TWI757688B - Thermoelectric module - Google Patents

Abstract

A thermoelectric module according to an exemplary embodiment includes a first metal substrate including a first through-hole, a first insulating layer disposed on the first metal substrate, a first electrode part disposed on the first insulating layer and including a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs disposed on the first electrode part, a second electrode part disposed on the plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs and including a plurality of second electrodes, a second insulating layer disposed on the second electrode part, and a second metal substrate disposed on the second insulating layer and including a second through-hole, wherein the first metal substrate includes an effective region in which the first electrode part is disposed and a peripheral region formed outside the effective region, the second metal substrate includes an effective region in which the second electrode part is disposed and a peripheral region formed outside the effective region, the first through-hole occupies a portion of the effective region of the first metal substrate, the second through-hole occupies a portion of the effective region of the second metal substrate, and the first through-hole and the second through-hole are formed at positions corresponding to each other.

Description

Thermoelectric Module

This application claims Korean Patent Application No. 2019-0016245, filed on February 12, 2019, Korean Patent Application No. 2020-0007448, filed on January 20, 2020, and filed on February 7, 2020 Priority and right to Korean Patent Application No. 2020-0015059, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The present invention relates to a thermoelectric module, and more particularly, to a coupling structure of the thermoelectric module.

The thermoelectric effect is a phenomenon that occurs due to the movement of electrons and holes in a material, and refers to the direct energy conversion between heat and electricity.

The thermoelectric element is generally referred to as an element using the thermoelectric effect, and the thermoelectric element has a structure in which a P-type thermoelectric material and an N-type thermoelectric material are joined between metal electrodes to form a PN junction pair.

Thermoelectric elements can be classified into elements that use resistance changes according to temperature changes; elements that use the Seebeck effect, which is a phenomenon in which an electromotive force is generated due to temperature differences; elements that use the Peltier effect, Pa The Teltier effect is the phenomenon of heat absorption or heat emission due to electric current; and the like.

Thermoelectric elements have been variously applied to household appliances, electronic components, communication components, and the like. For example, thermoelectric elements can be applied to cooling equipment, heating equipment, power generating equipment, and the like. Therefore, the demand for thermoelectric performance of thermoelectric elements is gradually increasing.

The thermoelectric element includes a substrate, electrodes and thermoelectric legs. A plurality of thermoelectric legs are arranged in an array between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. The plurality of upper electrodes are disposed between the plurality of thermoelectric legs and the upper substrate. A plurality of lower electrodes are arranged on a plurality of thermoelectric legs and the lower base between the boards.

One of the upper substrate and the lower substrate of the thermoelectric element becomes a high temperature portion, and the other of them becomes a low temperature portion. In this case, when a temperature difference is generated between the substrate of the high temperature portion and the substrate of the low temperature portion, thermal deformation may occur in the substrate of the high temperature portion, and thus a phenomenon in which stress is concentrated at the bonding interface of the substrates may occur. As a result, delamination and cracking may occur at the joint interface, which may degrade the quality of the product.

Specifically, the edge of the substrate at the high temperature portion is the portion where the thermal deformation amount is greater than that of the central portion of the substrate. When the edge of the substrate of the high temperature portion is coupled with the edge of the substrate of the low temperature portion, stress concentration at the bonding interface may increase due to thermal deformation.

The present invention relates to providing a coupling structure for a thermoelectric module.

One aspect of the present invention provides a thermoelectric module, which includes: a first metal substrate including a first through hole; a first insulating layer disposed on the first metal substrate; and a first electrode portion disposed on the first through hole an insulating layer including a plurality of first electrodes; a plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs, which are arranged on the first electrode part; the second electrode part is arranged on a plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs The legs and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs include a plurality of second electrodes; a second insulating layer disposed on the second electrode portion; and a second metal substrate disposed on the second insulating layer and including a first Two through holes, wherein the first metal substrate includes an active area where the first electrode portion is arranged and a peripheral area formed outside the active area, and the second metal substrate includes an active area where the second electrode portion is arranged and a peripheral area formed in the active area In the outer peripheral area, the first through holes are arranged in the active area of the first metal substrate, the second through holes are arranged in the active area of the second metal substrate, and the first through holes and the second through holes are formed in the corresponding areas of each other. location.

The thermoelectric module may further include a coupling member passing through the first through hole and the second through hole and fixing the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate.

The second metal substrates may be provided as a plurality of second metal substrates spaced apart from each other, and each of the second metal substrates may include at least one second through hole.

The insulating member may be disposed between a plurality of second metal substrates spaced apart from each other.

The thickness of the insulating member may be smaller than the thickness of the plurality of second metal substrates.

The length direction of some of the plurality of first electrodes disposed on the first metal substrate may be different from the length direction of the remaining first electrodes, and the length direction of some of the plurality of second electrodes disposed on the second metal substrate may be different from the length direction of the remaining second electrodes, wherein each length direction is the length and width direction of each electrode.

Except for the first electrode of the edge region in the first electrode portion, at least two of the plurality of first electrodes may be arranged such that their length direction points in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the remaining first electrodes The electrodes may be positioned such that their lengths are oriented in the first direction. Except for the second electrode of the edge region in the second electrode portion, at least two of the plurality of second electrodes may be arranged such that their length direction is oriented in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the remaining second electrodes The electrodes may be positioned such that their lengths are oriented in the first direction.

Except for the first electrode in the edge region, among the plurality of first electrodes, the number of the first electrodes disposed so that the length direction is oriented in the second direction may be a multiple of two, and except for the first electrode in the edge region In addition to the two electrodes, among the plurality of second electrodes, the number of the second electrodes arranged such that the lengthwise direction is oriented in the second direction may be a multiple of two.

Among the plurality of second electrodes, at least some of the second electrodes disposed in the edge region in two rows or two columns opposite to each other may be disposed such that their lengths are oriented in the second direction.

The first metal substrate may include a first hole arrangement region, which is a space formed by a dummy line connecting surfaces of the first electrodes disposed closest to the first through holes and adjacent to each other, and the second metal substrate may include a second A hole arrangement area, which is a space formed by an imaginary line connecting the surfaces of the second electrodes that are closest to the second through hole and disposed adjacent to each other, at least one first electrode adjacent to the first hole arrangement area can be disposed Such that its length direction is oriented in the second direction, and at least one second electrode adjacent to the second hole arrangement region may be positioned such that its length direction is oriented in the second direction.

The first metal substrate may include a first hole arrangement region, which is a space formed by a dummy line connecting surfaces of the first electrodes disposed closest to the first through holes and adjacent to each other, and the second metal substrate may include a second A hole arrangement area, which is a space formed by a dummy line connecting the surfaces of the second electrodes that are closest to the second through holes and that are disposed adjacent to each other, to the first electrodes of the plurality of At least two of the plurality of second electrodes may be positioned such that at least a portion thereof overlaps a virtual space formed by an extension line extending from a virtual line defining the first hole configuration area, and at least two of the plurality of second electrodes may be positioned such that at least A portion overlaps with the virtual space formed by the extension line extending from the virtual line defining the second hole arrangement area.

The first through holes may be provided as a plurality of first through holes, the first hole arrangement area may be formed around each of the plurality of first through holes, the second through holes may be provided as a plurality of second through holes, the second through holes The hole arrangement region may be formed around each of the plurality of second through holes.

A plurality of first through holes and a plurality of second through holes may be formed at positions corresponding to each other.

The thermoelectric module may further include third through holes formed in the peripheral region of the first metal substrate.

The ratio of the area of the second metal substrate to the area of the first metal substrate may range from 0.5 to 0.95.

The thermoelectric module may further include an insulating insert member positioned adjacent to the coupling member.

The diameter of the first through hole may be different from the diameter of the second through hole.

The diameter of the second through hole may be 1.1 to 2.0 times the diameter of the first through hole.

A portion of the insulating insert may be seated in the second through hole.

The thermoelectric module may further include a third insulating layer disposed between the first metal substrate and the first insulating layer.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a power generation device including a thermoelectric module and a cooling unit disposed on a surface of the thermoelectric module, wherein the thermoelectric module includes: a first metal substrate including a first through hole; a first an insulating layer, which is arranged on the first metal substrate; a first electrode part, which is arranged on the first insulating layer and includes a plurality of first electrodes; a plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs, which are is arranged on the first electrode part; the second electrode part is arranged on a plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs and includes a plurality of second electrodes; a second insulating layer is arranged on the second on the electrode portion; and a second metal substrate disposed on the second insulating layer and including a second through hole, wherein the first metal substrate includes an active area on which the first electrode portion is disposed and a peripheral area formed outside the active area, the second metal substrate includes an active area where the second electrode portion is disposed and a peripheral area formed outside the active area, and the first through hole is disposed in the active area of the first metal substrate , the second through hole is disposed in the effective area of the second metal substrate, and the first through hole and the second through hole are formed at positions corresponding to each other, wherein the thermoelectric module further includes passing through the first through hole and the second through hole The hole is used to fix the coupling member of the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate, wherein the cooling unit is coupled with the first metal substrate, and a part of the coupling member is arranged in the cooling unit.

