Patent ID: 8373057
Filing Date: 2013-02-12
Classification: H01L,H02S,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A thermoelectric apparatus comprising: a thermoelectric element including a thermopair and a pn-junction having a p-side and an n-side; a heat source; and a heat sink, wherein the thermoelectric element, the heat source, and the heat sink are operably coupled to form a thermoelectric generator, wherein the thermopair includes a first material with a positive Seebeck coefficient and a second material with a negative Seebeck coefficient, wherein the first material is selectively contacted by way of a first conductor with the p-side of the pn-junction and the second material is selectively contacted by way of a second conductor with the n-side of the pn-junction, wherein the heat source is thermally coupled to a hot end of the thermopair and the heat sink is thermally coupled to a cold end of the thermopair, and the heat source and the heat sink create a temperature difference in the thermopair between the hot end and the cold end of the thermopair which generates thermoelectric voltage, wherein the thermoelectric voltage electrically poles the pn-junction in the reverse direction by way of the first and second conductors, and wherein the first conductor is physically connected to the heat source and the p-side of the pn-junction, and the second conductor is physically connected to the heat source and the n-side of the pn-junction.