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WO2007109368A2 - Improved electric current carrying substrate for a thermoelectric module - Google Patents

Improved electric current carrying substrate for a thermoelectric module Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2007109368A2
WO2007109368A2 PCT/US2007/007325 US2007007325W WO2007109368A2 WO 2007109368 A2 WO2007109368 A2 WO 2007109368A2 US 2007007325 W US2007007325 W US 2007007325W WO 2007109368 A2 WO2007109368 A2 WO 2007109368A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
substrate
elements
pattern
interconnection elements
type
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2007/007325
Other languages
French (fr)
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WO2007109368A3 (en
Inventor
Bernhard Piwczyk
Joel Lindstrom
Original Assignee
Leonardo Technologies, Inc.
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Publication date
Application filed by Leonardo Technologies, Inc. filed Critical Leonardo Technologies, Inc.
Publication of WO2007109368A2 publication Critical patent/WO2007109368A2/en
Publication of WO2007109368A3 publication Critical patent/WO2007109368A3/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L23/00—Details of semiconductor or other solid state devices
    • H01L23/34—Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or temperature compensation ; Temperature sensing arrangements
    • H01L23/38—Cooling arrangements using the Peltier effect
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N10/00—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects
    • H10N10/10—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects operating with only the Peltier or Seebeck effects
    • H10N10/17—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects operating with only the Peltier or Seebeck effects characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N10/00—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects
    • H10N10/80—Constructional details
    • H10N10/81—Structural details of the junction
    • H10N10/817—Structural details of the junction the junction being non-separable, e.g. being cemented, sintered or soldered
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L2924/00—Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
    • H01L2924/0001—Technical content checked by a classifier
    • H01L2924/0002—Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to thermoelectric modules used either for electric power generation o for heating and cooling. More specifically, it relates to a means to increase the electric current flo ⁇ through such thermoelectric modules resulting in performance improvement of such modules.
  • thermoelectric module can be used either to produce electric power from a temperature differential or to produce cooling from an electric current. It is a solid-state device that operates oi the Peltier (cooling) or the Seebeck (generation of electrical current) effect, which are known to those skilled in the art and are described in detail in McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, 8 th edition, 1997, Vol.18, p349-359 and Vol. 13 p.212. (See also CRC Handbook of Thermoelectrics and Thermoelectric Refrigeration edited by D.M Rowe, 1995, which is incorporated herein by reference.)
  • thermoelectric module of the prior art is shown in FIG. 1. It consists o two substrates 1 made of a rigid dielectric material, such as alumina, aluminum nitride or any othei suitable insulating substrate.
  • Interconnection elements 3 are placed on the interior surfaces of the two substrates 1 to connect th ⁇ thermoelements 4, as described below. Generally, a layer of copper or any other metallic conductc is adhered to the interior surfaces of the substrate and is etched to leave only the desired interconnection elements 3. The thickness of conventional interconnection elements 3 usually ranges between 0.004 inches to 0.02 inches. In addition, a complimenting layer of metal 5 such as copper, with similar thickness as the metallic layer on the inside, is often placed on the exterior surfaces of the two substrates 1 to help prevent warping of the substrates 1 due to differential expansion coefficients between the substrate material and the metallic conductors on the inside surface of the module.
  • the metallic layer on the outside, or strengthening element, 5 is usually produced to mirror the interconnection elements 3 on the inside of the module, using the same process as is used for the interconnection elements 3.
  • This outside layer of metal 5, such as copper does not carry any electrical current and is only used to compensate for interfacial stresses due to a thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between the substrate material and the metallic interconnection elements 3 on the inside of the module electrically connecting the thermoelements 4.
  • thermoelements 4 consist of alternating P-type semiconductors 6 and N-type semiconductors ' usually of bismuth telluride Bi 2 Te 3 doped with other elements to impart P or N type semiconductc properties although other thermoelement materials exist commercially and are under development.
  • the present invention applies to all thermoelectric materials.
  • thermoelements and interconnection elements are electrically connected in series (and thermally connected in parallel) through intimate contact with interconnection elements 3.
  • intimate contact between thermoelements and interconnection elements is achieved via solder, though other means exist to achieve sufficient thermal and electrical contact such the application o mechanical force.
  • anti-diffusion or mechanically compliant materials may exist between thermoelements and interconnection elements; any such configurations are understood to fall unde and apply to the present invention.
  • thermoelectric modules both for electronic power generation and for cooling.
  • Thermoelectric modules are both reliable and are silent in operation because of their solid state construction without the use of moving parts.
