RU2534383C2 - Thermoelectric battery - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: electricity.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to thermoelectrical instrument making, particularly to the design of thermoelectric batteries (TEB). The invention concept is as follows: excluding areas close to the protruding parts of the switch plates, surface of the structure formed by TEB branches is covered by a layer of heat insulating dielectric material. The area not covered by a layer of heat insulating dielectric material is defined as a production thickness of the thermal element branch by ¹/₄ of its height. The surface not covered by a layer of heat insulation is made with shaped staggered key protrusions. Heat removal from cold and hot switch plates and areas close to them is made to containers with melting working agents.

EFFECT: improving efficiency of heat removal (delivery) from hot (cold) TEB contacts.

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Description

The invention relates to thermoelectric instrumentation, in particular to the construction of thermoelectric batteries (TEB).

The prototype of the invention is the thermopile, described in [1]. A fuel cell consists of semiconductor thermoelements connected in series to an electric circuit, each of which is formed by two branches (columns made either cylindrical or in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped) made of a p- and n-type semiconductor, respectively. The branches of the thermocouples are interconnected by means of patch plates, the p-type and n-type branches contacting the end surfaces, respectively, with two opposite surfaces of the connecting plate. The patch plates have a slightly larger area than the cross-sectional area of the branches, as a result of which they protrude beyond the surface of the structure formed by the thermopile branches, with the odd patch plates protruding over one surface of the structure, and the even patch plates over the other. Accordingly, heat removal and supply are carried out from the protruding parts of the switching plates due to air or liquid heat exchange.

A disadvantage of the known design is the removal (supply) of heat only from the surface of the protruding parts of the patch plates, while due to the thermal conductivity there is also heating (cooling) of the adjacent areas of the branches of thermocouples.

The aim of the invention is to increase the efficiency of removal (supply) of heat from the hot (cold) contacts of the fuel element due to the removal (supply) of heat also from neighboring areas of the branches of thermocouples.

The goal is achieved in that the surface of the structure formed by the thermopile branches, with the exception of areas adjacent to the protruding parts of the patch plates, is covered with a layer of heat-insulating dielectric material. The area not covered by a layer of insulating dielectric material is determined by the product of the thickness of the thermocouple branch by ¼ of its height. The specified surface, uncovered with a layer of thermal insulation, has a profiled side surface made with protruding spikes in the form of a triangular prism mounted at an angle varying within 45-135 ° to the plane of their installation, staggered. Heat is removed from cold and hot connection plates and areas adjacent to them in containers with melting working substances.

The design of the thermoelectric battery is shown in Fig.1-3. The fuel and energy complex consists of alternating branches connected in series into the electric circuit by means of switching plates 1 and 2, made of p-type 3 and n-type 4 semiconductor, respectively. The electric connection of the branches is carried out by means of contact p-type branch 3 - switching plate 1 or 2 - branch n-type 4, where the p-type 3 branch is in contact with the end surface from one of the surfaces of the patch plate, and the n-type 4 branch is on the other. Each branch in the thermopile is in contact with opposite end surfaces with two connection plates 1 and 2. Connection plates 1 and 2 have an area slightly larger than the cross-sectional area of the p- and n-type branches 3 and 4, as a result of which their ends protrude beyond the surface of the structure formed by the branches of the thermopile. The ends of the odd patch plates 1 protrude beyond one surface of the structure, and the ends of the even patch plates 2 protrude from the other.

The surface of the structure formed by the thermopile branches, with the exception of areas adjacent to the protruding parts of the connecting plates 1 and 2, is covered with a layer of heat-insulating dielectric material 5. The area not covered by a layer of heat-insulating dielectric material 5 is determined by the product of the thickness of the thermoelement branch by ¼ of its height. The specified surface, uncovered with a layer of thermal insulation, has a profiled side surface made with protruding spikes 6 arranged in a checkerboard pattern (a top view of a single thermocouple with a profiled surface is shown in figure 2).

Heat is removed from cold and hot patch plates and areas adjacent to them in containers with melting working substances 7.

TEB operates as follows.

When a constant electric current supplied from an electric energy source passes through the thermopile, between the switching plates 1 and 2, which are the contacts of the p- and n-type branches 3 and 4, a temperature difference occurs due to the release and absorption of Peltier heat. With the polarity of the electric current indicated in FIG. 1, the odd patch plates 1 are heated and the even ones are cooled 2. Heat is removed from the cold and hot patch plates, as well as from the areas adjacent to them, into containers with melting working substances 7.

An increase in the efficiency of heat removal from hot and cold contacts of a thermopile is carried out due to its removal also from regions of the structure surface formed by thermopile branches that are adjacent to the switching plates. Moreover, due to the profiling of the surface of the thermoelement branch, from which heat is removed, the coefficient of heat transfer from it to the heat and cold receivers increases. Thermal insulation 5 serves to reduce heat gain from the environment.

Literature

1. Pozdnyakov B.C., Koptelov EA Thermoelectric power. M .: Atomizdat, 1974.

Claims (1)

A thermoelectric battery (TEB), consisting of semiconductor thermoelements connected in series to the electric circuit via patch plates, each of which is formed by two branches made of p-type and n-type semiconductor, respectively, and p-type and n-type branches are in contact with end surfaces, respectively with two opposite surfaces of the connection plate, the connection plates have a slightly larger area than the cross-sectional area of the branches, as a result of which they are aligned they extend beyond the surface of the structure formed by the branches of the thermoelectric battery, characterized in that the surface of the structure formed by the branches of the thermopile, with the exception of areas adjacent to the protruding parts of the connection plates, is covered with a layer of heat-insulating dielectric material, and the area not covered with a layer of heat-insulating dielectric material having a profiled a side surface made with protruding spikes in the form of a triangular prism arranged in a checkerboard pattern is determined by iem thickness thermoelement branches of _^1/4 of its height, with the removal of heat from the hot and cold plates and switching surrounding regions to them is made in containers with consumable working substances.

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