Patent ID: 8188359

Claim:
A thermoelectric generator assembly, comprising: a thermoelectric generator having a thermoelectric element and spaced-apart hot and cold junction flanges that comprise flat plates that overhang the thermoelectric element, the hot junction flange having an adapter shaped for thermally coupling to a process vessel; a heat sink thermally coupled to ambient air and having a heat sink flange; and a heat pipe assembly comprising a fluid in a circulation chamber, the circulation chamber having a rectangular box shape, an overhanging evaporator flange mounted to the cold junction flange, and an overhanging condenser flange mounted to the heat sink flange, at least a portion of the fluid transporting heat from the overhanging evaporator flange to the overhanging condenser flange, the heat pipe assembly further comprising first and second circulation walls that extend inside the rectangular box shape toward the overhanging evaporator flange and the overhanging condenser flange, the first and second circulation walls being spaced apart from one another to define a central upward flow chamber between inner sides of the first and second circulation walls and to define first and second peripheral downward flow chambers peripheral to outer sides of the first and second circulation walls.