Patent ID: 7915516

Claim:
A method for generating electric voltage, comprising: disposing a first heat sink on a first surface of a thermoelectric module; submitting the first surface of the thermoelectric module to a heat source, wherein the first heat sink conveys heat from the heat source to the first surface; disposing a second heat sink on a second surface opposite the first surface; monitoring an output voltage of the thermoelectric module that is generated by a thermal differential between the first surface and the second surface of the thermoelectric device; determining when the output voltage of the thermoelectric module crosses a maximum voltage threshold; and upon determining the monitored output voltage of the thermoelectric module crosses the maximum voltage threshold, applying a thermal adjustment to the first heat sink by activating circulation of a first cooling fluid between the first heat sink and a cooling source in a first cooling loop and applying a thermal adjustment to the second heat sink by activating circulation of a second cooling fluid between the second heat sink and a second cooling source in a second cooling loop to direct the output voltage to equal or below the maximum voltage threshold.