# US 2014/0150840 A1 · Thermoelectric Generator Unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150840 A1 - Document ID: US20140150840A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/004,189 - Filed: 2012-03-12 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-11 - Assignees: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, Germany GmbH - Inventors: Christian Paul Vitek; Boris Kienle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150840A1 ## CPC - H10N 10/17: characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device - F01N 3/043: {without contact between liquid and exhaust gases} - F01N 5/025: {the device being thermoelectric generators} - H10N 10/13: characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction - F01N 2410/02: in case of high temperature, e.g. overheating of catalytic reactor - F01N 2470/10: Tubes having non-circular cross section - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A thermoelectric generator unit, in particular for coupling to an exhaust gas pipe of an internal combustion engine, comprises at least one inner tube (16) having gas flowing therein and whose outer circumference comprises at least one flat portion (24). An oval outer housing (12) completely surrounds the inner tube (16) in circumferential direction. A plurality of thermoelectric modules (14) are arranged on the flat portions (24) of the inner tube (16). At least one cooling element (18) is provided which comprises a flat side on which the thermoelectric modules (14) are arranged. The assembly unit made up of inner tube (16), thermoelectric modules (14) and cooling element (18) is surrounded by an elastic compensation element (20) which rests on the inner side of the outer housing (12) and is retained in the outer housing (12) by means of clamping. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermoelectric generator unit, in particular for coupling to an exhaust gas pipe of an internal combustion engine, comprising: at least one inner tube having gas flowing therein and an outer circumference that comprises at least one flat portion, an oval outer housing completely surrounding at least one the inner tube in a circumferential direction, a plurality of thermoelectric modules arranged on the at least one flat portion of the at least one inner tube, at least one cooling element comprising a flat side on which the thermoelectric modules are arranged, and an assembly unit made up of the at least one inner tube, the plurality of thermoelectric modules, and the at least one cooling element, the assembly unit being surrounded by an elastic compensation element that rests on an inner side of the outer housing and is retained in the outer housing by clamping. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 1, wherein a first portion of an outer circumference of the at least one cooling element substantially corresponds to a curvature of the outer housing and a second portion of the outer circumference of the at least one cooling element is substantially flat. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 1, wherein an inlet and/or an outlet for the at least one cooling element is arranged on a lateral surface of the outer housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one gas-carrying channel and a bypass channel are provided in an interior of the outer housing, and wherein hot gas can be selectively directed through the at least one gas-carrying channel and/or the bypass channel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 4, wherein the at least one inner tube comprises at least three inner tubes that form at least two gas-carrying outer channels and a bypass channel arranged therebetween, and wherein hot gas can be selectively directed through the at least two gas-carrying outer channels and/or the bypass channel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inner tube is divided to have at least two outer channels and a bypass channel arranged therebetween, and wherein hot gas can be selectively directed through the at least two outer channels and/or the bypass channel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inner tube has a substantially rectangular cross-section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 7, wherein the at least one inner tube has a wide side arranged to be substantially parallel to a long axis of a cross-section of the oval outer housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 5, including a plurality of parallel inner tubes, each having a wide side arranged to be perpendicular to a long axis of a cross-section of the oval outer housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 1, wherein the outer housing comprises two housing shells which meet each other at a short axis area of the outer housing and are fastened to each other in this area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 1, wherein the outer housing is formed of two housing shells which adjoin each other approximately in a middle of a long axis of a cross-section of the oval outer housing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 10, wherein the housing shells are pushed into each other. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inner tube comprises a plurality of inner tubes, said plurality of inner tubes being arranged in alternating fashion with thermoelectric modules and cooling elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 1, wherein a bypass channel is arranged in a middle of the outer housing and is thermally isolated at both sides with respect to adjoining inner tubes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric modules are arranged such that module end faces are not in contact with the elastic compensation element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The thermoelectric generator unit according to claim 11, wherein the housing shells are pushed into each other.