21 to sandwich the space. It is possible to improve the figure of merit of Equation 1 by making it as close as possible or better. When the working material flow rate is small, the working material flow rate can be increased by forming a plurality of spire structures 30, 31, and 32 in parallel as shown in FIG.

The voltage generated by the temperature gradient of the thermoelectric materials 10 and 11 in FIG. 1 is used for the movement of the working substance in the space 12, so that the working substance can flow in the space 12 without installing a power source or the like outside. A force is generated by the electric field. If the steeple portion is a thermoelectric material, voltage can be obtained even at that portion, and the figure of merit of Equation 1 is increased. When the space between 10 and 11 is wide, the steeple portion becomes high, and the temperature difference at that portion also becomes large. Therefore, a thermoelectric power composed of an aggregate of microcrystals of about several tens of nanometers long so as to generate many electromotive forces. If the shape of the material, including the control of the spatial dimension of the material or thermoelectric material, or an assembly thereof is used for the spire part, the maximum electric field E _convex will be larger than if no thermoelectric material is used for that part, and work in the space part The material flow increases and the figure of merit index can be further improved. The spatial dimension of the thermoelectric material in the spire portion can be one-dimensional (FIG. 4a), two-dimensional (FIG. 4b, c) or layered (FIG. 5).

  When the working substance is moving in the space 12 of FIG. 1, moving in the substance 10, moving in the substance 11, or existing on the facing surface 13, the facing surface 14 The potential energy and kinetic energy are different when they exist. In addition, the type of working substance itself may change. When the working substance moves in the direction from 11 to 10, the working substance exiting the surface 13 takes heat away from the thermoelectric material 11. On the other hand, when the working substance moves through the space 12 and is coupled to the receiving terminal 14, the difference between the working substance energy in the space 12 and the working substance energy in the substance 10 is released as energy such as heat. . The electromotive force of the thermoelectric material 10 can be increased using the thermal energy generated at this time.

  When the working substance moving in the space 12 in FIG. 1 passes through the surface of the thermoelectric material or the electrode surface, the energy of the working substance is dissipated to the surface working substance state near the surface due to tunnel friction during tunnel transmission. The concentration of the working substance to be conducted increases, and the working substance flow increases. A working substance that moves in and between materials has momentum in the direction of movement. On the other hand, the amount of current can be further increased by changing the energy state of the facing surface to reduce frictional energy loss when the working substance enters the facing surface and using this momentum.

When the space 12 is present, the diffusion of the diffused solid atoms that permeate the heterogeneous solid junction interface is reduced. In particular, the mutual diffusion of the solid atoms between the thermoelectric material and the electrode at the high temperature portion is reduced, and the internal resistance of the heat conversion element is reduced. R _i is small and the durability is improved. The cooling decreases the internal resistance R _i of the thermoelectric conversion element as during operation not only the power consumption can be reduced, R _{i (I ac)} for the include AC component I _ac to power supply used R _i ² The endothermic amount decreases by / 2. For this reason, the direct-current power source to be applied is more efficient when the power source has the same ripple rate as the AC component content.

