GB982007A - Improvements in or relating to devices for the thermoelectric conversion of heat, the devices employing peltier elements - Google Patents

Abstract

982,007. Semi-conductor devices &c. SIEMENS-ELECTROGERATE A.G. May 16, 1961 [Aug. 3, 1960], No. 12482/64. Divided out of 980,458. Heading H1K. In an array of thermoelectric elements for heat, cold or power generation, the elements are interconnected on one side of the array by copper bridges which are held in a support by a common layer of insulating material extending around their marginal regions, the surfaces of the bridges remote from the elements being in direct contact with a heat exchange fluid. As shown in Fig. 1, elements 31 are connected by bridges 32, 33 sealed in glass plates 36, 34 the peripheries 38, 45 of which are sealed to the side walls 37, 46 of the evaporator and condenser chambers 39, 47 of closed evaporating- condensing heat transfer systems. These side walls are sealed by glass annuli 54, 55 to further walls 56, 57 the upper and lower edges of which are welded to an annular wall 58 through which extends a vacuum connection 59. Thus the chamber 60 containing the elements can be evacuated. The heat exchange surfaces of the bridges can be recessed or finned. Instead of being located in a vacuum chamber 60, the elements can be embedded in a block of sealing compound such as tetrafluoroethylene which also encloses the bridges in place of the glass plates. As shown in Fig. 5, elements 71 are connected by bridges 72, 73 on the heatdissipating and heat-absorbing sides, the former being cooled by the evaporator 77 of a secondary heat transfer system and the latter having fins 81 extending into a duct 82 traversed by hot gas. Bridges 72 are mounted in a glass plate 74. This arrangement generates power.