The temperature of the region associated with the first metal substrate may be lower than the temperature of the region associated with the second metal substrate.

20: Thermoelectric modules

20h: hole

110: The first metal substrate

111: first through hole

112: The first hole configuration area

113: Third through hole

120: The first resin layer

130: First electrode

130-1: First Electrode

130-2: First Electrode

130-2n: first electrode

130-3: First Electrode

130-4: First Electrode

130a: first electrode

130b: first electrode

130c: first electrode

130d: first electrode

130e: first electrode

130f: first electrode

130g: first electrode

130h: first electrode

130i: first electrode

130j: first electrode

130k: first electrode

130l: first electrode

130m: first electrode

130n: first electrode

130o: first electrode

130p: first electrode

130q: first electrode

130r: first electrode

130s: first electrode

130t: first electrode

130u: first electrode

130v: the first electrode

140: P-type thermoelectric feet

150:N type thermoelectric feet

160: Second electrode

160a: Second electrode

160b: second electrode

160c: Second electrode

160d: second electrode

160e: Second Electrode

160g: second electrode

160f: second electrode

160h: second electrode

160i: second electrode

160j: Second electrode

160k: second electrode

160l: second electrode

160m: second electrode

160n: second electrode

160o: second electrode

160p: second electrode

160q: second electrode

160r: Second electrode

160s: second electrode

160t: second electrode

160u: second electrode

160v: second electrode

160w: second electrode

160x: second electrode

160y: second electrode

160z: second electrode

170: Second resin layer

180: Second metal substrate

181: second through hole

182: Second hole configuration area

190: Coupling parts

191: Part 1

192: Second Part

200: Thermal Insulation

201: Virtual Line

202: Virtual Line

203: Virtual Line

204: Virtual Line

211: Virtual Line

212: Virtual Line

213: Virtual Line

214: Virtual Line

220: heat sink

221: Flat substrate

230: Connecting parts

241: Groove

400: Coupling parts

410: Insulating Inserts

500: Terminal electrode

A1: Effective area

A2: Surrounding area

B1: Effective area

B2: Surrounding area

C: cooling unit

d1: diameter

d2: diameter

d2': diameter

H: cooling pad

H1: virtual space

H2: virtual space

H3: virtual space

H4: virtual space

S: through hole

W1: long width

W2: Short width

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

1 is a side view of a thermoelectric module according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric module according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

3 is an exploded perspective view of a thermoelectric module according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a side view illustrating a state in which the thermoelectric module according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is installed in a cooling unit;

5 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric module according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a side view illustrating a state in which a thermoelectric module according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is installed in a cooling unit;

7 is a view illustrating a first example of a method of disposing the first electrode and the second electrode on the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate;

8 is a view illustrating a state in which the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes shown in FIG. 7 overlap each other; FIGS. 9 to 12 are views illustrating the first and second electrodes according to various exemplary embodiments. a view of the method of disposing on the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate; and 13 is a set of views illustrating a coupling structure of a thermoelectric element according to an exemplary embodiment.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

However, the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited to some exemplary embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various forms. One or more of the components may be selectively combined and substituted for use among the exemplary embodiments without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention.

Also, unless otherwise defined, terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein are to be interpreted to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The general terms of those terms as defined in the dictionary may be interpreted in consideration of the contextual meaning of the related art.

Furthermore, the terminology used herein is intended to describe exemplary embodiments, but not to limit the invention.

In this specification, unless specified otherwise, terms in the singular may include the plural. When "at least one (or one or more) of A, B and C" is expressed, it can include one or more of all possible combinations of A, B and C.

Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," "A," "B," "(a)," and "(b)" may be used herein to describe components of exemplary embodiments of this invention.

Each of these terms is not used to define the nature, order, or sequence of the corresponding element, but is only used to distinguish the corresponding element from other elements.

Where an element is described as being "connected," "coupled," or "joined" to another element, the description includes the condition that one element is directly "connected," "coupled," or "joined" to the other element, and Both the conditions in which one component is "connected," "coupled," and "bonded" to another component and the further component is disposed between one component and another component.

Where any one element is described as being formed or disposed "on (or below)" another element, the description includes both the condition in which the two elements are formed in direct contact with each other and the fact that the two elements are each other This indirect contact enables one or more other components to intervene in both conditions between the two components. Furthermore, where one component is described as being formed "on (or below)" another component, the description may include the situation where one component is formed at an upper side or a lower side relative to the other component.

1 is a side view of a thermoelectric module according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric module according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a An exploded perspective view of the thermoelectric module of the first exemplary embodiment. 4 is a side view illustrating a state in which the thermoelectric module according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a cooling unit.

1 to 4, the thermoelectric module includes a first metal substrate 110, a first resin layer 120, a plurality of first electrodes 130, a plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs 140, a plurality of N-type legs 150, a plurality of The second electrode 160 , the second resin layer 170 , a second metal substrate 180 , the coupling member 190 and the thermal insulating material 200 . The first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 may include at least one through hole through which the coupling member 190 passes.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a thermoelectric module includes a first metal substrate 110 and a plurality of second metal substrates 180, and includes a plurality of metal substrates 180 disposed between the first metal substrate 110 and the plurality of metal substrates 180. The first resin layer 120 , a plurality of first electrodes 130 , a plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs 140 , a plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs 150 , a plurality of second electrodes 160 and a second resin layer 170 . The first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 may have at least one through hole through which the coupling member 190 passes.

The first metal substrate 110 is formed to have a plate shape. In addition, the first metal substrate 110 may be fixed to the cooling unit C or the heating unit (not shown). An example in which the first metal substrate 110 is fixed to the cooling unit C will be described according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the hole 20h is formed at a position corresponding to the first through hole 111 formed in the first metal substrate 110, the hole is formed in the cooling unit C, and the coupling member 190 to be described later can pass through The first through hole 111 is inserted into the hole 20h. As in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 9 to 11 , the third through holes 113 may be further formed even in the peripheral region of the first metal substrate 110 , that is, the plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs 140 and the plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs 140 are not disposed A zone of 150 N-type thermoelectric legs. In this case, the coupling member 190 can be inserted into the third through hole 113 and the cooling unit C is formed corresponding to the third through hole 113 in the hole 20h at the position. The heat dissipation pad H may be further disposed between the first metal substrate 110 and the cooling unit C.

The first metal substrate 110 may include at least one selected from aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper, and copper alloy. In this case, when a voltage is applied to the thermoelectric module, according to the Peltier effect, the first metal substrate 110 may absorb heat to serve as a low temperature portion, and the second metal substrate 180 may emit heat to serve as a high temperature portion. Meanwhile, when different temperatures are applied to the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180, electrons move from the high temperature region to the low temperature region due to the temperature difference to generate thermoelectromotive force. This is called the Seebeck effect, and electricity is generated in the circuit of the thermoelectric element by the thermoelectromotive force generated by the Seebeck effect.

The first metal substrate 110 includes at least one first through hole 111 . The first through holes 111 are formed at positions corresponding to the second through holes 181 formed in the second metal substrate 180 to be described later. The first through holes 111 may be formed to be spaced apart from the peripheral portion of the first metal substrate 110 by a certain distance. In this case, when the coupling member 190 passes through the first through hole 111 and the second through hole 181 , the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 can be fixed by the coupling member 190 . Here, the diameter of the first through hole 111 formed in the first surface of the first metal substrate 110 in contact with the plurality of first electrodes 130 may be the same as the diameter of the first through hole 111 formed in the second metal substrate 180 in contact with the plurality of second electrodes 160 The diameters of the second through holes 181 in the first surface are the same. However, the diameter of the first through holes 111 formed in the first surface of the first metal substrate 110 that is in contact with the plurality of first electrodes 130 may vary depending on the configuration, position, and the like of the insulating interposer to be described later. It is different from the diameter of the second through holes 181 formed in the first surface of the second metal substrate 180 in contact with the plurality of second electrodes 160 .

The first resin layer 120 is coated on the first metal substrate 110, and a plurality of first electrodes 130 are disposed on the first resin layer.