Claim 1 is a thermoelectric conversion element in which a space portion where the counter terminal pairs 13 and 14 of FIG. 1 are separated exists. However, even if the above method is used, the working substance is difficult to move in the space portion, and conduction in the space portion is performed. There are cases where the working substance flow to be performed is less than the working substance flow in the heat conducting material at both ends sandwiching the space portion. In this case, the space 62 is bridged with a working material good conductor as shown in FIG. 6, so that the heat flow is suppressed and a member longer than L _max (T) is used to face the end surface 61 to the end surface 60. It is possible to suppress the heat flow due to direct grid vibration and obtain a larger working material flow when separated. As 63 in FIG. 6, at least one side of a columnar shape having a diameter of several nanometers (FIG. 4a), a cylindrical shape having a thickness of several nanometers (FIG. 4b), or a plane perpendicular to the direction of the working substance flow, When a plate-like member having a length of several nanometers (FIG. 4c) is used, the influence of phonon scattering on a surface that is not a cross section representing the thickness becomes more significant than the influence of phonon scattering outside the surface. In addition, in this case, there is a state where the working substance is not easily scattered in the direction other than the working substance flow direction, and the surface has a small cross-sectional area that does not significantly affect the scattering of the working substance in the working substance flow direction. If so, the working material flow is increased. Spatial dimension influences the working material flow. When the working material flow inside the bridging member is smaller than the working material flow of the thermoelectric material at both ends sandwiching the bridging member with this cross-sectional area, the cross-sectional area of the working material good conductor is increased or a plurality of working material good conductors are used (hereinafter referred to as the working material good conductor). , A space that is cross-linked with a fine structure is abbreviated as a space part). A plate-like member having a thickness of several nanometers (FIGS. 4B and 4C) has a worse working substance flow than a thin member (FIG. 4A), but is better than a three-dimensional bulk. As shown in FIG. 6, the figure of merit is enhanced by having a space portion where a pair of opposite terminals are connected by a thin conductor body 63 between the thermoelectric conversion elements 60 and 61 as shown in FIG.

  4a or 4b, the cylindrical layered structure configured as shown in FIG. 5a by combining FIG. 4b, or the flat plate layered structure configured as shown in FIG. A thin columnar conductor having a cross-sectional area that does not make the working substance flow in the thermoelectric material smaller than that of a thermoelectric material without a connected space portion is hereinafter abbreviated as a thin wire structure. By forming an interface that scatters phonons and stratifying a portion having a high mobility of the working substance, heat transfer can be deteriorated and the figure of merit of Equation 1 can be increased. In addition, the work material as a whole of the thin wire structure is formed by passing the low work material mobility part having a thickness sufficient to prevent the work material from being transmitted in the radial direction to the adjacent part where the work material mobility is high. The flow can be increased and the figure of merit of number 1 can be increased. If the thin wire 63 is short, the phonon becomes ballistic, resulting in an increase in thermal conductivity and a decrease in the figure of merit. When the thin wire 63 is long, by using a thermoelectric material for that portion, the figure of merit can be increased by the thermoelectromotive force there.

  If the wire structure is longer than the phonon mean free path, the heat conduction follows the Fourier law. Shorter ballistics increase heat transfer and reduce efficiency. In FIG. 6, by reducing lattice mismatch, impurities, and lattice defects as much as possible at the interface between the thin wire structures 63 and 60 or 61, the working material flow there becomes a working material flow of the thermoelectric materials 60 and 61 on both sides thereof. It can be as close or better as possible. A plurality of fine wire structures are introduced into the space as shown in FIG. 7 so as to obtain a working material flow that exceeds the working material flow of the thermoelectric material at both ends across the connected partial space.

The current is transmitted by a classical working material or a quantum working material. Heat is transmitted along with what generates electric power, or is transmitted by lattice vibration, radiation, or the like. When the space portion is narrow, or when the space portion is cross-linked by a thin line , the quantum work material can be used at a very low temperature. Hereinafter, the space part bridged by the thin line is abbreviated as a connected space part. In the presence of a magnetic field, the resistance of the work substance is added due to the Hall effect or the Nernst effect, or the heat flow, current and voltage do not point in the same direction. It is a distance of L _max (T) or more with respect to lattice vibration, and the performance index of the thermoelectric material is obtained by providing a space portion or a connected space portion so as to prevent the heat transfer associated with the working material flow. Improve.

