US 5,470,395 AGranted

Reversible thermoelectric converter

OwnerJoseph C. Yater, Jane A. Yater +1inventors

InventorsJoseph C. Yater, Jane A. Yater, Joan E. Yater

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Abstract

A reversible thermoelectric converter includes first and second quantum well diodes and an electrical connection between the first and second quantum well diodes without a thermal barrier between them. Each quantum well diode includes first and second electrodes wherein electrons are quantized in discrete energy levels and a dielectric layer providing a potential barrier between the first and second electrodes. When electrons in the first quantum well diode have a higher temperature than the electrons in the second quantum well diode, electric voltage fluctuations resulting from transitions of the electrons between the energy levels in the first quantum well diode are coupled from the first quantum well diode to the second quantum well diode. The reversible thermoelectric converter can be operated for power conversion of thermal energy to electric energy, as a heat pump or a refrigerator, or as an amplifier. A planar array of reversible thermoelectric converter elements provides a desired output voltage and current.

Claims21

Dependent claims

Apparatus for converting thermal energy from an external source to thermal energy at a higher temperature than the external source, comprising:

a first device comprising first and second regions wherein electric carriers are quantized in discrete energy levels, and a third region providing a potential barrier between said first and second regions, said first device receiving thermal energy from the external source and converting the thermal energy into electric voltage fluctuations;
a second device comprising first and second regions wherein electric carriers are quantized in discrete energy levels, and a third region providing a potential barrier between said first and second regions, said second device converting electric voltage fluctuations to thermal energy at a higher temperature than the temperature of the external source;
means for supplying to said first device a DC voltage sufficient to reverse a contact potential across said first device;
and
means for electrically connecting said first device to said second device without a thermal barrier between them such that the electric voltage fluctuations generated by said first device in response to energy fluctuations from said external source are coupled to said second device and are converted by said second device to thermal energy at a higher temperature than the temperature of said external source.

2 more elements

A two-stage reversible thermoelectric converter comprising:

a power conversion stage comprising a first quantum well diode for receiving thermal energy and converting the thermal energy to electric voltage fluctuations, a second quantum well diode for converting electric voltage fluctuations to electric energy, and means for electrically connecting the first quantum well to the second quantum well diode without a thermal barrier between them such that the electric voltage fluctuations generated by the first quantum well diode are coupled to the second quantum well diode and are converted to electric energy by the second quantum well diode;
and
a heat pump stage for reducing the temperature of the second quantum well diode in the power conversion stage, said heat pump stage comprising a third quantum well diode for receiving thermal energy from the second quantum well diode and converting the thermal energy into electric voltage fluctuations, a fourth quantum well diode for converting electric voltage fluctuations to thermal energy at a higher temperature than the temperature of the second quantum well diode, means for supplying to the third quantum well diode a DC voltage sufficient to reverse the contact potential across the third quantum well diode, and means for electrically connecting the third quantum well diode to the fourth quantum well diode without a thermal barrier between them such that electric voltage fluctuations generated by the third quantum well diode are coupled to the fourth quantum well diode and are converted by the fourth quantum well diode to thermal energy at a higher temperature than the temperature of the second quantum well diode.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/269,654Filed 30 Jun 1994 · division
Priority: 30 Mar 1992
Granted: 28 Nov 1995
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H10N 10/00
Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting seebeck
H10N 10/17
Operating with only the Peltier or Seebeck effects: characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device
F25B 2321/003
Details of machines, plants or systems, using electric or magnetic effects: by using thermionic electron cooling effects
H10N
Electric solid-state devices not otherwise provided for