Thermoelectric element comprising a contact structure and method of making the contact structure
AssigneeMicropower Global Limited
InventorsAruna R. Dedigama, Cameron N. Paiga, Alan H. Henderson, Thomas E. Zirkle
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Abstract
An induction heating system can comprise a furnace chamber comprising a non-magnetic and non-conductive furnace wall; at least one induction heating coil surrounding an outer side of the furnace wall in a length direction (z) of the furnace chamber; and a holding and pressing construction. The holding and pressing construction can be designed to hold an arrangement to be placed within the furnace chamber, and the holding and pressing construction can apply a pressure on a proximal end and a distal end of the arrangement in the length direction of the chamber.
Claims12
A thermoelectric element comprising:
- a thermoelectric body, a first contact structure, and a second contact structure, wherein the first contact structure comprises at least one first porous metal structure and at least one metal layer, wherein
- the at least one first porous metal structure is at least partially embedded within a first outer region of the thermoelectric body;
- the at least one metal layer comprises a first metal layer and a second metal layer;
- the at least one metal layer is overlying an outer surface of the first outer region of the thermoelectric body and the first metal layer is in direct contact with the at least one first porous metal structure;
- each of the at least one first porous metal structure, the first metal layer, and the second metal layer comprise nickel;
- and
- the first metal layer has a thickness of at least 10 nm and not greater than 2000 nm and the second metal layer has a thickness of at least 3 microns and not greater than 200 microns, and a stress of the second metal layer is lower than a stress of the first metal layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.