WO1996015412A2 - Cascade of thermoelectric couples - Google Patents

Cascade of thermoelectric couples Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1996015412A2
WO1996015412A2 PCT/CZ1995/000025 CZ9500025W WO9615412A2 WO 1996015412 A2 WO1996015412 A2 WO 1996015412A2 CZ 9500025 W CZ9500025 W CZ 9500025W WO 9615412 A2 WO9615412 A2 WO 9615412A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
type
cascade
elements
thermoelectric couples
thermoelectric
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/CZ1995/000025
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO1996015412A3 (en
Inventor
Zdenek Stary
Original Assignee
Kavon V.O.S
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kavon V.O.S filed Critical Kavon V.O.S
Publication of WO1996015412A2 publication Critical patent/WO1996015412A2/en
Publication of WO1996015412A3 publication Critical patent/WO1996015412A3/en

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
    • F25B21/00—Machines, plants or systems, using electric or magnetic effects
    • F25B21/02—Machines, plants or systems, using electric or magnetic effects using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N19/00—Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one thermoelectric or thermomagnetic element covered by groups H10N10/00 - H10N15/00
    • H10N19/101—Multiple thermocouples connected in a cascade arrangement

Definitions

  • thermoelectric devices utilizing the Peltier thermoelectric effect. More particularly it pertains to thermoelectric couples utilized in cooling systems and/or in temperature control.
  • thermoelectric couple comprises a semiconductor element of type P and a semiconductor element of type N, of regular shape, made of suitable thermoelectric material.
  • the one ends of the elements are connected by means of a conductive member and to the other end of the P-type element electric current is supplied through a conductor.
  • the current passes through the P-type element and over the conductive connection into the N-type element wherefrom it is led away through another conductor.
  • the flow of electric current through the thermoelectric couple gives rise to a temeprature difference between the cold side and the hot side of the couple, the degree of which depends on the properties of semiconductor elements, their dimensions and on the voltage and intensity of electric current.
  • thermoelectric couples In most applications an array of such thermoelectric couples is used in a form of a flat thermoelectric battery, in which the P-type and N-type elements are arranged alternatively and are connected electrically in series and thermally in parallel. Consequently on one side of the flat battery cold and on its other side heat is generated.
  • thermoelectric couples utilizing Peltier effect are used mosty in refrigeration, for instance in portable ice boxes used in cars, in devices for control of temperature stability, in microelectronics, but also as a source of voltage for cardiac stimulators, in cathode anticorrosion protection of steel structures, piping and rails.
  • the batteries including an array of P-type and N-type semiconductor elements are arranged in a cascade.
  • the hot side of the battery in the upper layer of the cascade is cooled by the cold side of the battery in the lower layer.
  • the layers in the cascade are separated from each other by electrically insulating material., e. g. by corundum plate or by special ceramic insulants.
  • electrically insulating material e. g. by corundum plate or by special ceramic insulants.
  • these electrical insulators act simultaneously as thermal insulation causing considerable thermal losses, and consequently a decrease of temperature difference between the cold side and the hot side of the batteries, together with a decrease of efficiency of the cascade.
  • using expensive insulating plates between the layers of batteries raises production costs of the cascade.
  • the invention provides a cascade of thermoelectric couples utilizing Peltier effect, comprising more than one layer of a selected number of alternatively disposed semiconductor P-type and N-type elements, where the adjacent P-type and N-type elements are connected with conductive members, forming pairs, and wherein to each pair of elements another such pair is connected from the opposite side and in reverse sequence, so that to the P-type element a N-type element is connected and to the N-type element a P-type element is connected.
  • the present invention provides further a cascade of thermoelectric couples wherein the layers of thermoelectric couples are stacked without any insulating means therebetween, and in which the P-type and N-type semiconductor elements are arranged in alternation throughout the cascade.
  • the present invention further provides a cascade of thermoelectric couples as desribed above, in which the individual layers of couples include P-type anf N-type semiconductor elements of different specific electrical properties and/or dimensions.
  • the present invention provides further a cascade of thermoelectric couples as described above which is sandwiched between insulating layers, preferably of corundum plates.
  • the present invention eliminates the losses of the temperature difference caused by thermal gradient on the inside insulating plates.
  • the arrangement according to this invention obviates the necessity of heat transfer through the insulating plate and results in considerable increase of both the maximum temperature difference and the efficiency of the cascade.
  • the production costs of a cascade of thermoelectric couples according to this invention are relatively lower than with the prior art cascades.
  • the arrangement of the cascade according to this invention results also in increase of compactness of the cascade with silmultaneus decrease of its thickness and mass.
  • Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a prior art form of thermoelectric couple.
  • Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a prior art form of a cascade of thermoelectric couples.
  • Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a thermoelectric couple in accordance with this invention.
  • Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a cascade of thermoelectric couples according to this invention.
  • Example 1
  • thermoelectric couple includes a pair consisted of a P-type semiconductor element _ and a N-type semiconductor element 2, the upper ends of which are connected with conductive member 3_ and to which opposite ends another pair of P-type and N-type elements is connected in reverse sequence, so that to the P-type element of the first pair a N-type element of the second pair and to the N-type element of the first pair a P-type element of the second pair is connected. Electric current is supplied into the couple and led away through a conductor 3 positioned in contact with the connected ends of both pairs of elements. Reffering to Fig.
  • thermoelectric couples according to this invention alternate regularly.
  • the cascade is sandwiched between insulating plates 4, preferable made of corundum.
  • thermoelectric couples cascades of thermoelectric couples with two.
  • three or more layers of thermoelectric couples can be made, the number of layers depending on the requirements concerning the cooling or heating effect.
  • the present invention may find application especially in cooling technics, thermo- regulation, electrotechnics, in microprocessor engineering and/or in cosmonautics.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Measuring Temperature Or Quantity Of Heat (AREA)
  • Cooling Or The Like Of Semiconductors Or Solid State Devices (AREA)

