Title: Thermoelectric voltage generator

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Claims: I claim:

1. A vehicle hot exhaust thermoelectric voltage generator utilizing hot exhaust pipe gases from an internal combustion engine for providing electrical energy, said generator comprising in combination:

an exhaust pipe having a plurality of inner fin heat collectors on the interior thereof;

an inner layer of insulation around the exterior of said exhaust pipe at least surrounding said plurality of heat collectors, said inner layer of insulation being electrically insulative and heat conductive;

a plurality of inner electrical contacts contiguous with said inner layer of insualtion;

a plurality of thermoelectric elements comprised of alternate N- and P-type semiconductors having air spaces therebetween;

a plurality of outer electrical contacts;

an outer layer of insulation contiguous with and surrounding said plurality of outer electrical contacts, said outer layer of insulation being electrically insulative and heat conductive, wherein said plurality of inner electrical contacts connected across alternate air spaces to said N- and P-type semiconductors to form hot thermojunctions at the interface of said plurality of inner electrical contacts and said plurality of N- and P-type semiconductors and wherein said plurality of outer electrical contacts connected across alternate air spaces to said N- and P-type semiconductors to form cold thermojunctions at the interface of said plurality of outer electrical contacts whereby said plurality of N- and P-type semiconductors are electrically in series;

a heat sink contiguous with said outer layer of insulation; and

electrical connections connected to opposite ends of the serially connected plurality of thermoelectric elements for providing an electrical energy source to an external device by the Seebeck effect across the serially connected plurality of thermoelectric elements.

2. A thermoelectric voltage generator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of inner fin heat collectors are extruded fins along the interior wall of the exhaust pipe.

3. A thermoelectric voltage generator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of inner fin heat collectors are fins extruded in an aluminum tube which is inserted as a section of said exhaust pipe.

4. A thermoelectric voltage generator as set forth in claim 3 wherein said plurality of inner electrical contacts and said plurality of outer electrical contacts are made of copper that is pretinned with a relatively low temperature solder.

5. A thermoelectric voltage generator as set forth in claim 4 wherein said inner and outer layers of insulation and said plurality of inner and outer electrical contacts are about 0.01 inch thick.

6. A thermoelectric voltage generator as set forth in claim 5 wherein said N-type semiconductor is made of a combination of 95% Bi.sub.2 Te.sub.3 and 5% Bi.sub.2 Se.sub.3 and excess of SbI.sub.3 and wherein said P-type semiconductor is made of a combination of 75% Sb.sub.2 Te.sub.3 and 25% Bi.sub.2 Te.sub.3 and excess Te.

7. A thermoelectric voltage generator as set forth in claim 6 wherein said heat sink is comprised of a composite unit thermal conductor having cooling fins cut thereon.

Other info:

Inventors: Hanson, Charles M. (Springfield, VA, US)

Application Number: 728379
Filing Date: 1976-09-30
Publication_date: 1978-06-20
Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army (Washington, DC)
Primary Class(es): 136/208 136/205, 136/218
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

808086	Dec, 1905	Heil	136/208.
1118269	Nov, 1914	Creveling	136/208.
3794527	Feb, 1974	Kim	136/208.
3833428	Sep, 1974	Snyder et al.	136/208.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Wilbur, Maynard R.
Assistant Examiner: Berger, Richard E.
Attorney: Edelberg; Nathan, Harwell; Max L., Gibson; Robert P.