Here, the first metal substrate 110 may be in direct contact with the first resin layer 120 . To this end, the surface roughness may be formed on all or part of the surface of the first metal substrate 110 on which the first resin layer 120 is disposed, that is, the surface of the first metal substrate 110 facing the first resin layer 120 all or part of the surface. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the problem of delamination of the first resin layer 120 when the first metal substrate 110 is thermocompression-bonded with the first resin layer 120 . In this manual, the table Surface roughness can mean non-uniformity and can be used interchangeably with surface roughness.

The first resin layer 120 and the second resin layer 170 may be made of a resin composition including resin and inorganic filler, and the resin may be epoxy resin or polysiloxane. Here, the inorganic filler may be included in an amount ranging from 68 vol % to 88 vol % of the resin composition. When the inorganic filler is included in an amount of less than 68 vol%, the thermal conduction effect may be low. When the inorganic filler is included in an amount exceeding 88 vol%, the adhesive force between the resin layer and the metal substrate may be lowered, and the resin layer may be easily broken.

The epoxy resin may include an epoxy compound and a curing agent. In this case, the curing agent may be included in an amount of 1 to 10 parts by volume relative to 10 parts by volume of the epoxy compound. Here, the epoxy compound may include at least one selected from a crystalline epoxy compound, an amorphous epoxy compound, and a polysiloxane epoxy compound. The crystalline epoxy compound may include a mesogenic structure. The mesogen is the basic unit of liquid crystal and includes a rigid structure. The amorphous epoxy compound may be a conventional amorphous epoxy compound having two or more than two epoxy groups in the molecule, such as a glycidyl ether compound derived from bisphenol A or bisphenol F. Here, the curing agent may include a curing agent selected from the group consisting of amine-based curing agent, phenol-based curing agent, acid anhydride-based curing agent, polythiol-based curing agent, polyamidoamine-based curing agent, isocyanate-based curing agent and blocked isocyanate-based curing agent At least one of the curing agents, and a mixture of two or more curing agents may be used.

The inorganic filler may include alumina and nitride, and the nitride may be included in the inorganic filler in an amount ranging from 55 wt % to 95 wt %, and more preferably in an amount ranging from 60 wt % to 80 wt %. When the nitride is included in the numerical range, it is possible to increase thermal conductivity and bonding strength. Here, the nitride may include at least one selected from boron nitride and aluminum nitride. Here, the boron nitride may be a boron nitride agglomerate in which plate-shaped boron nitride is agglomerated together.

In this case, the particle size (D50) of the boron nitride agglomerates may range from 250 μm to 350 μm, and the particle size (D50) of the alumina may range from 10 μm to 30 μm. When the particle size (D50) of the boron nitride agglomerate and the particle size (D50) of the alumina are within such numerical ranges, the boron nitride agglomerate and the alumina can be uniformly dispersed in the epoxy resin composition , thereby providing heat conduction effect and adhesion effect uniformly in the whole resin layer.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 may include a plurality of resin layers. For example, the third resin layer (not shown) may be further disposed between the first resin layer 120 and the plurality of first electrodes 130 . Alternatively, a fourth resin layer (not shown) may be further disposed between the plurality of second electrodes 160 and the second resin layer 170 . In this case, the first resin layer 120 and the third resin layer (not shown) may be different in at least one of composition, Young's modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, and thickness. The second resin layer 170 and the fourth resin layer (not shown) may differ in at least one of composition, Young's modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion, and thickness. For example, when one of the first resin layer 120 and the third resin layer (not shown) includes a resin composition, the other of them may include a resin composition, an aluminum oxide layer, or a layer including silicon and aluminum. The composite, at least one of the composition, Young's modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, and thickness of the other is different from the one of the first resin layer 120 and the third resin layer. Here, the composite may be at least one selected from oxides, carbides, and nitrides including silicon and aluminum. For example, the composite may include at least one of Al-Si bonds, Al-oxygen (O)-Si bonds, Si-O bonds, Al-Si-O bonds, and Al-O bonds. As described above, the composite including at least one of Al-Si bond, Al-O-Si bond, Si-O bond, Al-Si-O bond, and Al-O bond may have excellent insulating performance by This achieves high withstand voltage performance. Alternatively, the composite may be an oxide, carbide or nitride, which further includes titanium, zirconium, boron and zinc in addition to silicon and aluminum. To this end, the composite can be obtained through a process of mixing aluminum with at least one of an inorganic binder and an organic-inorganic hybrid binder and then heat-treating the resulting mixture. The inorganic binder may include, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide (SiO ₂ ), metal alkoxides, boron trioxide (B ₂ O ₃ ), and zinc oxide (ZnO ₂ ). Inorganic binders may include inorganic particles and may sol or gel upon contact with water to act as a binder. In this case, at least one selected from silicon dioxide (SiO ₂ ), metal alkoxides, and boron trioxide (B ₂ O ₃ ) can be used to increase adhesion to metals, and zinc oxide (ZnO ₂ ) It can be used to increase the strength of the resin layer and increase the thermal conductivity. In this specification, the term "voltage resistance performance" may mean the characteristic of maintaining a certain voltage and a certain current for a period of time without insulation breakdown. For example, the withstand voltage may be 2.5kV when the characteristics are maintained for 10 seconds without insulation breakdown at an alternating current (AC) voltage of 2.5kV and a current of 1 mA. Alternatively, when one of the second resin layer 170 and the fourth resin layer (not shown) includes a resin composition, the other of them may include a resin composition, an aluminum oxide layer, or a composite including silicon and aluminum material, at least one of the composition, Young's modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, and thickness of the other is different from the one of the second resin layer 170 and the fourth resin layer. Here, each resin layer may be used interchangeably with an insulating layer.

A plurality of first electrodes 130 are disposed on the first resin layer 120 . A plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs 140 and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs 150 are disposed on the first electrode 130 . In this case, the first electrode 130 is electrically connected to the P-type thermoelectric leg 140 and the N-type thermoelectric leg 150 . Here, the first electrode 130 may include at least one selected from copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), and nickel (Ni).

A plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs 140 and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs 150 are disposed on the first electrode 130 . In this case, the P-type thermoelectric legs 140 and the N-type thermoelectric legs 150 may be joined to the first electrode 130 by welding.

Here, the P-type thermoelectric legs 140 and the N-type thermoelectric legs 150 may be bismuth fluoride (Bi-Te)-based thermoelectric legs, which include bismuth (Bi) and tellurium (Te) as main raw materials. The P-type thermoelectric legs 140 may include 99 wt % to 99.999 wt % of a bismuth fluoride (Bi-Te)-based main raw material and 0.001 wt % to 1 wt % of a mixture including Bi or Te with respect to 100 wt % of the total weight The thermoelectric legs, the main raw materials include selected from antimony (Sb), nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), lead (Pb), boron (B), gallium (Ga) , at least one of tellurium (Te), bismuth (Bi) and indium (In). For example, the P-type thermoelectric leg 140 may include Bi-Se-Te as a main raw material, and may further include Bi or Te in an amount ranging from 0.001 wt % to 1 wt % with respect to the total weight. The N-type thermoelectric legs 150 may include 99 wt % to 99.999 wt % of a bismuth fluoride (Bi-Te)-based main raw material and 0.001 wt % to 1 wt % of a mixture including Bi or Te with respect to a total weight of 100 wt % The thermoelectric legs, the main raw materials include selected from selenium (Se), nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), lead (Pb), boron (B), gallium (Ga) , at least one of tellurium (Te), bismuth (Bi) and indium (In). For example, the N-type thermoelectric leg 150 may include Bi-Sb-Te as a main raw material, and may further include Bi or Te in an amount ranging from 0.001 wt % to 1 wt % with respect to the total weight.

The P-type thermoelectric legs 140 and the N-type thermoelectric legs 150 may be formed in a block type or a stacked type. In general, the bulk P-type thermoelectric legs 140 or the bulk N-type thermoelectric legs 150 can be obtained by the following process: heat-treating the thermoelectric material to form an ingot, pulverizing and sieving the ingot to obtain the thermoelectric leg powder, The thermoelectric leg powder is sintered and then the sintered body is cut. The stacked P-type thermoelectric legs 140 or the stacked N-type thermoelectric legs 150 can be obtained by the following process: A slurry of material is applied on a sheet substrate to form unit components and then the unit components are stacked and cut.

In this case, a pair of P-type thermoelectric legs 140 and N-type thermoelectric legs 150 may have the same shape and volume, or may have different shapes and volumes. For example, since the P-type thermoelectric leg 140 and the N-type thermoelectric leg 150 have different conductive properties, the height or cross-sectional area of the N-type thermoelectric leg 150 may be different from that of the P-type thermoelectric leg 140 . cross-sectional area.