  • Thermoelectric modules used for power generation can produce electricity from waste heat, increasing efficiency and reducing pollutant emissions.
  • Thermoelectric modules used for cooling can achieve substantial cooling without the requirement of compressors, motors and of volatile refrigeration fluids.
  • thermoelements 4 of larger cross-sectional area to decrease their count in a given size thermoelectric module and to increase the reliability of the series circuit comprising the thermoelements 4 and the interconnection elements 3.
  • thermoelement cross-sectiorial area generally warrants an increase in the electric current flow through the circuit comprising the thermoelements 4 and the interconnection elements 3.
  • the increased electric current flow is not tolerated as well by a thermoelectric module operating in the cooling mode as compared to one operating in the power generation mode.
  • This decreased tolerance in the heating and cooling mode is due primarily to the generally low efficiency of thermoelectric energy conversion, where cooling with a thermoelectric module results in significantly more electric current flow when compared to power generation.
  • the size of the thermoelements 4, particularly in modules used for cooling is limited, at leasi in part, by the current carrying capacity of the interconnection elements 3.
  • the current carrying capacity of the interconnection elements 3 can be increased by increasing the width or the thickness of the interconnection elements 3.
  • the width of the interconnection elemen 3 is limited, in part, by the size (cross-section) of the thermoelement 4 as well as, in part, by the need to maintain sufficient thermoelement packing density within the thermoelectric module.
  • the thickness of the interconnection elements 3 is limited by the thickness that can be tolerated when employing standard etching processes.
  • thermoelements 4 of larger cross-sections without increasing the width or the thickness of the interconnection elements 3 on the inside of the module. It is a purpose of the present invention to increase the current carrying capacity of the said interconnection elements 3 by generating a dual current carrying path on the inside and the outside of the module.
  • a high! anisotropic material having excellent thermal conductivity in the direction out of the plane of the substrate as well as excellent electrical conductivity in the direction out of plane of the substrate ar essentially zero electrical conductivity in the plane of the substrate.
  • This material consists of numerous metallic fibers embedded essentially normal to the plane of the substrate in a layer of polymeric material.
  • the fibers may be metallic in nature (such as Ni, Cu or any other metal depending on the thermal end electrical conductivity, as well as Coefficents of Thermal Expansion requirements or carbon fiber).
  • the technology and fabrication of this material is covered by US Patents # 5,695,847 and ⁇ 5,849,130.
  • the present invention is a thermoelectric module with electric current carrying substrates.
  • Two substrates, each with an interior surface and an exterior surface, are made of an anisotropic materi ⁇ having high electrical and thermal conductivity normal to the plane of the substrate and low electrical and thermal conductivity laterally in the plane of the substrate.
  • Each substrate has a pattern of conducting interconnection elements on its interior surface.
  • a plurality of thermoelements comprising both P-type and N-type semiconductors, are sandwiched between the interior surfaces of the substrates such that alternating P-type and N-type semiconductors are connected in a series circuit by the interconnection elements on the interior surfaces of the substrates.
  • a plurality of conducting strengthening elements are placed on the exterior surface of the substrate in patterns that mirror the pattern of the interconnection elements on the interior surfaces of the substrates, thereby allowing a part of the electrical current in the series circuit that would otherwis ⁇ be carried by the interconnection elements to be carried by the strengthening elements.
  • FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a thermoelectric module of the prior art
  • FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a thermoelectric module of a preferred embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG 3 shows the electric current flow paths between two thermoelements of a thermo electric module of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 shows a "grey-scale" rendition of the current density vector sum of a pair of thermoelements connected according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of a thermoelectric module of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which a failure in the circuit is diagnosed and repaired.
  • thermoelements allows an increase in the cross-sectional area of thermoelements in a modul by increasing the electric current carrying capacity of the circuit comprising the thermoelements and interconnection elements.
  • This enables the fabrication of a large size, multi-purpose (power generator or cooler) thermoelectric module, for example 10 inches by 10 inches or more, to be designed with a lower number of thermoelements than was possible in the prior art and achieve the much higher current carrying capacity required between elements due to the presence of a conductor on the inside and the outside of the module without the limitations of resistive heating o the conductors due to high current density.
  • FIG. 2 A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2, which uses the same numbering as is used in FIG. 1 for the same elements.
  • the strengthening elements 5 that are placed on the exterior surface of the two substrates IA to reduce warping are used to provide additional electric current carrying capacity due to the properties of the anisotropic material used for the substrates IA.