Abstract

A cascade of thermoelectric couples utilizing Peltier effect, consisting of layers of semiconductor elements (1, 2) connected electrically in series and mutually connected with conductive members (3), comprising more than one layer of said P-type and N-type elements without inside insulating means between the layers, wherein the semiconductor elements of type P and of type N alternate regularly. Individual layers of the cascade may include P-type and N-type semiconductor elements of different specific electrical properties and/or dimensions.

Description

Cascade of thermoelectric couples
Technical field
This invetion pertains to thermoelectric devices utilizing the Peltier thermoelectric effect. More particularly it pertains to thermoelectric couples utilized in cooling systems and/or in temperature control.
Background art
A thermoelectric couple comprises a semiconductor element of type P and a semiconductor element of type N, of regular shape, made of suitable thermoelectric material. The one ends of the elements are connected by means of a conductive member and to the other end of the P-type element electric current is supplied through a conductor. The current passes through the P-type element and over the conductive connection into the N-type element wherefrom it is led away through another conductor. The flow of electric current through the thermoelectric couple gives rise to a temeprature difference between the cold side and the hot side of the couple, the degree of which depends on the properties of semiconductor elements, their dimensions and on the voltage and intensity of electric current. In most applications an array of such thermoelectric couples is used in a form of a flat thermoelectric battery, in which the P-type and N-type elements are arranged alternatively and are connected electrically in series and thermally in parallel. Consequently on one side of the flat battery cold and on its other side heat is generated. At present thermoelectric couples utilizing Peltier effect are used mosty in refrigeration, for instance in portable ice boxes used in cars, in devices for control of temperature stability, in microelectronics, but also as a source of voltage for cardiac stimulators, in cathode anticorrosion protection of steel structures, piping and rails. In applications where greater temperature difference is required the batteries including an array of P-type and N-type semiconductor elements are arranged in a cascade. wherein the hot side of the battery in the upper layer of the cascade is cooled by the cold side of the battery in the lower layer. In order to maintain the connection of thermolectric elements in series the layers in the cascade are separated from each other by electrically insulating material., e. g. by corundum plate or by special ceramic insulants. However these electrical insulators act simultaneously as thermal insulation causing considerable thermal losses, and consequently a decrease of temperature difference between the cold side and the hot side of the batteries, together with a decrease of efficiency of the cascade. Besides, using expensive insulating plates between the layers of batteries raises production costs of the cascade.
Disclosure of invention
It is an object of this invention to overcome most of the above mentioned shortcomings. The invention provides a cascade of thermoelectric couples utilizing Peltier effect, comprising more than one layer of a selected number of alternatively disposed semiconductor P-type and N-type elements, where the adjacent P-type and N-type elements are connected with conductive members, forming pairs, and wherein to each pair of elements another such pair is connected from the opposite side and in reverse sequence, so that to the P-type element a N-type element is connected and to the N-type element a P-type element is connected.
The present invention provides further a cascade of thermoelectric couples wherein the layers of thermoelectric couples are stacked without any insulating means therebetween, and in which the P-type and N-type semiconductor elements are arranged in alternation throughout the cascade.
The present invention further provides a cascade of thermoelectric couples as desribed above, in which the individual layers of couples include P-type anf N-type semiconductor elements of different specific electrical properties and/or dimensions. The present invention provides further a cascade of thermoelectric couples as described above which is sandwiched between insulating layers, preferably of corundum plates.