The performance of a thermoelectric element according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be represented by a thermoelectric performance index. The thermoelectric performance index (ZT) can be represented by Equation 1.

[Equation 1] ZT=α ² . σ. T/k

In Equation 1, α refers to the Seebeck coefficient [V/K], σ refers to the conductivity [S/m], and α ² σ refers to the power factor [W/mK ² ]. T refers to temperature and k refers to thermal conductivity [W/mK]. k can be represented by a·cp·ρ. Here, a refers to thermal diffusivity [cm ² /S], cp refers to specific heat [J/gK], and ρ refers to density [g/cm ³ ].

In order to obtain the thermoelectric performance index of the thermoelectric element, a Z meter can be used to measure the Z value (V/K), and the measured Z value can be used to calculate the Seebeck index (ZT).

The P-type thermoelectric leg 140 or the N-type thermoelectric leg 150 may have a cylindrical shape, a polygonal cylinder shape, an elliptical cylinder shape, or the like. Alternatively, the P-type thermoelectric legs 140 or the N-type thermoelectric legs 150 may have a stacked structure. For example, P-type thermoelectric legs or N-type thermoelectric legs can be formed by stacking a plurality of structures coated with semiconductor material on a sheet substrate and cutting the substrate. As a result, it is possible to prevent material loss and improve conductive properties.

The plurality of second electrodes 160 are disposed on the plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs 140 and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs 150 . In this case, the plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs 140 and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs 150 can be joined to the second electrode 160 by welding. Here, the second electrode 160 may include at least one selected from copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), and nickel (Ni).

The second resin layer 170 is disposed on the plurality of second electrodes 160 . A plurality of second metal substrates 180 are disposed on the second resin layer 170 .

The second metal substrate 180 is disposed on the second resin layer 170 to face a first A metal substrate 110 . The second metal substrate 180 may be made of aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper or copper alloy.

The first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 may have the same area, and as described above, when the third through holes 113 are formed in the first metal substrate 110, the area of the first metal substrate 110 may be larger than that of the second metal substrate The area of the substrate 180 . In this case, the ratio of the area of the second metal substrate 180 to the area of the first metal substrate 110 may be in the range of 0.50 to 0.95, preferably in the range of 0.60 to 0.90, and more preferably in the range of 0.70 to 0.85 .

In another exemplary embodiment, when the second metal substrate 180 is applied in an application field requiring a relatively large area or when the influence of thermal deformation needs to be further minimized, the second metal substrate 180 may be provided relative to a The first metal substrate 110 is divided into a plurality of pieces. In this case, the ratio of the area of the second metal substrate 180 to the area of the first metal substrate 110 may range from 0.10 to 0.50, preferably, from 0.15 to 0.45, and more preferably, from 0.2 to 0.40 . For example, two second metal substrates 180 may be disposed on one first metal substrate 110 . Here, the second metal substrates 180 may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other. For example, the first metal substrates 110 may have an area of 100 mm×100 mm, the second metal substrates 180 may each have an area of 45 mm×100 mm, and the interval between the second metal substrates 180 spaced apart from each other may be about 10 mm.

As another example, four second metal substrates 180 may be disposed on one first metal substrate 110 . In this case, the second metal substrates 180 may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other. For example, the first metal substrates 110 may have an area of 100 mm×100 mm, the second metal substrates 180 may each have an area of 45 mm×45 mm, and the interval between the second metal substrates 180 spaced apart from each other may be about 10 mm.

As yet another example, the interval between the plurality of second metal substrates 180 may be less than 5 mm. For example, the first metal substrate 110 may have an area of 100 mm×100 mm, the second metal substrates 180 may each have an area of 49.5 mm×49.5 mm, and the interval between the plurality of second metal substrates may be about 10 mm. The connecting member 230 connecting the plurality of second metal substrates 180 may be formed to have a width of 2 mm.

In this case, the first metal substrate 110 may have a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 2 mm. In addition, the second metal substrate 180 may have greater than or equal to the first metal substrate 110 the thickness of the thickness. When the thickness of the second metal substrate 180 is greater than that of the first metal substrate 110 , the thickness of the second metal substrate 180 may be 1.1 to 2.0 times the thickness of the first metal substrate 110 . Here, since the second metal substrate 180 may be bent by the coupling part 190 , the second metal substrate 180 may be formed thicker than the first metal substrate 110 .

At least one through hole 181 is formed in the second metal substrate 180 . In this case, the second through holes 181 may be formed to occupy a portion of the active area B1 , which is an area within the peripheral area B2 of each of the second metal substrates 180 . Here, the active area can be defined as the area in which the plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs 140 and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs 150 that can substantially implement the Peltier effect or the Seebeck effect are disposed. Terminal electrodes may be disposed in the active area. The terminal electrodes may extend from the active area for connection to external terminals or wires, and may be electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs 140 and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs 150 or the plurality of first electrodes 130 and At least one of the plurality of second electrodes 160 . Each of the plurality of first electrodes 130 and each of the plurality of second electrodes 160 may vertically overlap each other in the active area. The second through holes 181 formed in the second metal substrate 180 may be formed at a distance from the peripheral portion of the second metal substrate 180, and when a plurality of second through holes 181 are formed, the second through holes 181 may be formed from each other It is spaced apart from the peripheral portion of the second metal substrate 180 by the same distance. The second through hole 181 may be formed to overlap with the first through hole 111 , and the coupling member 190 may pass through the first through hole 111 and the second through hole 181 corresponding to each other. As described above, the coupling member 190 can fix the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 so as to occupy a part of the active area A1 of the first metal substrate 110 and the active area B1 of the second metal substrate 180 , thereby reducing Thermal deformation and prevention of stress concentration at the joint portion.

Although not shown, when the portions of the peripheral areas A2 and B2 of the substrates (ie, the peripheral areas of the substrates) are coupled so as not to affect the active area A1 of the first metal substrate 110 and the active area of the second metal substrate 180 At B1, the fixing force between the substrates can be relatively high. However, in applications using the Seebeck effect of a thermoelectric module exposed to a high temperature environment of 100°C or higher, or in applications using the Peltier effect generating heat at 100°C or higher, The difference between the heat received by the low temperature part and the high temperature part can cause damage to the thermoelectric module. For example, in the case of a thermoelectric module using the Seebeck effect, the substrate of the high-temperature portion expands due to heat, and the substrate of the low-temperature portion is shrunk by the separate cooling member, so that thermal stress is concentrated in the edge region of the substrate. In this case, the generated thermal stress can be transmitted to the electrodes, the thermoelectric legs and the resin layer disposed between the substrates, and thus delamination and cracking may occur due to the weak interface. As a result, the thermoelectric efficiency may drop rapidly due to damage to the thermoelectric module. Although not shown, the sealing member may be further disposed between the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 . The sealing member may be disposed on the side surfaces of the first electrode 130 , the P-type thermoelectric legs 140 , the N-type thermoelectric legs 150 and the second electrodes 160 between the first metal substrate 110 and the plurality of second metal substrates 180 . Therefore, the first electrode 130, the P-type thermoelectric legs 140, the N-type thermoelectric legs 150, and the second electrode 160 can be sealed from external moisture, heat, and contamination. Here, the sealing member may include: a sealing shell disposed to be connected to the outermost parts of the plurality of first electrodes 130, the outermost parts of the plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs 140 and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs 150, and a plurality of The side surfaces of the outermost portion of the second electrode 160 are separated by a distance; a sealing material disposed between the sealing case and the first metal substrate 110 ; and a sealing material disposed between the sealing case and the second metal substrate 180 . As described above, the sealing case may be in contact with the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 through the sealing material. Therefore, when the sealing case is in direct contact with the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 , heat conduction can occur through the sealing case, thereby preventing the temperature difference between the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 from being reduced. Here, the sealing material may include at least one selected from epoxy resin and polysiloxane, or may include an adhesive tape whose both surfaces are coated with at least one selected from epoxy resin and polysiloxane . The sealing material can be used to seal the gap between the sealing shell and the first metal substrate 110 and the gap between the sealing shell and the second metal substrate 180, and can increase relative to the first electrode 130, the P-type thermoelectric legs 140, the N type thermoelectric leg 150 and the sealing effect of the second electrode 160, and can be used interchangeably with trim material, trim layer, waterproof material, waterproof layer, and the like. Here, the sealing material for sealing the gap between the sealing case and the first metal substrate 110 may be disposed on the upper surface of the first metal substrate 110, and the sealing material for sealing the gap between the sealing case and the second metal substrate 180 Materials may be disposed on the side surfaces of the second metal substrate 180 . To this end, the area of the first metal substrate 110 may be larger than the total area of the second metal substrate 180 . Meanwhile, the sealing case may have a guide groove through which the lead wires connected to the electrodes are led out. To this end, the sealing shell can be an injection-molded object made of plastic or the like, and can be used interchangeably with the sealing cap. However, the above description of the sealing member is merely exemplary, and the sealing member may be modified in various forms. Although not shown, it is possible to enter A thermal insulation material is provided in one step to surround the sealing member. Alternatively, the sealing member may include a thermally insulating assembly.

