Superconducting thermoelectric generator

Patent Application · Thu Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:140603

Metzger, J D; El-Genk, M

This invention is comprised of an apparatus and method for producing electricity from heat. 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 higher thermal conductivity than that of the superconducting material. 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.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): PATENTS-US-A7841169
• Application Number: ON: DE94007341; PAN: 7-841,169
• OSTI ID: 140603
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: 1992
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
66 PHYSICS
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS
DESIGN
INVENTIONS
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
THERMOELECTRIC CONVERSION
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
LANTHANUM OXIDES
COPPER OXIDES
BARIUM OXIDES
STRONTIUM OXIDES
CALCIUM OXIDES
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems