Device for generating electrical energy

The invention relates to a device for generating electrical energy with a Plurality of thermocouples, each having a first conductor portion, a first with the Conductor piece connected second conductor portion and a third conductor piece with the second conductor portion connected to the opposite side the first conductor portion is, wherein the conductive material of the first and third conductor sections differs from the semiconductor material of the second conductor portions, the first conductor pieces a heat source and the third conductor portions with a heat sink in conjunction stand, and a series arrangement of thermocouples is provided in which alternately the first and third conductor sections of the successive thermocouples facing each other.

Such heat energy into electrical energy-converting device in which the thermocouples are connected in parallel, is known from DE 102 00 407 A1 known.

The invention is based on the object, a thermal battery of the above to create the type mentioned with increased electrical power.

According to the invention, the arrangement in series mutually facing conductor sections each electrically connected to each other and the second conductor portions of the Thermocouples alternately from one, based on the conductor material of the first and third conductor sections, thermoelectrically positive and thermoelectrically negative conductor material.

Alternatively, the facing conductor portions from each other electrically isolated and the third conductor portions respectively with the first conductor portion of the array following thermocouple can be electrically connected.

The thermoelectric voltages of the adjacent in the array thermocouples are rectified in accordance with both alternatives and cumulative. Such Thermobattery allows lying at different temperatures pads to arrange between conductors in spatially high density and so a increased electrical power to achieve.

The in-line arrangement of the mutually facing, electrically interconnected Head pieces can directly merge into each other, that is provided integrally be, and such conductor portions are preferably formed by a plate.

Between a stack assembly forming panels may each include a plurality be disposed of second conductor portions, so that in addition to a serial circuit thermocouples and a parallel circuit is present, which the internal resistance reduced and the electrical power.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the second conductor sections alternately a p-type and an n-type semiconductor educated.

In the second conductive elements or semiconductors, it may be blocky parts, the corresponding through one of its cross-sectional surface area of ​​contact with the first and second conductor portion, preferably these conductor pieces forming plates Communicate.

A connection to the heat source or sink can be on the stack assembly Making penetrating heat conducting, wherein the heat conducting through each other aligned, successive openings are performed in the plates and alternately in thermal contact with and thermally insulated against the opening edge, preferably at a distance from the opening edge, are guided through the openings. In So the stack assembly Switch heated and cooled panels from one another.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the heat conducting stand over electrically insulating Wärmeleitringe in thermal contact with the opening edge, which is preferably graded, supportable on the opening edge rings concerns. Alternatively, a plate having different widths openings and directly contacting the opening edge of the narrow openings of the thermally conductive.

Preferably heat conducting are used, in which a heat transport Medium flows. Such a convection heat can be significantly effectively increasing or dissipate only by thermal conduction. leave as heat conducting in particular using heat pipes or other highly effective guide devices.

Suitably, the contact surfaces of the p- and n-type semiconductors are square and the openings in the plates or films circular. In a particularly preferred Embodiment, the openings in the plates are in a square arranged in a grid and the elongated diagonal of the contact surfaces of the p- and n-type semiconductor halve the square sides. With this arrangement, the to Available disk space largely used as a contact surface and allows a high packing density of alternating hot and cold contact points reached, the hot and cold contact points within the stack assembly have a uniformly higher or lower temperature.

In the corner areas of the contact surfaces can merge into one another, wherein the Semiconductor respectively at two corners have corresponding recesses.

Another embodiment of the invention, said plates are of several Layers formed. In this way, for example with plates can be p- or n-type semiconductors and layers on the upper and lower prefabricated what the assembly of the Device easier.

To connect the p- and n-type semiconductor with the plates or layers as also the layers to one another is advantageously an adhesive technique using conductive adhesive applied. In addition to bonding techniques and welding techniques are, Bonding techniques and other suitable types of connections into consideration.

The heat conducting end with their source or sink remote free End expedient in or on a between the source or drain and the stack structure provided for insulating both the electrical and thermal Insulation serves.

The invention is now based on exemplary embodiments and the accompanying to to these embodiments relating drawings are explained in detail. It show:<dl tsize="6" compact="compact"><dt>Fig. 1</dt><dd>a schematic representation of a semiconductor formed by thermocouple unit cell,</dd><dt>FIG. 2</dt><dd>a series connection of unit cells as shown in FIG. 1,</dd><dt>Fig. 3</dt><dd>an arrangement parallel and series-connected unit cells,</dd><dt>Fig. 4</dt><dd>a thermal battery, the arrangement of FIG. 3 used in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention,</dd><dt>Fig. 5</dt><dd>one used in the thermal battery of Fig. 4 plate portion,</dd><dt>Fig. 6</dt><dd>an arrangement parallel and series-connected unit cells according to a second embodiment of the invention, and</dd><dt>Fig. 7</dt><dd>in a further embodiment of a thermal battery of the invention usable disk part.</dd></dl>

A unit cell 1 for explaining the invention shown in Fig. Includes a p-doped semiconductor to 1 and an n-doped semiconductor second The semiconductors 1 and 2 are each carried at one end with a head piece 3 and 4 and to each other a conductor portion 5. The conductor portions 3 to 5 are of the same Conductor material, such as copper. Between the conductor sections 3 and 4 is an electrical Voltage, if at the two connecting points of the semiconductors 1 and 2 for Conductor portion 5 at a different temperature than at the two junctions of the Conductor pieces 3 and 4 there is to the semiconductors. The thermoelectric voltages of the two Basic elements of the unit cell are rectified and add up.

