TW201727954A - Thermoelectric conversion device and thermoelectric converter - Google Patents

Abstract

A thermoelectric conversion device includes at least two strip P-type thermoelectric materials and N-type thermoelectric materials, a first electrode, and a second electrode. Each P-type and the N-type thermoelectric material has a first edge and a second edge at two ends in length direction respectively. The P-type thermoelectric materials are paralleled with the N-type thermoelectric materials alternately in a length direction. The first edges of the P-type and the N-type thermoelectric materials are at the same side, and the second edges of the P-type and the N-type thermoelectric materials are at the same side. The first electrode is electrically connected to at least two sides of the first edges of the P-type thermoelectric material and the next N-type thermoelectric material, and the second electrode is electrically connected to at least two sides of the second edges of the N-type thermoelectric material and the next P-type thermoelectric material. The first electrode and the second electrode are protruded from the first edges and the second edges of the P-type and the N-type thermoelectric materials along the length direction.

Description

Thermoelectric conversion device and thermoelectric converter

The present disclosure relates to a thermoelectric conversion device and a thermoelectric converter, and more particularly to a thermoelectric conversion device having a protruding electrode that can be in direct contact with a fluid, and a thermoelectric converter.

The development of renewable energy technologies has become an important issue due to energy shortages. The thermoelectric conversion technology is an emerging renewable energy technology that can directly convert thermal energy and electrical energy. The thermoelectric conversion effect is to convert energy between thermal energy and electrical energy by the internal carrier movement of the thermoelectric material. In recent years, thermoelectric conversion technology has been highly valued by relevant research units in various countries and has invested a large amount of research and development energy. In addition to the development of materials, it is also actively applying thermoelectric technology.

The thermoelectric module is one of the applications of thermoelectric conversion technology. Specifically, the thermoelectric module is an element having a mutual conversion characteristic between heat and electricity. When the thermoelectric module is connected to the direct current, a temperature difference is generated at both ends of the thermoelectric module, and the heat is transferred from the cold end to the hot end to reach the heat pump function, which is the Peltier effect. On the other hand, if the two ends of the thermoelectric module are at different temperatures, the thermoelectric module generates direct current. When the temperature difference is larger, the electric power generated is higher, which is the Seebeck effect.

According to the above two principles, how to make the thermoelectric conversion effect generated at the junction of the thermoelectric material and the metal electrode can be effectively conducted and applied is a very important subject.

The present disclosure provides a thermoelectric conversion device. The thermoelectric conversion device includes at least two or more elongated P-type thermoelectric materials, at least two or more elongated N-type thermoelectric materials, a first electrode, and a second electrode. Both ends of the P-type thermoelectric material in the longitudinal direction have a first end portion and a second end portion, respectively, and both ends of the N-type thermoelectric material in the longitudinal direction have a first end portion and a second end portion, respectively. The P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material are arranged in a staggered manner in a longitudinal direction, and the first end of the P-type thermoelectric material is on the same side as the first end of the N-type thermoelectric material, and the P-type thermoelectric material The second end is on the same side as the second end of the N-type thermoelectric material. The first electrode is electrically connected to at least two sides of the first end of the P-type thermoelectric material and at least two sides of the first end of the next N-type thermoelectric material, wherein the first electrode protrudes from the P-type thermoelectric material along the length direction The first end portion and the first end portion of the N-type thermoelectric material. The second electrode is electrically connected to at least two sides of the second end of the N-type thermoelectric material and at least two sides of the second end of the next P-type thermoelectric material, wherein the second electrode protrudes from the P-type thermoelectric material along the length direction In addition to the second end portion and the second end portion of the N-type thermoelectric material, the first electrode or the second electrode is a two-piece sheet electrode, and one of the sheet electrodes is electrically connected to the P-type thermoelectric material. And the opposite side faces of the N-type thermoelectric material, and the other sheet-shaped electrode is electrically connected to the side opposite to the opposite side faces of the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material, and the two sheets are The electrodes do not touch each other.