When an electromagnetic wave or radiation containing light is applied to the interface of the thermoelectric material 81 that contacts and opposes the space 82 in FIG. 8, the energy is given to the work substance. As a result, the working substance becomes a high energy state, and the energy exceeding the potential barrier of the working substance to the space portion is reduced.
In addition, the width of the potential barrier that tunnels through the potential of the working material is reduced. Or the state of the working substance which is easy to jump out on the surface can be taken. The radiation source primarily serves to help move the work material from the work material discharge surface to the work material receiving surface. Claim 3 is a working substance moving from the electromagnetic wave supply part or radiation source disposed in the space 82 to the working substance moving in the space 82 in FIG. 8, the material 81 having the discharge terminal surface, or the working substance to be released from the surface into the space 82. The working material can be easily conducted through the space 82. It is also possible to embed the radiation source in the surface portion of the thermoelectric material 80 facing the work substance discharge terminal or the discharge terminal 81. When the radiation source is placed in the vicinity of the working substance discharge terminal 81 or embedded, the heat generated by the radiation decay can be used. When light is used, it is guided into the space using an optical fiber or the like to irradiate the work substance discharge surface. Alternatively, the distance between the counter terminals at the center portion in the space portion is short, and the light can reach the inside by increasing the distance between the counter terminals on the outside. In FIG. 8, the effect of field electron emission can be included by making 81 a spire structure.

In the heat conversion element including the space portion or the connected space portion, the mobility of the working material is not uniform in position and time. At the interface where the amount of inflow and outflow of electric charge of the working material is different, the inflow or outflow of the electric charge of the working material is large and the electric charge is accumulated, thereby obstructing the working material flow. Further, when the charge of the working substance is accumulated, the heat conversion element is deteriorated. The fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that an effect of diffusing a working substance locally present on the surface of the working substance receiving terminal surface or the discharging terminal surface is obtained by coating the working substance good conductor thin film. The coating of the working material good conductor thin film reduces the influence of deterioration by strengthening the element or preventing concentration of heat, and increases the amount of energy obtained per unit time. The potential of the working substance against movement into the terminal based on the local concentration difference between the working substance receiving terminal surface or the discharge terminal surface and the thermoelectric material by coating the working material receiving terminal surface or the discharge terminal surface with a good working material conductor The barriers can be reduced, or destruction caused by excessive or insufficient working substance concentrations can be reduced.

In a thermoelectric conversion element having a space portion, the terminal portion deteriorates due to impact or mechanical destruction due to local movement in the space as the working substance moves in the space portion. In addition, by encapsulating the gas or metal vapor, the space, the collision between the work material and gas molecules, changing the energy state in the space of the working substance. In order to eliminate thermoelectric material destruction other than friction caused by working substance excitation in the release surface or the receiving surface after passing through the work substance release surface, the surface may be coated with another substance or joined with another substance. It is protected by increasing interatomic bonding force or by making coordinated movements in atomic groups. Alternatively, a cage-type thermoelectric material can be used for the work substance receiving terminal to absorb vibration and prevent deterioration.

  In a thermoelectric conversion element, a performance index is made larger than that of a thermoelectric material of uniform composition by adopting a graded structure (FGM: Functionally Graded Material) in which the electron concentration by impurity doping is continuously controlled along the temperature gradient over the operating temperature range. It is possible. When thermoelectric conversion elements are used in combination, the concept of performance varies depending on the purpose of use. Metal parts such as electrodes of the heat conversion element also affect the performance. In addition, when the heat conversion material forms a space part, it is possible to easily move the work substance by adjusting the distance between the opposite end faces and changing the size of the space part or by changing the surface shape. Heat transfer can be reduced. Claim 6 is segmented by space or connected space portions, so that there is little influence of performance degradation due to diffusion of components of thermoelectric material or electrode material, and there is no defect at the time of element creation by bonding, The system configuration can be changed. As shown in FIG. 9, it is possible to cope with various temperature regions by changing the distance between the opposing end faces with an actuator.

In the method of combining segmented thermoelectric materials, the durability of the thermoelectric system depends on the temperature distribution at the time of using the interface between the thermoelectric material and the electrode part, the interface between the segments, the thermal expansion of the space part, and the thermal fluctuation of the heat source. It is determined by fatigue due to thermal stress due to the influence of temperature change during operation. For this reason, contact resistance between the thermoelectric material and the electrode is increased, and as a result, burnout due to Joule heat of fatigue cracks has been reported. By providing the space portion, mechanical damage due to thermal expansion can be prevented. Since the distance between the opposite terminals is larger than L _max (T), fatigue due to thermal fluctuation due to quantum fluctuation at low temperature, fluctuation of the interface due to temperature change during operation, and movement between interfaces other than the working substance Destruction is suppressed.