  • the strengthening elements 5 to provide additional current carrying capacity is achieved by using a material for the two substrates IA that exhibits a low thermal and electrical resistance perpendicular to the plane of the substrate but exhibits a high thermal and electrical resistance in tr plane of the substrate.
  • the substrates IA of this preferred embodiment comprise electrically and thermally conductive fibers, such as nickel, copper or carbon, that are embedded in a polymer resii such as polyimide, polyamide, epoxy or liquid crystal, in a manner such that the fibers are oriented perpendicular, or close to perpendicular, to the plane of a substrate IA.
  • a polymer resii such as polyimide, polyamide, epoxy or liquid crystal
  • thermoelement 4 As shown in FIG. 3, a majority of the electric current flows through path 10 from one thermoelement 4, through interconnection element 3 to another thermoelement 4.
  • substrates IA using the material described herein for the substrates IA produces a substrate with a low thermal and electrical resistance perpendicular to the plane of the substrate and a high thermal and electrical resistance in the plane of the substrate.
  • some current can flow through path 10 from thermoelement 4, to an interconnection element 3 through the substrate IA to the strengthening element 5, along the same strengthening element 5, back through the substrate IA, to an interconnection element 3 and into another thermoelement 4, thereby increasing the electric curren capacity of the circuit, as shown in FIG 3.
  • FIG. 4 shows a typical electric current density contour plot (vector sum, AJm 2 ) using "gray scale"
  • vector sum AJm 2
  • FIG. 4 shows a typical electric current density contour plot (vector sum, AJm 2 ) using "gray scale”
  • the finite element analysis used to obtain this result shows that a significant amount of electric current flow in and out of the strengthening element 5.
  • a majority of the electric current flows through the interconnection element 3, but a significant amount of current carrying capacity is added by the strengthening element 5.
  • thermoelectric modules may contain several hundred or even thousands of thermoelements electrically connected i series or in a combination of serial and parallel connection. If the solder connection of one thermoelement to an interconnection element fails the entire series circuit fails. Moreover, there is no way to find the failed solder connection from the outside of the thermoelectric module.
  • FIG. 5 which uses the same numbering a: is used in FIG. 2 for the same elements, a failure 8 of an electrical connection of a thermoelement - to an interconnection element 3 is shown.
  • thermoelectric modules used either for electric power generation and cooling.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Measuring Temperature Or Quantity Of Heat (AREA)
  • Cooling Or The Like Of Semiconductors Or Solid State Devices (AREA)

Abstract

A thermoelectric module with electric current carrying substrates that allow a higher current carrying capacity between the thermoelements due to the presence of conductors on the interior and exterior of the substrates

Description

IMPROVED ELECTRIC CURRENT CARRYING SUBSTRATE FOR A THERMOELECTRIC MODULE
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present invention claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/784824 field on March 22, 2006, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to thermoelectric modules used either for electric power generation o for heating and cooling. More specifically, it relates to a means to increase the electric current floτ through such thermoelectric modules resulting in performance improvement of such modules.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A thermoelectric module can be used either to produce electric power from a temperature differential or to produce cooling from an electric current. It is a solid-state device that operates oi the Peltier (cooling) or the Seebeck (generation of electrical current) effect, which are known to those skilled in the art and are described in detail in McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, 8th edition, 1997, Vol.18, p349-359 and Vol. 13 p.212. (See also CRC Handbook of Thermoelectrics and Thermoelectric Refrigeration edited by D.M Rowe, 1995, which is incorporated herein by reference.)
A typical embodiment of a thermoelectric module of the prior art is shown in FIG. 1. It consists o two substrates 1 made of a rigid dielectric material, such as alumina, aluminum nitride or any othei suitable insulating substrate.
Interconnection elements 3 are placed on the interior surfaces of the two substrates 1 to connect th< thermoelements 4, as described below. Generally, a layer of copper or any other metallic conductc is adhered to the interior surfaces of the substrate and is etched to leave only the desired interconnection elements 3. The thickness of conventional interconnection elements 3 usually ranges between 0.004 inches to 0.02 inches. In addition, a complimenting layer of metal 5 such as copper, with similar thickness as the metallic layer on the inside, is often placed on the exterior surfaces of the two substrates 1 to help prevent warping of the substrates 1 due to differential expansion coefficients between the substrate material and the metallic conductors on the inside surface of the module. The metallic layer on the outside, or strengthening element, 5 is usually produced to mirror the interconnection elements 3 on the inside of the module, using the same process as is used for the interconnection elements 3. This outside layer of metal 5, such as copper does not carry any electrical current and is only used to compensate for interfacial stresses due to a thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between the substrate material and the metallic interconnection elements 3 on the inside of the module electrically connecting the thermoelements 4.