Referring to FIG. 7 , in the first metal substrate 110 , the first hole arrangement region 112 is formed adjacent to the first through hole 111 . The first hole arrangement region 112 may be adjacent to the first through hole 111, and may be defined as a space formed by dummy lines 201, 202, 203, and 204 connecting surfaces of adjacent electrodes. The first hole arrangement region 112 may be formed to have a polygonal shape, and preferably, may be formed to have a quadrangular shape. In this case, the plurality of first electrodes 130 may not be disposed in the first hole arrangement region 112 . In addition, the second hole arrangement region 182 is formed in the surface of the second metal substrate 180 facing the first metal substrate 110 so as to be adjacent to the second through holes 181 . The second hole arrangement region 182 may be adjacent to the second through hole 181, and may be defined as a space formed by dummy lines 211, 212, 213, and 214 connecting surfaces of adjacent electrodes. The second hole arrangement region 182 may be formed to have a polygonal shape, and preferably, may be formed to have a quadrangular shape. In this case, the plurality of second electrodes 160 may not be disposed in the second hole arrangement region 182 .

The coupling member 190 fixes the first metal substrate 110 and the at least one second metal substrate 180 . In this state, a portion of the coupling member 190 passes through the second through hole 181 and the first through hole 111 , and the end portion thereof is inserted into the hole 20h coupled to the cooling unit C. As shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the coupling part 190 may include a first part 191 and a second part 192 . The first component 191 passes through the second through hole 181 and the first through hole 111 , and one end portion thereof is embedded and fixed in the cooling unit C. As shown in FIG. In this case, threads may be formed on the outer circumference of the first part 191 . The first part 191 may have a diameter smaller than or equal to diameters of the second through hole 181 and the first through hole 111 .

The second part 192 may extend from the other end portion of the first part 191 to have a diameter larger than that of the second through hole 181 . The second member 192 prevents the second metal substrate 180 from being separated from the first metal substrate 110 .

When the plurality of second metal substrates 180 are provided, the thermal insulating material 200 may be disposed in the separation space between the plurality of second metal substrates 180 . Here, the thermal insulating material 200 may include at least one selected from epoxy resin, polysiloxane resin and ceramic wool, and the thermal insulating material 200 may be combined with the sealing member described above and the connecting member 230 to be described below. used interchangeably.

The heat sink 220 may be disposed on the second metal substrate 180 . For example, the heat sink 220 may be disposed on the surface opposite to the surface on which the second resin layer 170 is disposed among the two surfaces of the second metal substrate 180 . In this case, the second metal substrate 180 and the heat sink 220 can be integrally formed. Although not shown, a heat sink may be formed on the first metal substrate 110 . The heat sink 220 may have a structure in which a plurality of flat substrates 221 each having a plate shape are arranged in parallel, and air passages are formed in spaces between the flat substrates 221 . In this case, the interval between the flat substrates 221 may be less than 10 mm.

Hereinafter, a thermoelectric module 20 according to another exemplary embodiment of the thermoelectric module will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 .

5 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric module according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating a state in which the thermoelectric module according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is installed in a cooling unit .

Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 , the thermoelectric module 20 may further include a connecting member 230 for connecting the plurality of second metal substrates 180 .

The connecting member 230 may be an adhesive for bonding the plurality of second metal substrates 180 . In this case, in the thermoelectric module 20, the thermal insulation treatment of the separated spaces between the plurality of second metal substrates 180 can be omitted, but as described above, the thermal insulating material 200 can be disposed on the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 .

Although not shown, in the thermoelectric module, the connecting member 230 may be omitted, and the plurality of second metal substrates 180 are connected by extension members extending partially from each of the plurality of second metal substrates 180 .

In this case, the extension part may be formed to have a thickness smaller than that of the second metal substrate 180 . For example, the second metal substrate 180 may have a thickness ranging from 0.2 mm to 4 mm, and the extension member may have a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 2 mm. Here, the ratio of the thickness of the plurality of second metal substrates to the thickness of the extension member may range from 1 to 2.

Compared with one surface of the second metal substrate 180 , one surface of the connecting member 230 may be further recessed to form the groove 241 . In this case, the connection part 230 may be formed to have a cross shape. For example, when the first metal substrate 110 has a surface of 100mm×100mm When the second metal substrate 180 has an area of 45 mm×45 mm and a thickness ranging from 0.2 mm to 4 mm, the connecting member 230 may have a width of 10 mm and a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 2 mm, and the groove formed by the connecting member 230 The grooves may have a depth in the range of 0.1 mm to 2 mm. As described above, since the grooves are formed due to the difference in thickness between the connecting member 230 and the second metal substrate 180 , the thickness of the central portion of the second metal substrate 180 can be reduced, and the heat of the second metal substrate 180 can be reduced. Deformation can be reduced.

In this specification, the thermal insulating material 200 , the connecting part 230 and the extending part disposed between the plurality of second metal substrates 180 spaced apart from each other to connect the plurality of second metal substrates 180 may be collectively referred to as a connecting part, and the connecting part It may be an insulating member comprising insulating material.

Hereinafter, a method of configuring the plurality of first electrodes 130 and the plurality of second electrodes 160 according to various exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11 .

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a method of disposing the first electrode and the second electrode on the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a state in which the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes shown in FIG. 7 overlap each other. FIGS. 9-11 are views illustrating a method of disposing the first electrode and the second electrode on the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 according to various exemplary embodiments.

7 to 11, a plurality of first electrodes 130 are disposed on a surface of the first metal substrate 110 facing the second metal substrate 180, and a plurality of second electrodes 160 are disposed on a surface of the second metal substrate 180 facing the first on one surface of the metal substrate 110 . In this case, a plurality of first electrodes 130 may be disposed on the first metal substrate 110, except for the first hole arrangement region 112, and a plurality of second electrodes may be disposed on the second metal substrate 180, except for the second outside the hole arrangement area 182 . The position of the first hole arrangement area 112 corresponds to the position of the second hole arrangement area 182 .

Here, each of the plurality of first electrodes 130 and the plurality of second electrodes 160 is formed to have a rectangular shape, and its long width W1 and short width W2 are different from each other. In this case, the ratio of the long width W1 to the short width W2 of the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 160 may vary according to the shape of the legs to be provided. Preferably, the ratio of the long width W1 to the short width W2 of the first electrode 130 and the second electrode 160 may range from 2.05 to 4.50. In this specification, the direction of the length and width may be referred to as the length direction.

Although not shown, when the through holes 111 and 181 are not formed in the active areas of the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180, the plurality of first electrodes 130 may all be disposed such that their length directions are in the first direction Y up orientation. In this case, among the plurality of second electrodes 160, at least some electrodes disposed in the edge region of the active area in two rows or two columns opposite to each other may be disposed in the second direction X perpendicular to the first direction Y , and the remaining electrodes can be moved from the plurality of first electrodes 130 by a short width W2 of the electrodes so that they can at least partially overlap each other. Therefore, the plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs between the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 can all be connected in series.

When at least one through hole 111 or 181 is formed in the active area of the first metal substrate 110 or the second metal substrate 180 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, among the first electrode 130 and the plurality of second electrodes 160, The electrodes other than the electrodes in the edge regions may be positioned such that their lengths are mixed with orientation in a first direction Y and a second direction X perpendicular to the first direction Y.

In this case, among the plurality of first electrodes 130 or the plurality of second electrodes 160, except for the electrodes in the edge region, at least two electrodes may be disposed in the second direction X perpendicular to the first direction Y, And the remaining electrodes may be disposed in the first direction Y perpendicular to the second direction X.

At least one electrode adjacent to the first hole configuration region 112 or the second hole configuration region 182 may be positioned such that its length direction is oriented in the second direction X, and the other electrode adjacent to the at least one electrode may also be positioned such that it is The length direction is oriented in the second direction X. In this case, the at least two first electrodes 130 and the at least two second electrodes 160 may not overlap each other, or may at least partially overlap each other.

