Kelk Ltd.

Hiroyuki Matsunami

Shinichi Fujimoto

Yonghoon Lee

Kouji Nagano

Tetsushi Tanaka

A thermoelectric module includes: a lower substrate; an upper substrate that is disposed above the lower substrate and faces the lower substrate; a plurality of p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements that are disposed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate; a first electrode that is disposed on an upper surface of the lower substrate and a lower surface of the upper substrate and forms a series circuit by alternately and sequentially connecting the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements; and a second electrode that is provided on the lower substrate and connects a thermoelectric element at an end portion of the series circuit and a post. The post includes a post main body that is formed of titanium, and a titanium passive film that covers a side surface of the post main body.

Thermoelectric module and method for manufacturing thermoelectric module post

A thermoelectric generator unit includes: a case having a heating surface and a cooling surface; first to fourth thermoelectric generator modules housed in the case, the thermoelectric generator modules including a plurality of thermoelectric elements; a multilayer substrate including: a first layer including an interelement electrode for forming an output circuit configured to connect the thermoelectric elements; a second layer provided with a plurality of through holes penetrating therethrough from front to back; and a third layer including a plurality of bypass patterns electrically continuous with the through holes; and lead pins that penetrate through the case inward and outward, the lead pins having base ends connected to both ends of the output circuit on a surface of the first layer, the output circuit being defined in each of the thermoelectric generator modules.

Thermoelectric generation unit

A thermoelectric power module which can be manufactured without spoiling solderability or joining strength when a thermoelectric element and an electrode are joined to each other by using solder, and in which electric resistance does not largely increase in long time use. The thermoelectric power module includes: a thermoelectric element consisting essentially of a thermoelectric material containing at least two kinds of elements of bismuth, tellurium, antimony, and selenium as principal components; at least one diffusion prevention layer and a solder joint layer disposed in sequence on a surface of the thermoelectric element, the at least one diffusion prevention layer not containing nickel, and the solder joint layer consisting essentially of at least one of nickel, tin, and an alloy or compound containing them as principal components; an electrode; an electrode protection layer disposed at least on one principal surface of the electrode, and including a film containing nickel as a principal component and having a thickness of 0.2 &#x3bc;m to 3.0 &#x3bc;m; and a solder layer joining the solder joint layer to a partial area of the electrode protection layer.

Thermoelectric power module

A thermoelectric power module capable of suppressing diffusion of not only a material of a solder layer but also a material of a solder joint layer into a thermoelectric element, or suppressing oxidation of the thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric power module includes in sequence: a thermoelectric element consisting essentially of a thermoelectric material containing at least two kinds of elements of bismuth (Bi), tellurium (Te), antimony (Sb), and selenium (Se) as principal components; a first diffusion prevention layer consisting essentially of at least one of molybdenum (Mo) and tungsten (W); a second diffusion prevention layer consisting essentially of at least one of cobalt (Co), titanium (Ti), and an alloy or compound containing them as principal components; and a solder joint layer consisting essentially of at least one of nickel (Ni), tin (Sn), and an alloy or compound containing them as principal components.

A thermoelectric power module comprising: a thermoelectric element employing a bismuth-tellurium (Bi&#x2014;Te) based thermoelectric material; at least one barrier layer disposed on the thermoelectric element; an electrode; an electrode protection layer disposed at least on one principal surface of the electrode; a solder layer having a side surface formed with a recess, the solder layer joining a first region of the electrode protection layer to the at least one barrier layer; and a coating film disposed on a side surface of the thermoelectric element, a side surface of the at least one barrier layer, and the side surface of the solder layer, the coating film covering a second region adjacent to the first region of the electrode protection layer and being filled into the recess of the solder layer.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Hiroyuki Matsunami