The thermoelements 4 consist of alternating P-type semiconductors 6 and N-type semiconductors ' usually of bismuth telluride Bi 2 Te3 doped with other elements to impart P or N type semiconductc properties although other thermoelement materials exist commercially and are under development. The present invention applies to all thermoelectric materials.
The alternating P-type 6 and N-type 7 semiconductors are electrically connected in series (and thermally connected in parallel) through intimate contact with interconnection elements 3. Often intimate contact between thermoelements and interconnection elements is achieved via solder, though other means exist to achieve sufficient thermal and electrical contact such the application o mechanical force. Further, anti-diffusion or mechanically compliant materials may exist between thermoelements and interconnection elements; any such configurations are understood to fall unde and apply to the present invention.
There are numerous advantages to using thermoelectric modules both for electronic power generation and for cooling. Thermoelectric modules are both reliable and are silent in operation because of their solid state construction without the use of moving parts. Thermoelectric modules used for power generation can produce electricity from waste heat, increasing efficiency and reducing pollutant emissions. Thermoelectric modules used for cooling can achieve substantial cooling without the requirement of compressors, motors and of volatile refrigeration fluids. For both, power generation and cooling, it is desirable to increase the size (footprint) of the thermoelectric module. This results in a decrease of module fabrication cost and the complexity o: installation for major power production or cooling due to a drastic reduction for interconnect requirements for a given power generation or cooling capacity. It is also desirable to have thermoelements 4 of larger cross-sectional area to decrease their count in a given size thermoelectric module and to increase the reliability of the series circuit comprising the thermoelements 4 and the interconnection elements 3.
However, an increase in the thermoelement cross-sectiorial area generally warrants an increase in the electric current flow through the circuit comprising the thermoelements 4 and the interconnection elements 3. The increased electric current flow is not tolerated as well by a thermoelectric module operating in the cooling mode as compared to one operating in the power generation mode. This decreased tolerance in the heating and cooling mode is due primarily to the generally low efficiency of thermoelectric energy conversion, where cooling with a thermoelectric module results in significantly more electric current flow when compared to power generation. Thus, the size of the thermoelements 4, particularly in modules used for cooling, is limited, at leasi in part, by the current carrying capacity of the interconnection elements 3.
The current carrying capacity of the interconnection elements 3 can be increased by increasing the width or the thickness of the interconnection elements 3. The width of the interconnection elemen 3 is limited, in part, by the size (cross-section) of the thermoelement 4 as well as, in part, by the need to maintain sufficient thermoelement packing density within the thermoelectric module. The thickness of the interconnection elements 3 is limited by the thickness that can be tolerated when employing standard etching processes.
It is a purpose of the present invention to increase the current carrying capacity of the circuit containing thermoelements 4 of larger cross-sections without increasing the width or the thickness of the interconnection elements 3 on the inside of the module. It is a purpose of the present invention to increase the current carrying capacity of the said interconnection elements 3 by generating a dual current carrying path on the inside and the outside of the module.
It is a purpose of the present invention to increase the current carrying capacity by utilizing a high! anisotropic material having excellent thermal conductivity in the direction out of the plane of the substrate as well as excellent electrical conductivity in the direction out of plane of the substrate ar essentially zero electrical conductivity in the plane of the substrate. Such a material is available, fo example, from btechcorp of Longmont, Co. 80503. This material consists of numerous metallic fibers embedded essentially normal to the plane of the substrate in a layer of polymeric material. The fibers may be metallic in nature (such as Ni, Cu or any other metal depending on the thermal end electrical conductivity, as well as Coefficents of Thermal Expansion requirements or carbon fiber). The technology and fabrication of this material is covered by US Patents # 5,695,847 and § 5,849,130.
SUMMARY
The present invention is a thermoelectric module with electric current carrying substrates. Two substrates, each with an interior surface and an exterior surface, are made of an anisotropic materi∑ having high electrical and thermal conductivity normal to the plane of the substrate and low electrical and thermal conductivity laterally in the plane of the substrate.
Each substrate has a pattern of conducting interconnection elements on its interior surface. A plurality of thermoelements, comprising both P-type and N-type semiconductors, are sandwiched between the interior surfaces of the substrates such that alternating P-type and N-type semiconductors are connected in a series circuit by the interconnection elements on the interior surfaces of the substrates.