Specifically, at least two of the first electrodes 130a and 130b of the plurality of first electrodes 130 adjacent to the first hole arrangement region 112 may be disposed such that their length directions are oriented in the second direction X. The remaining first electrodes 130 may be disposed such that their lengths are oriented in the first direction Y.

In this case, at least two second electrodes 160a and 160b among the plurality of second electrodes 160 adjacent to the second hole arrangement region 182 may be disposed in the second direction X. As shown in FIG. also, The two opposing columns of the plurality of second electrodes 160c disposed at the edges of the active area may be disposed such that their lengths are oriented in the second direction X. FIG. The remaining second electrodes 160 may be disposed such that their lengths are oriented in the first direction Y. In this case, the first electrodes 130a and 130b disposed in the second direction X and the second electrodes 160a and 160b disposed in the second direction X may not overlap each other or may be disposed such that they at least partially overlap each other. Here, the configuration forms of the plurality of first electrodes 130 and the plurality of second electrodes 160 can be used interchangeably with each other.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, in addition to the first electrode 130 in the edge region, at least two of the plurality of first electrodes 130 may be disposed in the second direction X such that at least a portion thereof is aligned with the virtual The space H1 or H2 overlaps, and the virtual space is formed by the extension lines extending from the virtual lines 201 , 202 , 203 and 204 that define the first hole arrangement region 112 . Except for the second electrode 160 in the edge region, at least two of the plurality of second electrodes 160 may be disposed in the second direction X such that at least a part thereof overlaps with the virtual space H3 or H4, which is formed by freeing Extension lines extending from the dummy lines 211 , 212 , 213 and 214 defining the second hole arrangement region 182 are formed. Therefore, the plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs can be optimally placed in the limited space where each hole arrangement area is formed. Here, the number of electrodes disposed in the second direction X may be increased according to the number, position and shape of the first hole arrangement region 112 and the second hole arrangement region 182 . In this case, the number of electrodes disposed in the second direction X may be a multiple of two, and at least two of the electrodes disposed in the second direction X may be disposed such that at least a portion is thus connected to the space H1 or H4 overlapping.

In this specification, the electrode configuration forms of the plurality of first electrodes 130 and the plurality of second electrodes 160 can be interchangeably applied to each other, and the first direction Y and the second direction X are not limited thereto.

9, among the plurality of first electrodes 130, two first electrodes 130d and 130f adjacent to the first hole arrangement region 112 may be disposed such that their length directions are oriented in the second direction X, and are adjacent to two The two first electrodes 130c and 130e of the first electrodes 130d and 130f may also be arranged in the second direction X so that their length directions are the same. The remaining first electrodes 130 may be disposed such that their lengths are oriented in the first direction Y.

In this case, among the plurality of second electrodes 160, adjacent to the second hole The two second electrodes 160d and 160e of the placement region 182 may be placed such that their length directions are oriented in the second direction X, and the other two second electrodes 160f and 160g adjacent to the second hole placement region 182 may also be placed in the second direction X. They are placed in the two directions X, so that their length directions are the same. Furthermore, the second electrodes 160h disposed in the edge region in two rows opposite to each other may be disposed such that their lengths are oriented in the second direction. The remaining second electrodes 160 may be disposed such that their lengths are oriented in the first direction Y.

Referring to FIG. 10 , a plurality of first through holes 111 and a plurality of second through holes 181 may be formed in the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 . Therefore, a plurality of first hole arrangement regions 112 and a plurality of second hole arrangement regions 182 can also be formed. In this case, among the plurality of first electrodes 130, the two first electrodes 130g and 130h adjacent to the first hole arrangement region 112 may be disposed such that their length directions are oriented in the second direction X, and adjacent to the two The two first electrodes 130i and 130j of the first electrodes 130g and 130h can also be arranged in the second direction X so that their length directions are the same. In this case, a plurality of first hole configuration regions 112 may be formed, and a plurality of first electrodes 130 , which are a multiple of two, may be arranged to face the second direction X. As shown in FIG. More specifically, at least eight first electrodes 130g to 130n among the plurality of first electrodes 130 may be disposed to face the second direction X. Furthermore, the remaining first electrodes 130 may be disposed such that their lengthwise directions are oriented in the first direction Y. FIG.

In this case, among the plurality of second electrodes 160, two second electrodes 160i and 160j adjacent to the second hole arrangement region 182 in the first direction Y may be disposed such that their length directions are in the second direction X The second electrodes 160k and 160l which are oriented and adjacent to the second hole arrangement region 182 can also be arranged in the second direction X such that their length directions are the same.

Here, a plurality of second hole arrangement regions 182 may be formed, and a plurality of second electrodes 160 in a number that is a multiple of two may be disposed such that their length directions are oriented in the second direction X. More specifically, at least eight of the second electrodes 160i to 160p among the plurality of second electrodes 160 may be disposed such that their length directions are oriented in the second direction X. As shown in FIG. In addition, the second electrodes 160q disposed in the edge region in two rows opposite to each other can also be disposed such that their length directions are oriented in the second direction X. FIG. Furthermore, the remaining second electrodes 160 may be disposed such that their lengthwise directions are oriented in the first direction Y.

Referring to FIG. 11 , a plurality of first hole configuration regions 112 may be formed, and a plurality of first The four first electrodes 130o to 130r among the electrodes 130 spaced apart from one first hole arrangement region 112 may be disposed such that their length directions are oriented in the second direction X. As shown in FIG. Here, a plurality of electrodes may be disposed between the first hole arrangement region 112 and the first electrodes 130o to 130r. On the other hand, the first electrodes 130o to 130r may be disposed in the second direction X such that at least a part thereof overlaps with a virtual space formed by an extension line extending from the virtual line defining the first hole arrangement region 112 . In addition, the four first electrodes 130s to 130v of the plurality of first electrodes 130 adjacent to the other first hole arrangement region 112 in the first direction may be disposed in the second direction X. As shown in FIG.

In this case, the four second electrodes 160r to 160u and the four second electrodes 160v to 160y adjacent to the second hole arrangement region 182 among the second electrodes 160 may be arranged such that their length directions are in the second direction X Orientation.

Referring to FIG. 12 , a plurality of first through holes 111 and a plurality of second through holes 181 may be formed in the first metal substrate 110 and the second metal substrate 180 . Therefore, a plurality of first hole arrangement regions 112 and a plurality of second hole arrangement regions 182 can also be formed. For example, the first metal substrate 110 may include four first through holes 111 and four first hole configuration areas 112, and the second metal substrate 180 may include four second through holes 181 and four second hole configurations District 182.

In this case, among the plurality of first electrodes 130, the two first electrodes 130-1 and 130-2 adjacent to each of the first hole arrangement regions 112 may be disposed such that their length directions are in the second direction X Orientation. In addition, the other two first electrodes 130 - 3 and 130 - 4 adjacent to each first hole arrangement region 112 may also be disposed such that their length directions are oriented in the second direction X. Therefore, a plurality of first electrodes 130 which are a multiple of two may be arranged to face the second direction X. As shown in FIG. More specifically, at least 16 first electrodes 130-1 to 130-4 among the plurality of first electrodes 130 may be disposed to face the second direction X. Furthermore, the remaining first electrodes 130 may be disposed such that their lengthwise directions are oriented in the first direction Y. FIG.

In addition, 2n first electrodes 130 adjacent to at least one of the four first electrodes 130 - 1 to 130 - 4 disposed adjacent to any of the first hole arrangement regions 112 so as to face the second direction X -2n can also be positioned such that its length direction is oriented in the second direction X (where n is an integer of one or more). Here, the positions where the 2n first electrodes 130 - 2n are disposed may be variously changed according to the configuration of the plurality of second electrodes 160 .

In addition, a plurality of electrodes may be disposed between the first hole arrangement region 112 and the 2n first electrodes 130-2n. On the other hand, the 2n first electrodes 130 - 2n may be disposed in the second direction X such that at least a portion thereof overlaps with the virtual space formed by the extension line extending from the virtual line defining the first hole arrangement region 112 .

In FIG. 12 , 2n first electrodes 130 - 2n are illustrated as being disposed in the second direction X, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and 2n second electrodes may be disposed in the first direction Y.

In FIG. 12 , only the first resin layer 120 disposed between the first metal substrate 110 and the plurality of first electrodes 130 and the second resin layer disposed between the second metal substrate 180 and the plurality of second electrodes 160 are illustrated 170, but the present invention is not limited to this. For convenience of description, the first resin layer 120 and the second resin layer 170 are omitted in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 11 , and the same or similar structures can also be applied in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 11 . The first resin layer 120 and the second resin layer 170 .

