Back to results
US 7,254,953 B2Granted
Thermoelectric heat exchange element
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsJames J. Callas, Mahmoud A. Taher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermoelectric heat exchange module includes a first substrate including a heat receptive side and a heat donative side and a series of undulatory pleats. The module may also include a thermoelectric material layer having a ZT value of 1.0 or more disposed on at least one of the heat receptive side and the heat donative side, and an electrical contact may be in electrical communication with the thermoelectric material layer.
Claims22
A thermoelectric heat exchange module, comprising:
- a first substrate including a heat receptive side and a heat donative side and a series of undulatory pleats;
- a thermoelectric material layer having a ZT value of 1.0 or more disposed on at least one of the heat receptive side and the heat donative side;
- and
- an electrical contact in electrical communication with the thermoelectric material layer,
- wherein the series of undulatory pleats is structured with regularity to increase a surface area-to-volume ratio of the first substrate deposited with the thermoelectric material layer.
2 more elements
A machine, comprising:
- an engine that produces an exhaust stream;
- an exhaust system configured to carry the exhaust stream;
- and
- a thermoelectric heat exchange module disposed in the exhaust system, the thermoelectric heat exchange module including:
- a first substrate including a heat receptive side and a heat donative side and a series of undulatory pleats;
- a thermoelectric material layer having a ZT value of 1.0 or more disposed on at least one of the heat receptive side and the heat donative side;
- and
- an electrical contact in electrical communication with the thermoelectric material layer.
5 more elements
An method of recovering energy from a machine exhaust system, comprising:
- flowing an exhaust stream from an engine through a thermoelectric heat exchange module that includes:
- a first substrate including a heat receptive side and a heat donative side and a series of undulatory pleats;
- a thermoelectric material layer having a ZT value of 1.0 or more disposed on at least one of the heat receptive side and the heat donative side;
- and
- an electrical contact in electrical communication with the thermoelectric material layer;
- using the flowing exhaust stream to heat a first side of the thermoelectric material;
- cooling a second side of the thermoelectric material to generate a temperature gradient across the thermoelectric material and a related voltage level;
- providing the voltage level on the electrical contact for use by at least one electrically powered component.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.