  The wider the temperature difference between the high temperature part and the low temperature part, the larger the number of space parts in the heat conversion element. On the other hand, regardless of whether the temperature difference between the high temperature part and the low temperature part is wide, the additional loss other than the radiation energy loss in the space part as the number of connected space parts in the heat conversion element increases. Can be reduced.

In power generation in operation during power generation in which the temperature difference between the high-temperature part and the low-temperature part is wide, the electromotive force can be increased by arranging a plurality of stages. As shown in FIG. 10, it is assumed that a plurality of segmented thermoelectric materials or good working substance conductors are used. At this time, as described in Paragraph 0038 , the height of the nano-sized conductive column or coil on the surface of the thermoelectric conversion element 101 and the radius of curvature of these working substance discharge surfaces are the deformations of the working substance from the bulk density of the thermoelectric material. However, these values, the working substance discharge surface area of these conductor columns and coils, the optimum distance between the space terminals and the number of segments are determined as follows. By making the distance between the space partial terminals closer to a value larger than Lmax (T) with a submicrometer, the working material flow can be further increased as described below by taking the power generation operation of FIG. 10 as a specific example.
1) When the distance between the surface of the spire in the space portion terminal to the surface of the counter terminal exceeds Lmax (T), heat transfer due to phonons in this space portion can be almost ignored. The Lmax (T) can be obtained from the actual measuring range between force and is related atomic force microscope and the measurement surface between atoms constituting the a spire surface facing the terminal as described in paragraphs 0023 distance. Lmax (T) can be corrected by taking into account thermal expansion and thermal fluctuations of the heat source, especially quantum fluctuations at low temperatures.
2) The enhanced electric field strength in the vicinity of the surface of the steeple in the operating space can be approximated by multiplying the potential difference / distance between the counter terminals by the proportionality factor β taking into account curvature. Or it is calculated | required by simulation. The potential difference between the opposite terminals is influenced by the electromotive force of the thermoelectric material at both ends of the space portion.
3) The amount of movement of the working substance due to thermal excitation of the working substance, quantum fluctuations at low temperatures, and tunnel transmission depends on the working substance release area and direction. Also, as described in paragraph 0005, even in the injected terminal, the state density of the working substance in the bulk of the thermoelectric material into which the working substance is injected changes depending on the direction of movement of the working substance. Affects the thermal conductivity. By making the spiers to the spiers a thin line, these conductivities change and the figure of merit improves. The space shape and the distance between the space portion terminals are optimized so that the working material receiving end face of the space portion satisfies the above-mentioned 2, and the working material flow of the thermoelectric material is brought close to the working material flow. Such a device enables smooth and efficient space movement of the working substance as described in paragraph 0005 .
4) When a working material flow exceeding the bulk of the thermoelectric material cannot be obtained with one spire, the working material flow can be increased by arranging a plurality of spires as shown in FIG. When the plurality of spires are dense on the surface of the electron emission terminal, the effect of β of 2 is greatly reduced. The work material flow by field electron emission is optimized including the spire density on the surface of the electron emission terminal so that it is greater than or equal to the work material flow of the thermoelectric material at both ends before being divided. In this way, an appropriate distance between the space partial terminals is determined.
Due to the wide temperature difference, the working material flow of the thermoelectric material at both ends before being divided becomes greater than the working material flow of the thermoelectric material at the both ends, or the working material flow due to field electron emission due to the enhanced electric field strength in the space part is the working material of the thermoelectric material bulk If optimization including the spire density on the surface of the electron emission terminal can be performed so that the flow rate is increased or as close as possible, the above ideas 1 to 4 are applied to other space portions. As a result, an additional loss other than the radiation emission energy loss due to the temperature difference between the opposite terminals can be greatly reduced by the optimized space portion including the shape of one or more electrode terminal surfaces. When there is a power generation operation in which the temperature difference between the high temperature part and the low temperature part is narrow, the distance between the space partial terminals cannot be optimized. In this case, the connected space part of FIG. 6 is used. When cooling, apply the necessary voltage and current. If manufactured as described above, even if the performance index of the thermoelectric material is the highest, the performance index of the heat conversion element is greatly improved. Moreover, since the cooling operation is a reversible process of the power generation operation, the efficiency of the heat conversion element manufactured in this way is greatly improved even in the cooling operation.

