Patent ID: 9590160
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: F28D,H01L,Y10T

Claim:
1. An apparatus for thermoelectrically generating power from a heat source, the apparatus comprising: a thermoelectric device comprising: a first heat transfer element, wherein a first surface of the first heat transfer element is configured to conform to at least a portion of the outer surface of the heat source and a second surface of the first heat transfer element comprises a recess; a thermoelectric module coupled to the first heat transfer element, wherein (i) the thermoelectric module generates an electrical signal in response to a temperature difference over a thickness of the thermoelectric module, and (ii) the thermoelectric module comprises a third surface configured to be slidingly coupled, within the recess, to the first heat transfer element; and a second heat transfer element comprising a mounting block and a heat exchanging element, the heat exchanging element comprising at least one heat pipe and a plurality of fins distributed on the heat pipe, wherein (i) the heat exchanging element is configured to exchange heat between the thermoelectric device and the surrounding atmosphere, (ii) a portion of the heat pipe with the plurality of fins distributed thereon extends from the mounting block at a shallow angle from horizontal such that the portion of the heat pipe is splayed back along an axial direction of the heat source, and (iii) the fins are aligned at no greater than a shallow angle from vertical to take advantage of natural convection.