Patent ID: 8519253

Claim:
Method of converting heat into electrical energy by means of the thermoelectric effect, whereby at least two thermocouples each made from at least two different materials inducing the Seebeck effect serving as thermoelectric branches are connected to one another in a series or a parallel connection or a combination of the two connections, and the thermocouples each have a contact point to be heated, wherein the following method steps are applied: a) the contact point to be heated has a contact surface relative to the thermoelectric branches that is less than 5% of the “averaged total conductive cross-section” determined by the following equation ϖ = V A l A + V B l B in which: ω =averaged total conducting cross-section of the two thermoelectric branches V A =volume of thermoelectric branch A V B =volume of thermoelectric branch B l A =conducting length of thermoelectric branch A l B =conducting length of thermoelectric branch B b) thermal energy input from outside is fed directly to only the contact points or the contact surfaces formed by the contact points; c) the thermal energy fed in from outside is directed to the contact points or contact surfaces formed by the contact points in only a limited quantity corresponding to the energy equivalent of electric power generated by the respective thermocouple plus the losses occurring due to heat dispersion to the adjoining thermoelectric branches.