Superconducting thermoelectric generator
Abstract
An apparatus and method for producing electricity from heat is disclosed. The present invention is a thermoelectric generator that uses materials with substantially no electrical resistance, often called superconductors, to efficiently convert heat into electrical energy without resistive losses. Preferably, an array of superconducting elements is encased within a second material with a high thermal conductivity. The second material is preferably a semiconductor. Alternatively, the superconducting material can be doped on a base semiconducting material, or the superconducting material and the semiconducting material can exist as alternating, interleaved layers of waferlike materials. A temperature gradient imposed across the boundary of the two materials establishes an electrical potential related to the magnitude of the temperature gradient. The superconducting material carries the resulting electrical current at zero resistivity, thereby eliminating resistive losses. The elimination of resistive losses significantly increases the conversion efficiency of the thermoelectric device. 4 figs.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 644416
- Patent Number(s):
- 5747418
- Application Number:
- PAN: 8-732,945
- Assignee:
- Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 5 May 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS; DESIGN; SUPERCONDUCTORS; SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS; ENERGY EFFICIENCY; NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
Citation Formats
Metzger, J D, and El-Genk, M S. Superconducting thermoelectric generator. United States: N. p., 1998.
Web.
Metzger, J D, & El-Genk, M S. Superconducting thermoelectric generator. United States.
Metzger, J D, and El-Genk, M S. Tue .
"Superconducting thermoelectric generator". United States.
@article{osti_644416,
title = {Superconducting thermoelectric generator},
author = {Metzger, J D and El-Genk, M S},
abstractNote = {An apparatus and method for producing electricity from heat is disclosed. The present invention is a thermoelectric generator that uses materials with substantially no electrical resistance, often called superconductors, to efficiently convert heat into electrical energy without resistive losses. Preferably, an array of superconducting elements is encased within a second material with a high thermal conductivity. The second material is preferably a semiconductor. Alternatively, the superconducting material can be doped on a base semiconducting material, or the superconducting material and the semiconducting material can exist as alternating, interleaved layers of waferlike materials. A temperature gradient imposed across the boundary of the two materials establishes an electrical potential related to the magnitude of the temperature gradient. The superconducting material carries the resulting electrical current at zero resistivity, thereby eliminating resistive losses. The elimination of resistive losses significantly increases the conversion efficiency of the thermoelectric device. 4 figs.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue May 05 00:00:00 EDT 1998},
month = {Tue May 05 00:00:00 EDT 1998}
}