Thermoelectric voltage generator

US4095998A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army · US

Inventor

• Charles M. Hanson · Richardson, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 30, 1976
• Grant date: Jun 20, 1978
• Expiry date: Sep 30, 1996

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10N10/852

Abstract

A thermoelectric voltage generator utilizing heat from a vehicle exhaust to rovide a differential temperature through a plurality of thermoelectric elements comprised of serially connected alternate N- and P-type semiconductors having alternate electrical contacts between adjacent elements at a hot side and at a cold side to produce electrical energy in accordance with the Seebeck effect and in which the electrical energy is applied to an external device by way of connections at opposite ends of said plurality of thermoelectric elements.