The thermoelectric material group shown in FIG. 10 does not necessarily have to be formed into a heat conversion element in the order shown in the drawing. In addition, a thermoelectric material group that does not depend on other thermoelectric material groups, such as a π-type module composed of two sets of heat conversion elements with different polarities, has a π-type module in an independent form in parallel with other thermoelectric material groups. It may be produced. Furthermore, a plurality of π-type modules are mounted on the system in a set that is a series of π-type modules in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel. Although a number of combinations of implementations in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel π-type modules have been described as examples, as will be apparent, modules composed of combinations of thermal conversion elements other than π-type modules are also included in the present invention. Intended according to scope and spirit.

As shown in FIG. 9, instead of moving the thermoelectric materials 90 and 91 or the thermoelectric material and the terminal , the working substance is less likely to be scattered between the thermoelectric materials 90, and moreover from the emission area of the spire on the opposite end face 91 that releases the working substance. The actuator arranged in 95 helps the fine working substance 94 having a large shape similar to or surrounding the fine moving substance 94 to move parallel to the working material discharge surface. By superimposing alternating current at the start of operation, the space portion 92 or the space 93 between the surface 94 driven by the actuator and the electrode surface 90 serves as a capacitor, so that the voltage applied to the space portion can be made high. . As a result, the high voltage can be used as a trigger for the initial action. Further, by using multiple stages, the voltage applied to the target space portion during operation can be made high by using CR oscillation or CL oscillation.

  The above description of maximizing the figure of merit of thermoelectric materials and optimized π-type modules and system embodiments in accordance with the principles of the present invention provides examples and explanations for optimizing thermoelectric materials, π-type modules and systems. The scope of the present invention is disclosed, even if it is exhaustive. It is not limited to the stem embodiment itself. Modifications and variations are possible in accordance with the above teachings, or variations and modifications can be obtained from implementations of the various system embodiments of the present invention. As is apparent, there are numerous implementations in providing a method, π-type module and / or system for realizing a thermal conversion element from a thermoelectric material having a space portion or a connected space portion according to the claimed invention. A form may be employed.

  Any actuators, π-type modules and systems used to describe this application, unless otherwise noted, should not be construed as critical or essential to the invention.

The figure of the space part containing the spire terminal of a thermoelectric conversion element. The figure of the space part containing the spire terminal of a thermoelectric conversion element, and the terminal surrounding it. The figure of the space part which has two or more spire structures of a thermoelectric conversion element. Column structure diagram with a thin cross-sectional area. (A) is a cylinder. (B) is a hollow cylinder. (C) is a rectangular parallelepiped. The thickness sectional drawing of the bridge | crosslinking member which has a layered structure. (A) is a cylinder. (B) is a rectangular parallelepiped. The figure of the space part to which the thermoelectric conversion element was connected. The figure of the connected space part which has a some bridge | crosslinking member with a thermoelectric conversion element. The figure of the space part of a thermoelectric conversion element. The figure of the space part with the work physical distribution which operate | moves with the actuator which has a shape similar to a work substance discharge | release end surface. The figure of the space part segmented into the multistage of the thermoelectric conversion element .