Similarly, only the terminal electrode 500 is illustrated in FIG. 12, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Terminal electrodes 500 having the same or similar structures may also be applied in the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 7 to 11 .

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 12 , the two columns disposed in the second direction X so as to be opposite to each other in the edge region may be included in the first electrode 130 disposed on the first metal substrate 110 , or may be included in the disposed in the second electrode 160 on the second metal substrate 180 .

In this case, the diameter d1 of the first through hole 111 formed in the first surface of the first metal substrate 110 in contact with the plurality of first electrodes 130 may be the same as the diameter d1 of the first through hole 111 formed in the second metal substrate 180 and the plurality of second electrodes 130 . The diameters d2 of the second through holes 181 in the first surface where the electrodes 160 contact are the same. However, the diameter d1 of the first through-hole 111 formed in the first surface of the first metal substrate 110 in contact with the plurality of first electrodes 130 depends on the configuration form, position, and the like of the insulating interposer to be described later. The diameter d2 of the second through holes 181 formed in the first surface of the second metal substrate 180 in contact with the plurality of second electrodes 160 may be different.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIGS. 7-12 , the area of the first hole arrangement region 112 may be four times or more, preferably six times or more, and more preferably eight times the area of one first electrode 130 . times or more than eight times. When the area of the first hole arrangement region 112 is smaller than one first electrode 130 When the area is four times larger, at a high AC voltage of 1 kV or more, current can flow to the first metal substrate 110 through the first via 111 , which can cause electrical collapse of the first metal substrate 110 . Therefore, in the application field under high voltage, in order to prevent the electrical breakdown of the thermoelectric module, it is important to ensure a sufficient insulation distance. When the area of the first hole arrangement region 112 is eight times or more the area of one first electrode 130 , no electrical collapse occurs even at a high AC voltage of 2.5 kV or more. Similarly, the area of the second hole arrangement region 182 formed in the second metal substrate 180 may be four times or more, preferably six times or more, and more preferably eight times the area of one second electrode 160 times or more than eight times.

In addition, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 12 , among the plurality of first electrodes 130 , all electrodes disposed closest to the first edge (not shown) of the first metal substrate 110 may be disposed periodically, and may be It is arranged so that the path between the start point and the end point of the imaginary line connecting the surfaces of the electrodes arranged closest to the first edge of the first metal substrate 110 is a straight line without a curved region. That is, this may mean that among the surfaces of the four electrodes of all the first electrodes 130 closest to the first edge of the first metal substrate 110, the surface of the electrode closest to the first edge of the first metal substrate 110 is arranged to be There is no removal area and is spaced apart from the first edge of the first metal substrate 110 by the same interval in one direction. For example, this may mean that when the path between the start point and the end point of the imaginary line connecting the surfaces of the electrodes disposed closest to the first edge of the first metal substrate 110 is a straight line, when the plurality of first electrodes 130 Therein, all electrodes in the first row (not shown) are placed periodically. Therefore, when a plurality of first electrodes 130 are disposed on the first metal substrate 110, it is possible to reduce the complexity of the process, and it is possible to simplify the second electrodes 160 disposed on the second metal substrate 180 and the second electrodes disposed thereon The configuration structure of the thermoelectric legs between 160 and the first electrode 130 . In addition, since the shortest distance between the edge of the first metal substrate 110 and the first electrode 130 disposed closest to the edge of the first metal substrate 110 can be maintained constant, the first electrode 130 disposed closest to the edge of the first metal substrate 110 An electrode 130 may have uniform electrical properties.

When the path between the start point and the end point of the imaginary line connecting the surfaces of the electrodes disposed closest to the first edge of the first metal substrate 110 includes a curved area, this may mean the first one of the plurality of first electrodes 130 Some electrodes in the row are removed or include recessed regions, and thus the periodicity of the configuration is lost. The first edge closest to the first metal substrate 110 in the bending region is The surface of the electrodes placed may be the surfaces of electrodes placed in a second row (not shown) after the first row. Here, the second row may be a row disposed farther from the first edge of the first metal substrate 110 than the first row, and may not be the outermost row. The first electrode 130 may be positioned to include a curved region to additionally configure the through hole. However, in this case, as described above, in the application field under high voltage, a sufficient insulating distance may not be ensured to cause the electrical collapse of the thermoelectric module, or the effective area of the first electrode portion may be reduced, thereby causing the thermoelectric The efficiency of the module is reduced.

Similarly, among the plurality of first electrodes 130 , all electrodes (in the Nth row) closest to the second edge (not shown) facing the first edge of the first metal substrate 110 , the first electrode 130 the most The electrode (in the first row) and the plurality of first electrodes 130 facing the first metal substrate 110 closest to the third edge (not shown) between the first edge and the second edge of the first metal substrate 110 The electrodes (in column M) of the third edge and the fourth edge (not shown) may be positioned such that the distance between the start and end points of the imaginary line connecting the surface closest to the electrode positioned at each edge The path is a straight line with no curved regions. However, depending on the design such as the terminal electrode configuration, only any of the outermost rows or columns, eg, only any of the first row, Nth row, first column, and Mth column, may have an exception path. For example, the terminal electrodes may be connected to the first electrodes 130 disposed in any one of the first row, the Nth row, the first column, and the Mth column as the outermost row or column, or may be self-positioned The first electrodes 130 in any one of the first row, the Nth row, the first column, and the Mth column extend. Therefore, among the outermost rows and columns, except for the row or column in which the terminal electrodes are arranged, the remaining rows or columns may be arranged to be spaced apart from the corresponding edges of the first metal substrate 110 .

13 illustrates a coupling structure of a thermoelectric element according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 13 , the thermoelectric element 100 may be coupled using a plurality of coupling members 400 . The plurality of coupling components 400 can connect the heat sink 220 and the second metal substrate 180, connect the heat sink 220, the second metal substrate 180 and the first metal substrate (not shown), and connect the heat sink 220, the second metal substrate 180, The first metal substrate (not shown) and the cooling unit (not shown) are connected to the second metal substrate 180 , the first metal substrate (not shown) and the cooling unit (not shown), or connected to the second metal substrate 180 and a first metal substrate (not shown).

To this end, through holes S through which the coupling member 400 passes may be formed in the heat sink 220 , the second metal substrate 180 , the first metal substrate (not shown) and the cooling unit (not shown). Here, the through hole S may include the second through hole 181 and the first through hole 111 . Here, the separated insulating insertion part 410 may be further disposed between the second through hole 181 and the coupling part 400 . The separate insulating insertion member 410 may be an insulating insertion member surrounding the outer circumferential surface of the coupling member 400 or an insulating insertion member surrounding the wall surface of the through-hole S. Therefore, it is possible to increase the insulation distance of the thermoelectric element.

Meanwhile, the shape of the insulating insert 410 may be the same as those illustrated in FIGS. 13A and 13B . For example, as shown in FIG. 13A , a stepped portion may be formed in the region of the through hole S formed in the second metal substrate 180 so that the insulating insert 410 may be disposed to surround a portion of the wall surface of the through hole S. Alternatively, the stepped portion may be formed in the region of the through hole S formed in the second metal substrate 180 , so that the insulating insert 410 may be disposed to extend along the wall surface of the through hole S to the first portion of the second metal substrate 18 . surface on which a second electrode (not shown) is placed.

13A, the diameter d2' of the through hole S formed in the first surface of the second metal substrate 180 in contact with the second electrode may be the same as the diameter d2' formed in the first surface of the first metal substrate 180 in contact with the first electrode. The diameters of the through holes are the same. In this case, depending on the shape of the insulating insert 410, the diameter d2' of the through hole S formed in the first surface of the second metal substrate 180 may be different from the diameter d2 of the through hole S formed in the second surface, The second surface is the surface opposite to the first surface. Although not shown, when the stepped portion is not formed in the area of the through hole S and the insulating interposer 410 is disposed only on a part of the upper surface of the second metal substrate 180 or is disposed to extend from the upper surface of the second metal substrate 180 to When part or all of the wall surface of the through hole S, the diameter d2' of the through hole S formed in the first surface of the second metal substrate 180 may be the same as the diameter d2 of the through hole S formed in the second surface, the The second surface is the surface opposite to the first surface.