Moreover, the present disclosure provides a thermoelectric converter. The thermoelectric converter includes the above-mentioned thermoelectric conversion device, a first fluid passage, and a second fluid passage. The first fluid passage is disposed on the aforementioned first electrode side, wherein the first electrode is located in the first fluid passage to allow the fluid to directly flow through the first electrode. The second fluid channel is disposed on the second electrode side, wherein the second electrode is located in the second fluid channel to allow fluid to flow directly through the second electrode.

The above described features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermoelectric conversion device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 2 is a top view of the thermoelectric conversion device of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 together, the thermoelectric conversion device 10a includes at least two or more elongated P-type thermoelectric materials 110, at least two or more elongated N-type thermoelectric materials 120, a first electrode 130, and a second electrode. 140. The "long" P-type or N-type thermoelectric material referred to herein means that the thermoelectric material is composed of a length side (direction L in Fig. 1), a width side (direction W in Fig. 1), and a thickness side (Fig. 1). The cuboid formed by the direction T). For example, in one embodiment, the length side (L) of the elongated thermoelectric material is considerably larger than the width side (W) and the thickness side (T), so that the thermoelectric material is elongated; in one embodiment, The thickness of the thickness side (T) of the above-mentioned long thermoelectric material is made small, and a long sheet-like thermoelectric material as shown in Fig. 1 is obtained; in one embodiment, the thickness of the above-mentioned long thermoelectric material is obtained. When the thickness of the side (T) is considerably smaller than the width side (W), a long film-shaped thermoelectric material is obtained.

1 and 2, the P-type thermoelectric material 110 has a first end portion 110-E1 and a second end portion 110-E2 at both ends in the longitudinal direction (L), respectively, and the N-type thermoelectric material 120 is respectively in length. Both ends of the direction (L) have a first end 120-E1 and a second end 120-E2. The plurality of P-type thermoelectric materials 110 and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric materials 120 are arranged in a staggered manner in parallel in the longitudinal direction (L), and the first end portions of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 are 110-E1 and the N-type thermoelectric materials. The first end 120-E1 of the 120 is on the same side, and the second end 110-E2 of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 is on the same side as the second end 120-E2 of the N-type thermoelectric material 120. In the present embodiment, the side surface 111 or 112 of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 having a large surface area (that is, the side surface formed by the length side and the width side) and the side surface 121 having a large surface area of the N-type thermoelectric material 120 are used. Or 122 is set opposite. The P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120 may be thermoelectric materials such as a lanthanide, a lead lanthanum, a magnesium lanthanide, a skutterudite system, or a zinc lanthanum system.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the first electrode 130 is electrically connected to the first end portion 110-E1 of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 along the arrangement direction (T) of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120. At least two sides and at least two sides of the first end 120-E1 of the next N-type thermoelectric material 120, and wherein the first electrode 130 protrudes from the first end 110-E1 of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 along the length direction And the first end 120-E1 of the N-type thermoelectric material 120. Moreover, the second electrode 140 electrically connects at least two sides of the second end portion 120-E2 of the N-type thermoelectric material 120 and at least two sides of the second end portion 110-E2 of the next P-type thermoelectric material 110, and wherein the second portion The electrode 140 protrudes beyond the second end portion 110-E2 of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the second end portion 120-E2 of the N-type thermoelectric material along the length direction. The above-described P-type thermoelectric material 110, N-type thermoelectric material 120, first electrode 130, and second electrode arrangement means that the thermoelectric conversion device of the present disclosure can be configured in series. In the present embodiment, the material of the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 140 may be, for example, a metal such as copper, nickel, iron, silver, titanium, aluminum, molybdenum or the like and an alloy thereof. And the shape of the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 140 may be, for example, a sheet shape or a line shape. The manner in which the first electrode 130 is electrically connected to the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120 can be, for example, soldering.

In the present embodiment, the long P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120 used are thermoelectric materials having a small thickness. By the arrangement of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of the present embodiment, it is possible to have Helps miniaturization of the body of the thermoelectric conversion device. Further, since the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 140 are bonded to both side faces of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120, even if a thin thermoelectric material is used, a sufficiently large bonding area can be obtained, thereby being able to be improved. Thermoelectric conversion and the effect of heat transfer. Further, in the present embodiment, the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 140 are protruded from the ends of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120 in order to make the thermoelectric conversion device 10a of the present disclosure follow-up. In use, fluid can be directly flowed through the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 140 for heat exchange, thereby increasing the efficiency of heat exchange.