A plurality of conducting strengthening elements are placed on the exterior surface of the substrate in patterns that mirror the pattern of the interconnection elements on the interior surfaces of the substrates, thereby allowing a part of the electrical current in the series circuit that would otherwis< be carried by the interconnection elements to be carried by the strengthening elements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein preferred embodiments are shown as follows:
FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a thermoelectric module of the prior art;
FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a thermoelectric module of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG 3 shows the electric current flow paths between two thermoelements of a thermo electric module of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows a "grey-scale" rendition of the current density vector sum of a pair of thermoelements connected according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of a thermoelectric module of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which a failure in the circuit is diagnosed and repaired.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention allows an increase in the cross-sectional area of thermoelements in a modul by increasing the electric current carrying capacity of the circuit comprising the thermoelements and interconnection elements. This enables the fabrication of a large size, multi-purpose (power generator or cooler) thermoelectric module, for example 10 inches by 10 inches or more, to be designed with a lower number of thermoelements than was possible in the prior art and achieve the much higher current carrying capacity required between elements due to the presence of a conductor on the inside and the outside of the module without the limitations of resistive heating o the conductors due to high current density.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2, which uses the same numbering as is used in FIG. 1 for the same elements. In this embodiment, the strengthening elements 5 that are placed on the exterior surface of the two substrates IA to reduce warping are used to provide additional electric current carrying capacity due to the properties of the anisotropic material used for the substrates IA.
Using the strengthening elements 5 to provide additional current carrying capacity is achieved by using a material for the two substrates IA that exhibits a low thermal and electrical resistance perpendicular to the plane of the substrate but exhibits a high thermal and electrical resistance in tr plane of the substrate. The substrates IA of this preferred embodiment comprise electrically and thermally conductive fibers, such as nickel, copper or carbon, that are embedded in a polymer resii such as polyimide, polyamide, epoxy or liquid crystal, in a manner such that the fibers are oriented perpendicular, or close to perpendicular, to the plane of a substrate IA. An example of this type oJ material is commercially available from btechcorp of Longmont, Co. 80503.
As shown in FIG. 3, a majority of the electric current flows through path 10 from one thermoelement 4, through interconnection element 3 to another thermoelement 4. However, using the material described herein for the substrates IA produces a substrate with a low thermal and electrical resistance perpendicular to the plane of the substrate and a high thermal and electrical resistance in the plane of the substrate. Thus, some current can flow through path 10 from thermoelement 4, to an interconnection element 3 through the substrate IA to the strengthening element 5, along the same strengthening element 5, back through the substrate IA, to an interconnection element 3 and into another thermoelement 4, thereby increasing the electric curren capacity of the circuit, as shown in FIG 3.
FIG. 4 shows a typical electric current density contour plot (vector sum, AJm2 ) using "gray scale" The finite element analysis used to obtain this result shows that a significant amount of electric current flow in and out of the strengthening element 5. As is shown in FIG. 4, a majority of the electric current flows through the interconnection element 3, but a significant amount of current carrying capacity is added by the strengthening element 5.
The electric current carrying substrates of the present invention also allow both enhanced diagnost: capability and on-site repair of thermoelectric modules. A given conventional thermoelectric module may contain several hundred or even thousands of thermoelements electrically connected i series or in a combination of serial and parallel connection. If the solder connection of one thermoelement to an interconnection element fails the entire series circuit fails. Moreover, there is no way to find the failed solder connection from the outside of the thermoelectric module. In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5 which uses the same numbering a: is used in FIG. 2 for the same elements, a failure 8 of an electrical connection of a thermoelement - to an interconnection element 3 is shown. By testing the flow of current, or the voltage, between strengthening element 5A and strengthening element 5B, it is easy to determine where the failure i the circuit has occurred. Moreover, by shorting-out the gap between strengthening element 5A an< strengthening element 5B, with solder, or other means known to those skilled in the art, the series circuit can be restored.
The enhanced diagnostic and on-site repair capabilities are applicable to thermoelectric modules used either for electric power generation and cooling.