13B, due to the shape of the insulating insert member 410, the diameter d2' of the through hole S formed in the first surface of the second metal substrate 180 in contact with the second electrode may be larger than the diameter d2' formed between the first metal substrate and the first The diameter of the through hole in the first surface that the electrode contacts. In this case, the diameter d2' of the through hole S formed in the first surface of the second metal substrate 180 may be 1.1 to 2.0 times the diameter of the through hole S formed in the first surface of the first metal substrate. when formed in the second gold When the diameter d2' of the through hole S in the first surface of the substrate 180 is less than 1.1 times the diameter of the through hole formed in the first surface of the first metal substrate, the insulating effect of the insulating insert 410 may not be significant. Can cause insulation breakdown of thermoelectric elements. When the diameter d2' of the through hole S formed in the first surface of the second metal substrate 180 exceeds 2.0 times the diameter of the through hole S formed in the first surface of the first metal substrate 180, the area occupied by the through hole S The size of can be relatively increased, which can reduce the effective area of the second metal substrate 180 and can reduce the efficiency of the thermoelectric element.

Due to the shape of the insulating insert 410 , the diameter d2 ′ of the through hole S formed in the first surface of the second metal substrate 180 may be different from the diameter d2 ′ of the through hole S formed in the second surface, which is the same as the diameter of the through hole S formed in the second surface. The surface opposite to the first surface. As described above, when the stepped portion is not formed in the region of the through hole S of the second metal substrate 180, the diameter d2' of the through hole S formed in the first surface of the second metal substrate 180 may be the same as the diameter d2' of the through hole S formed in the second metal substrate 180. The diameter d2 of the through hole S in the two surfaces is the same, and the second surface is the surface opposite to the first surface.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, among the first electrode 130 or the second electrode 160, even when the electrode is spaced apart from the first hole arrangement region 112 or the second hole arrangement region 182, at least two electrodes may be in the first electrode 130 or the second hole arrangement region 182. The two directions X are arranged so that at least a part thereof overlaps with the virtual space formed by the extension line extending from the virtual line defining each hole arrangement area, and a plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs can pass through Optimum placement without wasting space in the limited space forming each hole placement area.

The thermoelectric element according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be applied to power generation equipment, cooling equipment, heating equipment, and the like. Specifically, the thermoelectric element according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be mainly used in optical communication modules, sensors, medical instruments, measuring instruments, aviation industry, refrigerators, freezers, automobile ventilation sheets, and cup holders. , washing machines, dryers, wine cellars, water purifiers, sensor power supplies, thermopiles and the like.

Here, as an example in which the pyroelectric element according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied to a medical instrument, there is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) instrument. PCR instruments are devices in which deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is amplified to determine the DNA sequence, which requires precise temperature control and thermal cycling. To this end, a Peltier-based thermoelectric element can be applied to the instrument.

Application of the thermoelectric element as an exemplary embodiment of the present invention to a medical instrument Another example of a sensor is a photodetector. Here, the photodetectors include infrared/ultraviolet detectors, charge coupled device (CCD) sensors, X-ray detectors, and thermoelectric thermal reference sources (TTRS). Peltier-based thermoelectric elements can be applied to cool photodetectors. Therefore, wavelength change due to temperature increase in the photodetector and reduction in output power and resolution can be prevented.

As yet another example of the application of the thermoelectric element according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention to medical instruments, there are the field of immunoassay, the field of in vitro diagnosis, the field of temperature control and cooling, the field of physical therapy, the liquid freezer system, the blood/plasma Temperature control field and the like. Therefore, the temperature can be precisely controlled.

As yet another example of the application of a thermoelectric element according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention to a medical instrument, there is an artificial heart. Therefore, the artificial heart can be powered.

As examples of the application of the thermoelectric element according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention to the aerospace industry, there are satellite tracking systems, thermal imaging cameras, infrared/ultraviolet detectors, CCD sensors, Hubble space telescopes, TTRS and the like. Therefore, the temperature of the image sensor can be maintained.

As another example in which the thermoelectric element according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied to the field of the aviation industry, there are cooling equipment, heaters, power generating equipment, and the like.

In addition, the thermoelectric elements according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be applied to other industrial fields for power generation, cooling and heating.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, since the substrate of the high temperature portion and the substrate of the low temperature portion are coupled so that portions of their effective areas occupy each other, it is possible to reduce thermal deformation of the substrate of the high temperature portion and prevent stress from concentrating on the joint portion, Thereby, the reliability and durability of the thermoelectric module are increased.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs can be optimally positioned without wasting space in the limited space where each hole placement area is formed, by This maintains the power generation performance of the thermoelectric module.

While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims, Various changes in form and detail were made in the present invention.

110: The first metal substrate

120: The first resin layer

130: First electrode

140: P-type thermoelectric feet

160: Second electrode

170: Second resin layer

180: Second metal substrate

190: Coupling parts

220: heat sink

221: Flat substrate

A1: Effective area

A2: Surrounding area

B1: Effective area

B2: Surrounding area

Claims (20)

A thermoelectric module, comprising: a first metal substrate including a first through hole; a first insulating layer disposed on the first metal substrate; a first electrode portion disposed on the first on the insulating layer and including a plurality of first electrodes; a plurality of thermoelectric legs, which are arranged on the first electrode part; a second electrode part, which is arranged on the plurality of thermoelectric legs and including a plurality of second electrodes ; a second insulating layer disposed on the second electrode portion; and a second metal substrate disposed on the second insulating layer and including a second through hole, wherein the first metal substrate includes a An active area of the first electrode portion and a peripheral area formed outside the active area, the second metal substrate includes an active area disposed with the second electrode portion and a peripheral area formed outside the active area, The first through hole is disposed in the effective area of the first metal substrate, the first through hole and the second through hole are formed at positions corresponding to each other, and the first metal substrate includes a first hole arrangement area, It is a space formed by connecting an imaginary line closest to the surface of the first through hole among the surfaces of the first electrodes disposed closest to the first through hole and adjacent to each other, the first hole An area of the configuration area is four times or more than an area of one of the first electrodes among the plurality of first electrodes, and a withstand voltage is 1 kV or more. The thermoelectric module of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the first through hole is different from a diameter of the second through hole corresponding to the diameter of the first through hole. The thermoelectric module of claim 2, further comprising an insulating insert member disposed in a peripheral region of the second through hole. The thermoelectric module as described in claim 3, wherein the diameter of the first through hole is smaller than the diameter of the second through hole. The thermoelectric module of claim 4, further comprising a coupling member disposed among the first through hole, the second through hole and the insulating insert member. The thermoelectric module of claim 5, wherein the first insulating layer comprises a resin and an inorganic filler. The thermoelectric module of claim 6, wherein the resin comprises at least one of an epoxy resin or a polysiloxane resin, and the inorganic filler comprises at least one of aluminum, silicon and boron compounded thing. . The thermoelectric module of claim 7, wherein the first metal substrate includes another first hole arrangement area. The thermoelectric module according to claim 1, wherein the area of the first hole arrangement area is eight times or more than the area of one first electrode among the plurality of first electrodes, and the withstand voltage 2.5kV or more. The thermoelectric module of claim 5, wherein the diameter of the second through hole is 1.1 to 2.0 times the diameter of the first through hole. The thermoelectric module as described in claim 1, wherein the diameter of the second through hole is 1.1 to 2.0 times the diameter of the first through hole. The thermoelectric module of claim 11, further comprising a third through hole formed in a peripheral region of the first metal substrate. The thermoelectric module as described in claim 12, wherein the area of the second metal substrate is smaller than that of the first metal substrate. The thermoelectric module of claim 12, wherein a ratio of the area of the second metal substrate to the area of the first metal substrate ranges from 0.5 to 0.95. The thermoelectric module of claim 13, further comprising another second metal substrate separated from the second metal substrate. The thermoelectric module of claim 8, wherein the second metal substrate includes a second hole arrangement region for the first through holes disposed closest to each other and adjacent to each other by connecting them A space is formed by the virtual lines on the surfaces of the two electrodes, and the first hole arrangement area and the second hole arrangement area are formed at positions corresponding to each other. The thermoelectric module of claim 1, further comprising a third insulating layer disposed between the first metal substrate and the first insulating layer and comprising a resin and an inorganic filler. The thermoelectric module of claim 17, wherein the first insulating layer and the third insulating layer comprise the same material. A power generation device, comprising: the thermoelectric module according to claim 1; and a cooling unit connected to the first metal substrate of the thermoelectric module and including a through hole, wherein the cooling unit A through hole is formed at a position corresponding to the first through hole, and a coupling member is disposed on the through hole of the cooling unit. The thermoelectric module of claim 1, wherein the withstand voltage is to maintain characteristics for 10 seconds without insulation breakdown under an alternating current (AC) voltage of 2.5kV and a current of 1mA.

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