Further, from the viewpoint that the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 140 can obtain a sufficient bonding area with the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120, in an embodiment, the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 140 may be A sheet-like structure having the same width as the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120, and bonding the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 140 to the length side of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120 The side formed by the width edge. In one embodiment, the bonding area of the first electrode 130 to one side of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120 may be 25 with respect to the area of one side of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120. % or less (greater than 0% or less and 25%), and the bonding area of the second electrode 140 to one side of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120 may be 25% or less (greater than 0% or less and 25%).

Referring to FIG. 1, in the embodiment, the first electrode 130 is two chip electrodes 131 and 132 having the same width as the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120, and one of the chip electrodes 131 is electrically charged. The side surface 111 of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the side surface 122 of the N-type thermoelectric material 120 are connected, that is, the opposite side faces of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120 are electrically connected by the sheet electrode 131. The other sheet electrode 132 is electrically connected to the side surface 112 of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the side surface 121 of the N-type thermoelectric material 120, that is, the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric are electrically connected by the sheet electrode 132. The side of the material 120 opposite the opposite side. Further, the two sheets of the sheet electrodes 131, 132 are not in contact with each other.

Moreover, in the present embodiment, the second electrode 140 is two sheet-like electrodes 141, 142 having the same width as the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120, and one of the sheet-like electrodes 141 is electrically connected to the N-type. The side surface 121 of the thermoelectric material 120 and the side surface 112 of the P-type thermoelectric material, that is, the opposite side faces of the N-type thermoelectric material 120 and the P-type thermoelectric material 110 are electrically connected by the sheet electrode 141. The other sheet electrode 142 is electrically connected to the side surface 122 of the N-type thermoelectric material 120 and the side surface 111 of the P-type thermoelectric material 110, that is, the N-type thermoelectric material 120 and the P-type thermoelectric are electrically connected by the sheet electrode 142. The side of the material 110 opposite the opposite side. Further, the two sheets of the sheet electrodes 141, 142 are not in contact with each other.

In the present embodiment, the first electrode 130 is made into two sheet electrodes 131, 132, and the sheet electrodes 131, 132 are not in contact with each other, and the second electrode 140 is made into two sheets of sheet electrodes. 141, 142, and the sheet electrodes 141, 142 are not in contact with each other, so that the electrode surfaces of the protruding portions of each of the sheet electrodes 131, 132, 141, 142 can be in contact with the fluid, compared with the conventional structure. The first electrode 130 and the second electrode 140 can obtain about twice or more of the heat exchange area, and thus the heat exchange performance of the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 140 with the fluid can be further increased. Further, in the present embodiment, the two sides of the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material are electrically connected by two U-shaped sheet electrodes, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The shape of the electrode is not limited to a U shape, and may be any appropriate shape depending on actual needs (for example, ease of electrode processing or contact area with a fluid). Moreover, the P-type thermoelectric material and the side surface of the N-type thermoelectric material composed of the width side and the thickness side may be further electrically connected by the electrode, and the formed electrodes are not in contact with each other, so that the fluid can contact the surfaces of all the electrodes. With such a configuration, the electrode can be made to have a larger heat exchange area, further increasing the heat exchange efficiency between the electrode and the fluid.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the thermoelectric conversion device 10a may further include a wire 190 and a power system (not shown) in which a complete circuit circuit is completed by electrically connecting the power system to the power system. The power system is, for example, a power supply device or a power storage device, and the disclosure is not limited thereto. In the present embodiment, the power system is, for example, a direct current power supply device.

