Hyundai Motor Company

Kia Motors Corporation

Ho Chan An

Jin Woo Kwak

Hoo Dam Lee

Kwang Min Choi

Jong Ho Seon

Byung-Wook Kim

Byung Wook Kim

A thermoelectric generator for a vehicle utilizing heat of exhaust gas discharged from an engine of the vehicle includes a heat exchange unit, through which a coolant circulates, a thermoelectric generation unit for converting thermal energy of exhaust gas into electrical energy, a first flow passage for guiding the exhaust gas to pass through the heat exchange unit, a second flow passage for guiding the exhaust gas to pass through the thermoelectric generation unit, a third flow passage for guiding the exhaust gas to bypass the heat exchange unit and the thermoelectric generation unit without passing therethrough, a first valve for opening or closing the first flow passage, a second valve for selectively opening or closing the second flow passage and the third flow passage, and a driving unit for operating the first valve and the second valve by a single power source.

Thermoelectric generator for vehicle

A thermoelectric conversion module may include a plurality of n type thermoelectric conversion materials and a plurality of p type thermoelectric conversion materials that are disposed alternately, and a plurality of electrodes that connects the plurality of thermoelectric conversion material disposed alternately on one side and on an opposite side alternately, wherein the plurality of electrodes includes a first electrode configured to electrically connect the n type thermoelectric conversion material and the p type thermoelectric conversion material by penetrating the n type thermoelectric conversion material and the p type thermoelectric conversion material to transfer heat obtained from a heat source to the plurality of thermoelectric conversion materials.

Thermoelectric conversion module and vehicle including the same

A heat exchanger for a vehicle is provided to improve fuel efficiency by implementing an integrated structure of exhaust gas heat recovery function and thermoelectric generation function. The heat exchanger allows exhaust gas that is flowed into the heat exchange generator in the cold start mode of the vehicle to pass through the exhaust gas heat recovery component side and thermoelectric generation component side. Therefore, the temperature of the coolant rapidly increases, thereby reducing the engine warm-up time, and electricity is generated through thermoelectric module, thereby maximizing the fuel efficiency improvement.

Heat exchanger for vehicle

A thermoelectric conversion module may include a plurality of n type thermoelectric conversion materials and a plurality of p type thermoelectric conversion materials that are disposed alternately, and a plurality of electrodes that connects the plurality of thermoelectric conversion material disposed alternately on one side and on an opposite side alternately, wherein the plurality of electrodes may include a high temperature side electrode configured to protrude towards a pipe, through which a heat transfer fluid flows, with respect to high temperature side end portions of the plurality of thermoelectric conversion materials and to be inserted into a through-hole formed at the pipe to obtain heat while directly contacting the heat transfer fluid and to transfer the obtained heat to the plurality of thermoelectric conversion materials.

Growing community of inventors

Hwaseong-si, South Korea

Ho Chan An