Fig. 2 shows a series circuit of two such unit cells. The thermal stresses both cells add up, if it is ensured that the contact points on between the semiconductors 1,2,1 ', 2' and the conductor sections 3,5,4,5 ', 4' alternately different temperatures, ie, be kept cold (k) and hot (h).

Fig. 3 shows an arrangement with a plurality of both series and parallel-connected Such thermocouple series circuits. As head pieces are congruent, a stack assembly 17 forming plates 6 and 6 ', which in a grid arranged openings 7 have. Through the aligned apertures 7 protrude heat conducting 8 and 8 ', of which the bars 8 with a heat source and the rods 8 'are connected to a heat sink in conjunction. Source and sink are not shown in Fig. 3.

The alternating plates 6 and 6 'are in respective openings 7 employed, electrically against the plate and / or heat conducting insulated contact rings 10 'connected to a thermally conductive rod 8 and 8 respectively. Fill the contact rings 10 in each case an intermediate space between the thermally conductive rod and the edge of respective opening 7 from. That is, over the electrically insulating contact rings 10 are the plates 6 in thermal contact with the heat source, the plates 6 'in Thermal contact with the heat sink.

Fig. 4 shows a complete, the arrangement of FIG. 3 used thermal battery. The p- and n-type semiconductor between the plates 6 and 6 'are not shown.

As is apparent from Fig. 4, 8 forming the heat conducting in a heat source forming container 11, which flows through according to arrow 12 by a heat transfer fluid becomes. The heat conducting 8 'are in thermal contact with a cooling liquid, which according to arrow 'flows 13 by the heat sink forming container 11th The container 11,11 'and the stack assembly 17 from the plates 6 and 6', between which alternately p and n-type semiconductor are arranged in each case by a thermally and electrically insulating layer 14 or 14 'from each other, separated.

In the described thermal battery, the plates 6 are through the container 11 and the plates 6 'through the container 11' at different temperatures kept. This means that different temperatures prevail at the sheetlike Contact points between the p- and n-type semiconductors and the respective plates 6 and 6 '. By series connection of a plurality of thermocouples located between the two outermost plates of the stack assembly 14 a Thermo voltage corresponding to a multiple of the elementary cell only by a corresponds to FIG. 1 supplied thermal voltage. Through additional parallel circuit many cells with two-dimensionally contacted semiconductors is the internal resistance the thermal battery low, so that a large current flow and high electrical Power can be dispensed.

In the embodiment shown, the heat conducting 8,8 'as a hollow body with formed a heat-transporting medium inside, so that in addition to a Heat conduction takes place in more efficient heat transfer by convection. As heat conducting heat pipes are particularly suitable, in which a heat transport Medium between the gas and liquid phase change.

The plates 6,6 'and the p- and n-type semiconductor are in the embodiment shown bonded to each other by an electrically conductive adhesive. to compound further come bonding techniques, welding techniques and similar types of connection into consideration. At the contact surfaces of the semiconductor is a diffusion barrier layer further formed a diffuse of doping material in the Plates 6,6 'prevented.

A stabilizing arrangement, attacking each of the containers 11,11 'outside Holding means comprising tie rods connected to one another by plates, is not shown in the figures.

Fig. 5 shows a detail of a plate 6 or 6 'with openings 7 and in part the contact rings openings 7 used 10 and contact surfaces 13 for the connection with p- or n-type semiconductors. The contact surfaces may by edges be limited by indentations. As shown in Fig. 5 reveals, the semiconductor a square cross-section. The cross sectional shape could also be from differ square and be particular about. This cross-sectional shape and the Art shown the arrangement of hot and cold contact points allows maximum Packing density of the contact points of the stacking order.

The thermal contact rings 10 have a stepped shoulder 9 with an inner diameter , which is equal to the diameter of the openings. 7

It is understood that on the plates 6 'the outside on the plates 6 with openings 7 Contact rings are occupied.

In the embodiment shown, the plates are 6,6 'made of copper, the Thermal contact rings made of aluminum and the outer jacket of the heat conducting 8,8 ' of aluminum, copper or other thermally conductive material. For mutual insulation of these parts can be used oxidized surfaces.

As the semiconductor material as BiTe comes into consideration.

The following are identical or functionally identical parts with the same reference number as to that in the preceding figures, with the relevant reference numeral each letter a or b is attached.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6 plates 6a and 6a 'of a stack assembly 17a respectively 'is formed, the layers 15 and 15' of two layers 15 and 15 in the mounted thermal battery to each other by conductive adhesive, welding technology, Bonding techniques and the like may be connected. This embodiment has the advantage that panels 16 with p-type and plate 16 'with n-type semiconductors can be completely prefabricated.

Fig. 7 shows a further possibility for the formation of plates 6b and 6b '. There are Corner portion 18 merging into each other contact surfaces 13b for p- and n-type Semiconductors are provided, each at two corners of one of the transition point corresponding have recess. Such an arrangement can be even larger contact surface overall with an even lower internal resistance of achieve thermal battery.