Referring to Fig. 1, when the thermoelectric conversion device 10a is used as a heat generating device, its simple operation is as described in the following embodiments. First, through the arrangement of the wires 190, the power system (not shown) supplies the current to the thermoelectric conversion device 10a, and the positively charged holes in the P-type thermoelectric material 110 move toward the adjacent first electrode 130 and the N-type. The negatively charged electrons in the thermoelectric material 120 move toward the adjacent first electrode 130, so that the first electrode 130 is heated by the heat absorption, and the second electrode 140 is cooled by the heat absorption. Therefore, if the fluid is passed through the first electrode 130 side and the second electrode 140 side of the thermoelectric conversion device 10a, respectively, the fluid flowing through the second electrode 140 can be cooled, and the fluid flowing through the first electrode 130 can be made. It is heated. Accordingly, the thermoelectric conversion device 10 of the present embodiment achieves the function of a heat pump by the Peltier effect.

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermoelectric conversion device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The thermoelectric conversion device 10b of the embodiment of Fig. 3 is similar to the above-described thermoelectric conversion device 10a of Fig. 1, and therefore the same or similar elements are denoted by the same or similar symbols, and the description thereof will not be repeated. The main difference between the embodiment of FIG. 3 and the embodiment of FIG. 1 is that the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120 are disposed in the insulating heat insulating material 150, and the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 140 are respectively along The length direction of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120 protrudes beyond the insulating heat insulating material 150. The material of the insulating heat insulating material 150 is, for example, ceramic, plastic, acrylic, wood, styrofoam, and a mixture thereof.

Theoretically, the core components of the present disclosure are a P-type thermoelectric material 110, an N-type thermoelectric material 120, a first electrode 130, and a second electrode 140. By applying a current to the thermoelectric conversion device 10a composed of the above components, The function of the heat pump of the thermoelectric conversion device 10a of the present disclosure can be achieved. However, in the present embodiment, by providing the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120 in the insulating heat insulating material 150, the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material can be more stably fixed by the insulating heat insulating material 150. 120, and provide good insulation insulation.

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermoelectric conversion device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The thermoelectric conversion device 10c of the embodiment of Fig. 4 is similar to the above-described thermoelectric conversion device 10b of Fig. 3, and therefore the same or similar elements are denoted by the same or similar symbols, and the description thereof will not be repeated. The main difference between the embodiment of FIG. 4 and the embodiment of FIG. 3 is that the thermoelectric conversion device 10c further includes a housing 160. Specifically, the outer casing 160 of the thermoelectric conversion device 10c encloses the thermoelectric conversion device 10b of FIG. 3, and the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 140 are along the length direction of the P-type thermoelectric material 110 and the N-type thermoelectric material 120, respectively. It protrudes beyond the outer casing 160.

The arrangement of the outer casing 160 provides further structural protection to the thermoelectric conversion device 10c. Moreover, by placing the positive and negative terminal contacts 161 for inputting current at one location of the housing 160, subsequent use will be facilitated. The material of the outer casing 160 is, for example, an insulating material; for example, it may be an electrically insulating material, a thermal insulating material, or an insulating heat insulating material. Further, the outer casing 160 is appropriately designed as needed so that a fluid passage (not shown) can be easily mounted to the thermoelectric conversion device 10c. Alternatively, the plurality of thermoelectric conversion devices 10c can be stacked by appropriately designing the outer casing 160. In addition, in the present embodiment, the insulating heat insulating material 150 and the outer casing 160 are different members respectively provided, but the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the outer casing of the insulating heat insulating material can be used to directly fill and cover the P-type thermoelectric material 110. And an N-type thermoelectric material 120.

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermoelectric converter 20a according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The thermoelectric converter 20a includes at least a thermoelectric conversion device 10c, a first fluid passage 210, and a second fluid passage 220. As shown in FIG. 5, the first fluid channel 210 is disposed on the side of the first electrode 130, wherein the first electrode 130 is disposed inside the first fluid channel 210 such that when the fluid A flows through the first fluid channel 210, The first electrode 130 therein performs heat exchange. Moreover, the second fluid passage 220 is disposed on the second electrode 140 side, wherein the second electrode 140 is disposed inside the second fluid passage 220 such that when the fluid B flows through the second fluid passage 220, it can be combined with the second The electrode 140 performs heat exchange. In addition, in the present embodiment, the flow direction of the fluid flowing through the first fluid passage 210 and the second fluid passage 220 is set to be parallel to the arrangement direction (T direction) of the first electrode 130 or the second electrode 140, but The disclosure is not limited to this.

FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermoelectric converter according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The thermoelectric converter 20b of the embodiment of Fig. 6 is similar to the thermoelectric converter 20a of Fig. 5 described above, and therefore the same or similar elements are denoted by the same or similar symbols, and the description thereof will not be repeated. The main difference between the embodiment of FIG. 6 and the embodiment of FIG. 5 is that the fluid flow directions of the first fluid passage 230 and the second fluid passage 240 are different from the fluid flow direction of the thermoelectric converter 20a of FIG. Specifically, the flow direction of the fluid A flowing through the first fluid passage 230 and the fluid B flowing through the second fluid passage 240 in the present embodiment is set to be aligned with the first electrode 130 or the second electrode 140 ( T direction) Vertical direction (W direction). With such a design of the present embodiment, a plurality of thermoelectric converters 20b can be stacked as needed, and by allowing fluid to flow through the more first electrodes 130 and the second electrodes 140, better heat pump efficiency can be obtained.

In the above-described embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, the thermoelectric conversion device 10c therein, as with the electrical connection of FIG. 1, will enable the fluid flowing through the second electrode 140 to be cooled and flow through the first electrode 130. The fluid is heated. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and an electrical connection opposite to that of FIG. 1 may be employed such that the fluid flowing through the second electrode 140 is heated and the fluid flowing through the first electrode 130 is cooled. Further, in the above-described embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, the fluid passages are provided in the thermoelectric conversion device 10c to constitute the thermoelectric converters 20a and 20b, respectively, but the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the fluid passage may be provided to The thermoelectric conversion device 10a of Fig. 1 or the thermoelectric conversion device 10b of Fig. 3 constitutes a thermoelectric converter.

In addition, in the above description of the thermoelectric conversion device or the thermoelectric converter, power is supplied to the thermoelectric conversion device or the thermoelectric converter by the power system to achieve the function of the heat pump by the Peltier effect, but the disclosure The present invention is not limited thereto, and two fluids having a temperature difference from each other may be separately provided to the first electrode 130 side and the second electrode 140 side, and a current (ie, Seebeck effect) is generated by a temperature difference between the fluids, so that the thermoelectric conversion device is provided. Or the thermoelectric converter has a power generation function. <Test of heat pump function>

First, five pairs of long P-type thermoelectric materials and N-type thermoelectric materials are prepared, wherein the size of the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material is 40 mm (L) × 5 mm (W) × 2 mm (T). Nickel gold layers are individually formed on both ends of the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material for subsequent connection to the electrodes. Next, using a copper foil having a thickness of 200 μm as an electrode, a P-type thermoelectric material and an N-type thermoelectric material were sequentially connected in series by soldering, and then the electrodes were bent to constitute a test apparatus having the structure shown in FIG. Next, a thermocouple is placed at the electrode position, and power is supplied to the test device to measure the temperature rise and fall characteristics of the electrodes on both sides of the test device.

Next, the test device was set in an air environment for testing. The ambient temperature of the test was 23 ° C, and the input power was about 10 W (1.6 A / 7 V). Refer to Figure 7 for the measurement results. In Figure 7, the measurement results of the temperature curve from high to low are CH001 (thermoelectric material and electrode junction exotherm temperature), CH005 (heating electrode temperature), CH003 (ambient temperature), CH006 (refrigerating electrode temperature) and CH004 (thermoelectric material and electrode junction heat absorption temperature), wherein the temperature difference between the electrode sheet at the cooling end and the electrode sheet at the heating end reaches a maximum of 52 °C.

