Apparatus and method for converting thermal energy into electrical energy

An apparatus for converting thermal energy into electric energy, comprising one or more thermomagnetic generators, wherein a thermomagnetic generator contains at least one first and one second thermomagnetic component, at least two components made of hard magnetic material, at least one coil, and at least two connecting elements made of magnetic flux-conducting material, wherein

• the thermomagnetic components and the at least two components made of hard magnetic materials are respectively arranged such that they are locally separate from one another, and wherein
• the thermomagnetic components and the components made of hard magnetic material are connected to the at least two connecting elements made of magnetic flux-conducting material, and wherein
• the thermomagnetic components are arranged such that they are locally separate from the at least one coil, and wherein
• the at least one coil comprises as a coil core at least one subregion of the connecting element made of magnetic flux-conducting material, and wherein
• the at least two thermomagnetic components, the at least two connecting elements made of magnetic flux-conducting material, the at least two components made of hard magnetic material, and the at least one coil are embodied to form at least two magnetic circuits, wherein the magnetic north poles of the at least two components made of hard magnetic material are connected to one of the two connecting elements made of magnetic flux-conducting material, and the magnetic south poles thereof are connected to the other connecting element of the two connecting elements made of magnetic flux-conducting material.