By eliminating the insulating means between the layers of the cascade the present invention eliminates the losses of the temperature difference caused by thermal gradient on the inside insulating plates. The arrangement according to this invention obviates the necessity of heat transfer through the insulating plate and results in considerable increase of both the maximum temperature difference and the efficiency of the cascade. Moreover by saving the inside insulating plates the production costs of a cascade of thermoelectric couples according to this invention are relatively lower than with the prior art cascades. The arrangement of the cascade according to this invention results also in increase of compactness of the cascade with silmultaneus decrease of its thickness and mass.
Brief decription of the drawings
The invention will be described by way of example with reference to the following drawings.
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a prior art form of thermoelectric couple.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a prior art form of a cascade of thermoelectric couples.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a thermoelectric couple in accordance with this invention.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a cascade of thermoelectric couples according to this invention. Example 1
With reference to Fig. 3 there is shown a sectional view of a thermoelectric couple according to the invention. This thermoelectric couple includes a pair consisted of a P-type semiconductor element _ and a N-type semiconductor element 2, the upper ends of which are connected with conductive member 3_ and to which opposite ends another pair of P-type and N-type elements is connected in reverse sequence, so that to the P-type element of the first pair a N-type element of the second pair and to the N-type element of the first pair a P-type element of the second pair is connected. Electric current is supplied into the couple and led away through a conductor 3 positioned in contact with the connected ends of both pairs of elements. Reffering to Fig. 4 there is shown a sectional view of a three-layer cascade of pairs of P-type and N-type semiconductor elements 1, 2 , in which the thermoelectric couples according to this invention alternate regularly. The cascade is sandwiched between insulating plates 4, preferable made of corundum.
According to this invention cascades of thermoelectric couples with two. three or more layers of thermoelectric couples can be made, the number of layers depending on the requirements concerning the cooling or heating effect.
Aplication
The present invention may find application especially in cooling technics, thermo- regulation, electrotechnics, in microprocessor engineering and/or in cosmonautics.

Claims

Claims
1. A cascade of thermoelectric couples utilizing Peltier effect, comprising more than one layer of P-type semiconductor elements (1) and N-type semiconductor elements (2), disposed alternatively and connected in series, where the adjacent P- type and N-type elements (1, 2) are connected with a conductive member (3), forming thus pairs of elements, and where to each pair of elements another such pair of elements (1,2) is connected from the opposite side and in reverse sequence so that to the P-type element a N-type element and to the N-type element a P-type element is connected.
2. A cascade of thermoelectric couples as claimed in claim 1 , in which the layers of thermoelectric couples are stacked without any insulating means therebetween and wherein the P-type and N-type semiconductor elements (1,2) are arranged in alternation throughout the cascade.
3. A cascade of thermoelectric couples as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the individual layers of the cascade include P-type and N-type semiconductor elements (1 , 2) of different specific electrical properties and/or dimensions.
4. A casacade of thermoelectric couples as claimed in preceeding claims, which is sandwiched between insulating layers, preferably of corundum plates.
PCT/CZ1995/000025 1994-11-08 1995-11-08 Cascade of thermoelectric couples WO1996015412A2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CZ942736A CZ281281B6 (en) 1994-11-08 1994-11-08 Cascade of thermo-electric cells employing peltier effect
CZPV2736-94 1994-11-08

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1996015412A2 true WO1996015412A2 (en) 1996-05-23
WO1996015412A3 WO1996015412A3 (en) 1996-07-18