10 Thermoelectric material or working substance good conductor with working substance receiving terminal surface 11 Thermoelectric material or working substance good conductor having working substance radiation terminal surface 12 Space 13 Spire surface of working substance discharge terminal 14 Working substance receiving terminal surface 20 Working substance receiving terminal surface Thermoelectric material or working substance good conductor 21 having a working substance radiation terminal surface thermoelectric material or working substance good conductor 22 Space 23 Spire surface 24 of working substance discharge terminal Working substance receiving terminal surface 30, 31, 32 Spire structure 60 Thermoelectric material 61 Thermoelectric Good material or working substance conductor 62 Space 63 Bridging member 70 which is a working substance good conductor Thermoelectric material or working substance good conductor 71 having working substance receiving terminal surface Thermoelectric material or working substance good conductor 72 having working substance radiation terminal surface Spatial working substance good conductor 73 Bridging member 80 heat having work substance receiving terminal surface Good material or working substance conductor 81 Thermoelectric material or working substance good conductor 82 having working substance radiation terminal surface Space 90, 91 Thermoelectric material or working substance good conductor 92 space 93 Space 94 between the surface having a similar shape and the electrode surface Surface 100 having a similar shape and the surface of the electrode, and the surface of the electrode, and the material 100, 101, 102 that allows the working substance to flow.

Claims (7)

One or more spaces between the end of the thermoelectric material and the surface of the material facing the thermoelectric material or in the thermoelectric material portion constituting the thermoelectric material, which prevent the flow of the heat flow or working substance flow, and the thermoelectric material in contact with these spaces There is a working substance flow rate equal to or higher than that, but the heat transfer amount other than that caused by the working substance is more than a distance that can be ignored, and the thermoelectric material system sandwiched between two different heat sources, The electric field, magnetic field, etc. outside this system cause further temperature gradients, working material concentration gradients, velocity gradients, etc. in this system, and classical working materials driven by these gradients and quantum working materials that become noticeable at extremely low temperatures Alternatively, by having a space part that is easy to release particles of external working material particles including macroscopic working materials, the thermal conductivity is reduced or thermal stress is reduced compared to the case where there is no space part and they are joined together. Thermoelectric conversion element characterized in damage to it to reduce the diffusion mixing of material ions, or utilizing the heat generated by the movement of the end of the working substance due. One or more spaces are provided between the end of the thermoelectric material and the surface of the material facing the thermoelectric material, or in the thermoelectric material constituting the thermoelectric material. By bridging at least one space with one or more fine wires, there is a working substance flow rate equal to or higher than that of the thermoelectric material in contact with this bridging space, but the heat transfer other than that caused by the working substance causes phonon scattering. Thermoelectric conversion characterized in that it is longer than the distance that can be reduced by the length of the wire, and has reduced thermal conductivity or reduced damage due to thermal stress or diffusion of material ions compared to the case where they are joined together without any space. element. Claim 1, in the thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 2, wherein, in order also One space provided with the electromagnetic wave source or radiation source to the vicinity of the interface, such as a thermoelectric material to these at least one space, equipped these ray source space A thermoelectric conversion element having a current amount equal to or greater than that of a thermoelectric material in contact with the thermoelectric material, and having a space portion or a bridged space portion and having reduced thermal conductivity as compared with a case where they are joined to each other. A member having a coating or thickness with a material containing conductive atoms or molecules of a working substance on a surface in contact with a space portion or a cross-linked space portion in the thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, 2, or 3 For this purpose, a coating or a member having a thickness is abbreviated as a coating or a member), and a structure that absorbs vibration of the coating or member surface portion that is in contact with the space portion is prevented by preventing local charge or retention of a working substance. The thermoelectric conversion element characterized by this. Claim 1, absorption in claim 2, the surface in contact with the third aspect thermoelectric spatial portion or crosslinking spatial part conversion element according atomic force is large, or the vibration of the surface by Tomocho the UnTsutomu atomic population A thermoelectric conversion element characterized in that, by joining a coating or member with a material to be applied, the energy state of the working substance on the surface of the coating or member in contact with the space portion is changed to prevent deterioration even when a large working substance flow flows. A segment element using a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim 5 or a heat conversion element having a movable portion in a space portion, which is easy to design. A thermoelectric conversion module and a thermoelectric conversion system incorporating them. The thermoelectric conversion element of Claim 1, Claim 2, Claim 3, Claim 4, and Claim 5 thru | or The thermoelectric conversion module of Claim 6, and the thermoelectric conversion system which incorporates them.

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