Next, the test device is placed in a styrofoam as an insulating heat insulating material formed with a fluid passage through which the fluid can flow through the both side electrodes of the test device, respectively. Next, the test device was supplied with water and energized, and the obtained measurement results are shown in FIG. In Fig. 8, the sequence 1 and the sequence 2 indicate the water temperature measured at the heating end, and the series 3 and the column 4 indicate the water temperature measured at the cooling end. As can be seen from Fig. 8, the water temperature before the test was about 28 ° C, the temperature of the water at the heating end was increased to 36 ° C after the application of electric power to the test device, and the water temperature at the cold end was lowered to 27 ° C. Therefore, as is apparent from the results of FIGS. 7 and 8 described above, the thermoelectric conversion device of the present invention does have the heat pump function of the thermoelectric element regardless of whether it is in the air or in a water-passing state. <Test of the influence of joint area>

A long P-type thermoelectric material and an N-type thermoelectric material are provided, wherein the size of the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material is 40 mm (L) × 5 mm (W) × 2 mm (T). Next, the two side faces of the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material, which are composed of 40 mm (L) × 5 mm (W), were welded using a copper foil as an electrode to constitute a structure of N-P-N. The areas where the electrodes are bonded to the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material are set as follows: 5 mm (W) × 3 mm (L), 5 mm (W) × 6 mm (L), and 5 mm (W) × 10 mm (L).

Next, the above three different types of thermoelectric conversion devices are tested by passing direct current of different powers, and the temperature difference of the bonding electrodes is measured, and the result is shown in FIG. It can be seen from FIG. 9 that under the same thermoelectric material condition, by increasing the bonding area of the electrode and the thermoelectric material, the temperature difference between the electrode at the cold end and the electrode at the heating end can be increased, thereby improving the efficiency of the thermoelectric heat pump.

In summary, the first electrode and the second electrode in the thermoelectric conversion device or the thermoelectric converter of the present disclosure are bonded to both sides of the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material, and thus can have a larger bonding area, thereby enabling It also enhances the effects of thermoelectric conversion and heat transfer. On the other hand, even if the thermoelectric material is miniaturized or thinned, the above-described configuration of the present invention can ensure a sufficient bonding area, and an excellent thermoelectric conversion and heat energy transfer effect can be obtained.

In addition, the first electrode and the second electrode in the thermoelectric conversion device or the thermoelectric converter of the present disclosure protrude beyond the end of the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material (insulating insulating material or outer casing), and the disclosed thermoelectricity The conversion device or the thermoelectric converter can directly flow the fluid through the first electrode and the second electrode for heat exchange, and the thermoelectric conversion effect generated by the junction of the thermoelectric material and the metal electrode can be applied without heat conduction through the insulating substrate. Therefore, the thermal resistance of the insulating substrate itself can be reduced without being practically applicable. In addition, heat exchange on the outside of the insulating substrate is not required, and the thermoelectric conversion efficiency of the thermoelectric module can be reduced again, thereby improving the efficiency of heat exchange.

Moreover, in the thermoelectric conversion device or the thermoelectric converter of the present disclosure, the first electrode and the second electrode are respectively two U-shaped sheet electrodes, and the first of the disclosure is compared with the conventional architecture. The electrode and the second electrode are capable of obtaining about twice or more of the heat exchange area, and thus the heat exchange efficiency of the first electrode and the second electrode with the fluid can be further increased.

In view of the advantages disclosed above, the thermoelectric conversion device or the thermoelectric converter of the present invention can have excellent thermoelectric conversion and thermal energy transfer effects even when the thermoelectric material is miniaturized or thinned. It is capable of providing miniaturization (or thinning) and high-performance thermoelectric conversion devices or thermoelectric converters.

The present disclosure has been disclosed in the above embodiments, but it is not intended to limit the invention, and any one of ordinary skill in the art can make some changes and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. The scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

10a, 10b, 10c‧‧‧ thermoelectric conversion device
20a, 20b‧‧‧ thermoelectric converter
110‧‧‧P type thermoelectric materials
110-E1, 120-E1‧‧‧ first end
111, 112, 121, 122‧‧‧ side
120‧‧‧N type thermoelectric materials
110-E2, 120-E2‧‧‧ second end
130‧‧‧First electrode
131, 132, 141, 142‧‧‧ sheet electrodes
140‧‧‧second electrode
150‧‧‧Insulation insulation material
160‧‧‧Shell
161‧‧‧terminal contacts
190‧‧‧Wire
210, 230‧‧‧ first fluid passage
220, 240‧‧‧Second fluid passage
A, B‧‧‧ fluid
L, T, W‧‧‧ directions

