Patent ID: 8283553

Claim:
A system for generating power from a thermal source comprising: a heat exchanger element having a first side facing the thermal source and a second side opposite the first side facing the thermal source; a first column of thermoelectric pairs and a parallel second column of thermoelectric pairs, wherein each thermoelectric pair in each column comprises: a P-type thermoelectric element having a first end adjacent the heat exchanger element and a second end opposite the first end; an N-type thermoelectric element having a first end adjacent the heat exchanger element and a second end opposite the first end; a first conductor connected between the first end of the P-type thermoelectric element and the first end of the N-type thermoelectric element and in contact with the second side of the heat exchanger element; and wherein each column comprises a plurality of second conductors, each second conductor connected between the second end of the P-type thermoelectric element of one thermoelectric pair in the column and the second end of the N-type thermoelectric element of one adjacent thermoelectric pair in the column; and a plurality of photo converters, each photon converter coupled between the first end of one of the N-type thermoelectric elements in the first column of thermoelectric pairs and the first end of one of the P-type thermoelectric elements in the second column of thermoelectric pairs.