While the principles of the present invention have been described herein, it is to be understood by tho; skilled in the art that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation as to the scope of the present invention. Other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the present invention in addition to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:
1. A thermoelectric module with electric current carrying substrates comprising,
A first substrate with an interior surface and an exterior surface and a second substrate witr an interior surface and an exterior surface, each of which substrates is made of an anisotropic material having high electrical and thermal conductivity in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate and low electrical and thermal conductivity laterally in the plane of the substrate,
A plurality of interconnection elements arranged in a first pattern on the interior surface of the first substrate and a plurality of interconnection elements arranged in a second pattern on the interior surface of the second substrate,
A plurality of thermoelements, comprising both P-type and N-type semiconductors, sandwiched between the interior surfaces of the substrates such that alternating P-type and N-type semiconductors are connected in a series circuit by the interconnection elements on the interior surfaces, and
A plurality of strengthening elements on the exterior surface of the first substrate in a third pattern that is a mirror image of the first pattern and a plurality of strengthening elements on the exterior surface of the second substrate in a fourth pattern that is a mirror image of the second pattern, such that a part of the electrical current in the series circuit that would otherwise be carriec by one or more interconnection elements is carried by one or more strengthening elements.
2. The thermoelectric module of Claim 1, wherein a failure in the series circuit can be found by testing the voltage between strengthening elements.
3. The thermoelectric module of Claim 1, wherein a failure in the series circuit can be repaired by shorting-out a gap between strengthening elements.
4. A thermoelectric module with electric current carrying substrates comprising,
A first substrate and a second substrate, each of which substrates is made of an anisotropic material having low electrical and thermal resistivity in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate and high electrical and thermal resistivity laterally in the plane of the substrate, A plurality of interconnection elements and a plurality of thermoelements, comprising both P-type and N-type semiconductors, arranged such that alternating P-type and N-type semiconductors are connected in a series circuit by the interconnection elements, and
A plurality of strengthening elements, such that a part of the electrical current in the series circuit that would otherwise be carried by one or more interconnection elements is carried by one ( more strengthening elements.
5. A method of increasing the electric current flow through a thermoelectric module, comprising,
Selecting a first substrate with an interior surface and an exterior surface and a second substrate with an interior surface and an exterior surface, each of which substrates is made of an anisotropic material having high electrical and thermal conductivity in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate and low electrical and thermal conductivity laterally in the plane of th< substrate,
Arranging a plurality of interconnection elements in a first pattern on the interior surface ol the first substrate and a plurality of interconnection elements in a second pattern on the interior surface of the second substrate,
Sandwiching a plurality of thermoelements, comprising both P-type and N-type semiconductors, between the interior surfaces of the substrates such that alternating P-type and N- type semiconductors are connected in a series circuit by the interconnection elements on the interk surfaces, and
Arranging a plurality of strengthening elements on the exterior surface of the first substrate in a third pattern that is a mirror image of the first pattern and a plurality of strengthening elements on the exterior surface of the second substrate in a fourth pattern that is a mirror image of the second pattern, such that a part of the electrical current in the series circuit that would otherwise be carried by one or more interconnection elements is carried by one or more strengthening elements.
6. A method of increasing the electric current flow through a thermoelectric module, comprising,
Selecting a first substrate and a second substrate, each of which substrates is made of an anisotropic material having low electrical and thermal resistivity in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate and high electrical and thermal resistivity laterally in the plane of the substrate,
Arranging a plurality of interconnection elements and a plurality of thermoelements, comprising both P-type and N-type semiconductors, such that alternating P-type and N-type semiconductors are connected in a series circuit by the interconnection elements, and
Arranging a plurality of strengthening elements, such that a part of the electrical current in the series circuit that would otherwise be carried by one or more interconnection elements is carrie by one or more strengthening elements.
PCT/US2007/007325 2006-03-22 2007-03-22 Improved electric current carrying substrate for a thermoelectric module WO2007109368A2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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US78482406P 2006-03-22 2006-03-22
US60/784,824 2006-03-22

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WO2007109368A3 WO2007109368A3 (en) 2008-10-16

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US9252512B2 (en) 2013-08-14 2016-02-02 Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation Power connector having enhanced thermal conduction characteristics
US9293680B2 (en) 2011-06-06 2016-03-22 Gentherm Incorporated Cartridge-based thermoelectric systems
US9306143B2 (en) 2012-08-01 2016-04-05 Gentherm Incorporated High efficiency thermoelectric generation
US9310112B2 (en) 2007-05-25 2016-04-12 Gentherm Incorporated System and method for distributed thermoelectric heating and cooling
JP2017069443A (en) * 2015-09-30 2017-04-06 ヤマハ株式会社 Thermoelectric conversion module
US9719701B2 (en) 2008-06-03 2017-08-01 Gentherm Incorporated Thermoelectric heat pump
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