Family

ID=5465491

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/CZ1995/000025 WO1996015412A2 (en) 1994-11-08 1995-11-08 Cascade of thermoelectric couples

Country Status (2)

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CZ (1) CZ281281B6 (en)
WO (1) WO1996015412A2 (en)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0819898A3 (en) * 1996-07-16 1998-03-11 Thermovonics Co., Ltd Temperature-controlled appliance
EP0897518A2 (en) * 1997-01-06 1999-02-24 Renee M. Hall Method and apparatus to cool food contact machines and surfaces
US6131581A (en) * 1998-06-23 2000-10-17 Dr.-ing. Hans Leysieffer Process and device for supply of an at least partially implanted active device with electric power
WO2011138522A1 (en) 2010-05-05 2011-11-10 Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives Thermoelectric module optimized for operation in peltier mode or in seebeck mode
GB2521354A (en) * 2013-12-17 2015-06-24 Ibm Thermoelectric device
GB2521353A (en) * 2013-12-17 2015-06-24 Ibm Thermoelectric device
CN112542541A (en) * 2020-11-27 2021-03-23 上海应用技术大学 Thermal power generation device and preparation method thereof
WO2021112874A1 (en) * 2019-12-06 2021-06-10 3M Innovative Properties Company A thermoelectric module

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN109378381A (en) * 2018-10-19 2019-02-22 包头稀土研究院 High temperature thermoelectric unit and its manufacturing method

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1046427A (en) * 1962-07-12 1966-10-26 Borg Warner Thermoelectric cooling system
US3291648A (en) * 1962-05-09 1966-12-13 Frigistor Lab Ltd Multistage thermoelectric device

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1810629B1 (en) * 1968-11-23 1970-04-30 Philips Patentverwaltung Thermoelectric cooling system with a multi-stage cascade Peltier battery

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3291648A (en) * 1962-05-09 1966-12-13 Frigistor Lab Ltd Multistage thermoelectric device
GB1046427A (en) * 1962-07-12 1966-10-26 Borg Warner Thermoelectric cooling system

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0819898A3 (en) * 1996-07-16 1998-03-11 Thermovonics Co., Ltd Temperature-controlled appliance
EP0897518A2 (en) * 1997-01-06 1999-02-24 Renee M. Hall Method and apparatus to cool food contact machines and surfaces
EP0897518A4 (en) * 1997-01-06 2005-02-02 Renee M Hall Method and apparatus to cool food contact machines and surfaces
US6131581A (en) * 1998-06-23 2000-10-17 Dr.-ing. Hans Leysieffer Process and device for supply of an at least partially implanted active device with electric power
WO2011138522A1 (en) 2010-05-05 2011-11-10 Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives Thermoelectric module optimized for operation in peltier mode or in seebeck mode
FR2959874A1 (en) * 2010-05-05 2011-11-11 Commissariat Energie Atomique THERMOELECTRIC MODULE OPTIMIZED FOR OPERATION IN PELTIER MODE AND SEEBECK MODE.
CN102971880A (en) * 2010-05-05 2013-03-13 原子能和代替能源委员会 Thermoelectric module optimized for operation in peltier mode or in seebeck mode
US9054272B2 (en) 2010-05-05 2015-06-09 Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives Optimized thermoelectric module for operation in peltier mode or in seebeck mode
GB2521354A (en) * 2013-12-17 2015-06-24 Ibm Thermoelectric device
GB2521353A (en) * 2013-12-17 2015-06-24 Ibm Thermoelectric device
WO2015092608A1 (en) * 2013-12-17 2015-06-25 International Business Machines Corporation Thermoelectric device
GB2535940A (en) * 2013-12-17 2016-08-31 Ibm Thermoelectric device
US9947853B2 (en) 2013-12-17 2018-04-17 International Business Machines Corporation Thermoelectric device
GB2535940B (en) * 2013-12-17 2018-06-27 Ibm Thermoelectric device
WO2021112874A1 (en) * 2019-12-06 2021-06-10 3M Innovative Properties Company A thermoelectric module
CN112542541A (en) * 2020-11-27 2021-03-23 上海应用技术大学 Thermal power generation device and preparation method thereof

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1996015412A3 (en) 1996-07-18
CZ281281B6 (en) 1996-08-14
CZ273694A3 (en) 1996-06-12

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