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US 7,231,772 B2Granted
Compact, high-efficiency thermoelectric systems
AssigneeBsst LLC
InventorLon E. Bell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A number of compact, high-efficiency thermoelectric system utilizing the advantages of thermal isolation in the direction of a working medium flow or movement, in manufacturable systems, are described. Such configurations exhibit high system efficiency and power density. Several different embodiments and applications are disclosed utilizing a plurality of thermoelectric modules or thermoelectric elements sandwiched between heat exchangers.
Claims13
An improved thermoelectric system comprising:
- a plurality of thermoelectric modules, at least some of which are substantially thermally isolated from each other, each module having a hotter side and a colder side;
- and
- at least one solid movable working medium in thermal communication with at least two of the plurality of thermoelectric modules in sequence, such that the working medium is progressively cooled or heated in stages by at least two of the plurality of thermoelectric modules, the working medium movable relative to at least two of the plurality of thermoelectric modules as the working medium is cooled or heated.
An improved thermoelectric system comprising:
- a plurality of thermoelectric modules, at least some of which are substantially thermally isolated from each other, the plurality of thermoelectric modules comprising at least one N-type thermoelectric element and at least one P-type thermoelectric element, each thermoelectric module having a hotter side and a colder side;
- and
- a plurality of heat transfer devices, at least some of which are in different planes and in thermal communication with at least one of the plurality of thermoelectric modules, at least two of the heat transfer devices fluidly coupled together and accepting a first working fluid that flows sequentially through the at least two heat transfer devices, wherein the first working fluid is cooled or heated in stages as it flows through the at least two heat transfer devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.