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermoelectric conversion device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 2 is a top view of the thermoelectric conversion device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermoelectric conversion device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermoelectric conversion device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermoelectric converter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermoelectric converter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7 is a graph showing the temperature versus time obtained by testing a thermoelectric conversion device in an air environment. Figure 8 is a graph showing the temperature versus time obtained by testing a thermoelectric conversion device in a water-passing environment. Figure 9 is a graph showing the temperature difference versus input power obtained by testing the combined areas of different electrodes and thermoelectric materials.

10a‧‧‧Thermal conversion device

110‧‧‧P type thermoelectric materials

110-E1, 120-E1‧‧‧ first end

120‧‧‧N type thermoelectric materials

110-E2, 120-E2‧‧‧ second end

130‧‧‧First electrode

131, 132, 141, 142‧‧‧ sheet electrodes

140‧‧‧second electrode

190‧‧‧Wire

Claims (9)

A thermoelectric conversion device comprising: at least two or more elongated P-type thermoelectric materials having a first end and a second end at opposite ends of the P-type thermoelectric material; at least two or more lengths The N-type thermoelectric material has a first end portion and a second end portion at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the N-type thermoelectric material, wherein the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material are parallel to the longitudinal direction. Provided in a staggered manner, wherein the first end of the P-type thermoelectric material is on the same side as the first end of the N-type thermoelectric material, and the second end of the P-type thermoelectric material is adjacent to the N-type thermoelectric material. The second end portion is located on the same side; the first electrode electrically connects at least two sides of the first end portion of the P-type thermoelectric material and at least two sides of the first end portion of the next N-type thermoelectric material, wherein the first portion The electrode protrudes from the first end of the P-type thermoelectric material and the first end of the N-type thermoelectric material along the longitudinal direction; and the second electrode electrically connects the N-type thermoelectric material At least two sides of the two ends and at least two sides of the second end of the P-type thermoelectric material, wherein the second electrode protrudes from the second end of the P-type thermoelectric material along the length direction and the foregoing The second electrode of the N-type thermoelectric material, wherein the first electrode or the second electrode is a two-piece chip electrode, and one of the chip electrodes is electrically connected to the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric The opposite side faces of the material, and the other sheet electrode is electrically connected to the side opposite to the opposite side faces of the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material, and the two sheets of the sheet electrodes are not in contact with each other. . The thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material are opposite to an area of one side surface of the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material. The joint area of one side surface is 25% or less, and the joint area of the second electrode and one side surface of the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material is 25% or less. The thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising an insulating heat insulating material, wherein the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material are disposed in the insulating insulating material, and the first electrode and the second The electrode protrudes beyond the aforementioned insulating heat insulating material. The thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 3, wherein the material of the insulating insulating material comprises ceramic, plastic, acrylic, wood, styrofoam or a mixture thereof. The thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 3, further comprising an outer casing covering the insulating and insulating material, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode protrude beyond the outer casing. The thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the P-type thermoelectric material or the N-type thermoelectric material comprises a lanthanide, a lead lanthanum, a magnesium lanthanum, a skutterite or a zinc lanthanum thermoelectric. material. The thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the material of the first electrode or the second electrode comprises copper, nickel, iron, silver, titanium, aluminum, molybdenum or an alloy thereof. The thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the P-type thermoelectric material and the N-type thermoelectric material are disposed in an insulating heat insulating material, and the first electrode and the second electrode are respectively along the P-type The thermoelectric material and the length direction of the aforementioned N-type thermoelectric material protrude beyond the aforementioned insulating heat insulating material. A thermoelectric converter comprising: the thermoelectric converter according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first fluid passage is disposed on the first electrode side, wherein the first electrode is located in the foregoing a fluid passageway for direct flow of the fluid through the first electrode; and a second fluid passageway disposed on the second electrode side, wherein the second electrode is located in the second fluid passageway to allow fluid to flow directly through the foregoing Second electrode.