JPH0595137A - Thermoelectric module - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To create the large temperature difference between high and low temperature regions and obtain an efficient thermoelectric effect, by forming a plurality of bottom electrodes on one face of a plate insulator, in which the high and low temperature regions are arranged periodically and repeatedly, and alternately forming p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements on the bottom electrodes. CONSTITUTION:A plurality of bottom electrodes 5 and 6 are formed on one face of a plate insulator 1, in which high and low temperature regions 3 and 4 are arranged periodically and repeatedly, in correspondence with the low and high temperature regions 4 and 3. Also, p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements are alternately formed on the bottom electrodes 5 and 6 in units of one or two element, and their thermoelectric elements 7 are connected with the bottom electrodes 5, 6 and a relay electrode 8 in series. Further, a lens 10 for selectively supplying a focused heat energy to the high temperature region 3 is provided on the other face of the plate insulator 1. For example, the plate insulator 1 has a plurality of grooves 2 in it for heat insulation on the bottom face of the insulator 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermoelectric module particularly suitable for thermoelectric power generation using solar energy.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a conventional thermoelectric module is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, the first insulating plate 1
A large number of lower electrodes 16 provided on the upper surface of 5 and a large number of upper electrodes 18 provided on the lower surface of the second insulating plate 17 sandwich a large number of P-type and N-type thermoelectric elements 19 and 20. It is configured. Then, the first insulating plate 15 is heated by solar heat or the like, and the second insulating plate 17 is cooled by air cooling or the like to obtain power generation by the Seebeck effect.

[0003]

However, in such a structure, even if an attempt is made to increase the temperature difference between the first insulating plate side and the second insulating plate side, the temperature is constant due to the heat conduction by the thermoelectric element. There was a limit.

[0004]

According to the present invention, a low temperature region and a high temperature region are provided on one surface of a plate-like insulator in which a high temperature region and a low temperature region are periodically and repeatedly arranged. A large number of lower electrodes are arranged, and P-type thermoelectric elements and N-type thermoelectric elements are alternately arranged in units of one or two on the lower electrodes. Then, while connecting these thermoelectric elements in series by the lower electrode and the relay electrode, a lens for selectively supplying focused heat energy to the high temperature region is provided on the other surface side of the insulator. Excuse me.

[0005]

With this structure, the temperature difference between the low temperature region and the high temperature region is not uniquely restricted by the thermal conductivity of the thermoelectric element, and a high temperature difference can be provided between both regions, resulting in high efficiency. A thermoelectric power generation effect can be obtained.

[0006]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

With reference to FIG. 1, a plate-like insulator 1 made of a poor conductor of heat and electricity has a large number of heat insulation grooves 2 on its lower surface, and a long and narrow high temperature region with the grooves 2 as boundaries. 3 and the low temperature region 4 are periodically and repeatedly arranged. Thermoelectric elements 7 are fixed to the upper surfaces of the heat conductive lower electrode 5 provided on the high temperature region 3 and the heat conductive lower electrode 6 provided on the low temperature region 4, respectively. 7
A relay electrode 8 as an upper electrode is fixed to each upper surface of the. Reference numeral 9 is a lead wire, and 10 is a continuous semi-cylindrical lens provided on the lower surface side of the plate-shaped insulator 1 for converging and diverging sunlight.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the thermoelectric element 7 is composed of a P-type element 7a and an N-type element 7b. The same type elements adjacent to each other with the groove 2 interposed therebetween are connected by the relay electrode 8. A pair of different types that are bridged and adjacent to each other are connected to each other by lower electrodes 5 and 6. And P, P, N,
These thermoelectric elements 7 arranged in the order of N, P, P ...
The a and 7b are electrically connected in series.

The solar thermal energy 11 focused by the lens 10 selectively heats the high temperature region 3 of the plate-shaped insulator 1, and the solar thermal energy to the low temperature region 4 is radiated, so that the high temperature region 3 and the low temperature region 4 are radiated. There is a large temperature difference between and. Therefore, between one end and the other end of the P-type thermoelectric elements 7a of two units that are adjacent and connected in series, and between one end of the N-type thermoelectric elements 7b of two units that are adjacent and connected in series. A large temperature difference occurs between the other end and a relatively large electromotive force generated by the Seebeck effect is supplied to the load 12 through the lead wire 9. The plate-shaped insulator 1 in this embodiment is made of glass and has ribs 13 in the outer peripheral region for increasing mechanical strength.

In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a large number of lower electrodes 5 are arranged side by side on the temperature region 3 of the plate-shaped insulator 1, and a large number of P-type electrodes are arranged on these lower electrodes 5. Thermoelectric element 7a
And N-type thermoelectric elements 7b are alternately arranged. On the other hand, a thick electrode 6 having good thermal conductivity is arranged on the low temperature region 4 so as to form a zigzag footprint with the lower electrode 5. And
A pair of P-type and N-type thermoelectric elements 7a and 7b and one electrode 6 adjacent thereto are bridged by a relay electrode 8 to connect the P-type thermoelectric element 7a and the N-type thermoelectric element 7b in series. is doing. However, the electrode 6 and the relay electrode 8 may be integrally formed. Further, in this embodiment, the groove 2 for improving the thermal insulation between the high temperature region 3 and the low temperature region 4 is provided on the upper surface side of the plate-shaped insulator 1.

Also in this case, since the solar thermal energy 11 focused by the lens 10 selectively heats the high temperature region 3,
Since a relatively large electromotive force can be taken out through the lead wire 9, and the temperature difference between the lower electrode 5 and the electrode 6 can be further increased by cooling the relay electrode 8 by air cooling or the like, Efficient power supply becomes possible. Furthermore, if the position occupied by the lens 10 is shifted so that the incident position of the focused solar thermal energy can be switched from the high temperature region to the low temperature region, the positive and negative polarities of the electromotive force can be switched. It should be noted that in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the P-type and N-type thermoelectric elements are substantially paired in units of two, but in the present embodiment, the P-type and N-type thermoelectric elements are used. Each type of thermoelectric element of the mold constitutes a pair.

The plate-shaped insulator 1 and the lens 10 can be integrally formed. In this case, it is not necessary to align the lens 10 with the plate-shaped insulator 1. Referring to FIG. 6 showing this example, the composite body 14 made of glass functions as an insulating substrate and also functions as a lens.

[0013]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above,
The temperature difference between the low temperature region and the high temperature region is not uniquely restricted by the thermal conductivity of the thermoelectric element, and a high temperature difference can be provided between both regions to obtain an efficient thermoelectric power generation effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric module embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the thermoelectric module.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the same thermoelectric module.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of a conventional thermoelectric module.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Plate Insulator 2 Groove 3 High Temperature Region 4 Low Temperature Region 5, 6 Lower Electrode 7 Thermoelectric Element 8 Relay Electrode

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A large number of lower electrodes corresponding to the low temperature region and the high temperature region are provided on one surface of a plate-shaped insulator in which a high temperature region and a low temperature region are periodically and repeatedly arranged. At the same time, P-type thermoelectric elements and N-type thermoelectric elements are alternately arranged in units of one or two on the lower electrode, and these thermoelectric elements are connected in series by the lower electrode and the relay electrode. A thermoelectric module comprising lenses for selectively supplying focused heat energy to the high temperature region on both sides of the other side of the insulator.