Split body peltier device for cooling and power generation applications

A thermoelectric device, comprising:

• a plurality of cold junctions, each cold junction comprising an N-type conductor in contact with a P-type conductor and each cold junction being in thermal contact with a first conductive substrate;
• a plurality of hot junctions, each hot junction comprising an N-type conductor in contact with a P-type conductor and each hot junction being in thermal contact with a second conductive substrate, wherein the number of cold junctions and hot junctions are substantially equal and further wherein the first conductive substrate is substantially thermally isolated from the second conductive substrate;
• a plurality of primary connectors providing electrical contact between the N-type conductors in cold junctions and the N-type conductors in the hot junctions;
• a plurality of secondary connectors providing electrical contact between the P-type conductors in cold junctions and the P-type conductors in the hot junctions;
• and
• a plurality of tertiary connectors providing electrical contact between the thermoelectric device and a current source.

A method of constructing a thermoelectric device comprising:

• forming a plurality of cold plates, each cold plate comprising a cold junction and a first conductive substrate, the cold junction comprising an N-type conductor in contact with a P-type conductor, the cold junction being in thermal contact with the first conductive substrate;
• forming a plurality of hot plate, the hot plate comprising a hot junction and a second conductive substrate, the hot junction comprising an N-type conductor in contact with a P-type conductor, the hot junction being in thermal contact with the second conductive substrate;
• thermally isolating the cold plates from the hot plates, the thermal isolation being accomplished by one or more methods selected from the group consisting of separating the cold plates and the hot plates and using insulating materials to prevent heat transfer from the hot plates to the cold plates;
• forming a plurality of primary connectors for providing electrical contact between the N-type conductors of the cold junctions and the N-type conductors of the hot junctions, the primary connectors being configured and arranged to provide a fin parameter of at least 5;
• forming a plurality of secondary connectors for providing electrical contact between the P-type conductors of the cold junctions and the P-type conductors of the hot junctions, the secondary connectors being configured and arranged to provide a fin parameter of at least 5;
• forming a cold connector that provides electric contact between at least one cold plate and a current source;
• forming a hot connector that provides electrical contact between at least one hot plate and the current source;
• and
• arranging the cold plates, hot plates, primary connectors, secondary connectors, cold connector, hot connector, and current source to form a complete circuit.