Thermoelectric device and preparation method

Abstract

The invention discloses a thermoelectric device and a preparation method, the thermoelectric device comprises a hot-end substrate, a cold-end substrate and thermoelectric arms, the hot-end substrate comprises a hot-end electrode, the cold-end substrate comprises a cold-end electrode, the cold-end substrate and the hot-end substrate are oppositely arranged at an interval, the plurality of thermoelectric arms are arranged between the hot-end substrate and the cold-end substrate, and the plurality of thermoelectric arms are arranged between the hot-end substrate and the cold-end substrate. The thermoelectric arm is connected with the hot end electrode and the cold end electrode; wherein the hot end substrate and / or the cold end substrate are / is flexible parts. According to the thermoelectric device provided by the embodiment of the invention, the hot-end substrate and / or the cold-end substrate are / is flexible parts, so that the hot-end substrate and / or the cold-end substrate have / has certain deformability, and the whole thermoelectric device is in a flexible state and can be better attached to the surface of a heat exchanger; the effective contact area between the heat exchanger and the thermoelectric device is increased, and the heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric device and the heat exchanger is improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of thermoelectric devices, in particular to a thermoelectric device and a preparation method. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the related art, a thermoelectric device includes a hot end substrate, a cold end substrate and a thermoelectric arm, the thermoelectric arm is located between the hot end substrate and the cold end substrate, and is connected with a heat exchanger through the hot end substrate and / or the cold end substrate, so as to realize the connection between the thermoelectric device and the heat exchanger, thereby facilitating heat exchange between the thermoelectric device and the heat exchanger.

[0003] However, the effective contact area between the hot end substrate and / or the cold end substrate and the heat exchanger in the related art is small, especially when the surface of the heat exchanger is uneven, the effective contact area between the hot end substrate and / or the cold end substrate and the heat exchanger is too small, and the reduction of the effective contact area between the two will reduce the heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric device and the heat exchanger. Therefore, how to increase the effective contact area between the thermoelectric device and the heat exchanger becomes a technical problem to be solved. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, one object of the present application is to provide a thermoelectric device, the hot end substrate and / or the cold end substrate of the thermoelectric device itself has a deformation ability, can be well fitted with the surface of the heat exchanger, increase the effective contact area between the thermoelectric device and the heat exchanger, and improve the heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric device and the heat exchanger.

[0005] The present application also provides a preparation method of the above-mentioned thermoelectric device.

[0006] According to the thermoelectric device of the first aspect of the present application, the hot end substrate includes a hot end electrode, the cold end substrate includes a cold end electrode, the cold end substrate is arranged opposite and spaced apart from the hot end substrate, and the thermoelectric arm is a plurality of and arranged between the hot end substrate and the cold end substrate, and the thermoelectric arm is connected with the hot end electrode and the cold end electrode, wherein the hot end substrate and / or the cold end substrate is a flexible member.

[0007] According to the thermoelectric device of the present application, the hot end substrate and / or the cold end substrate is a flexible member, so that the hot end substrate and / or the cold end substrate itself has a certain deformation ability, so that the thermoelectric device as a whole presents a flexible state, can be well fitted with the surface of the heat exchanger, increase the effective contact area between the heat exchanger and the thermoelectric device, especially when the surface of the heat exchanger is uneven, the hot end substrate and / or the cold end substrate can also be well fitted with the surface of the heat exchanger, to increase the effective contact area between the thermoelectric device and the heat exchanger with uneven surface, which is conducive to improving the heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric device and the heat exchanger.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present application, the hot-end substrate and / or the cold-end substrate comprises a molybdenum-copper substrate, at least part of the molybdenum-copper substrate of the hot-end substrate constitutes the hot-end electrode, and at least part of the molybdenum-copper substrate of the cold-end substrate constitutes the cold-end electrode.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present application, the thickness of the molybdenum-copper substrate is 0.05mm-0.5mm.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present application, the hot-end substrate is a cuboid with a first groove on its surface, the first groove is located on the side of the hot-end substrate facing the thermoelectric arm, the hot-end substrate comprises a first connecting part, the first connecting part is used for connecting with the thermoelectric arm, the first connecting part is two, the two first connecting parts are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the hot-end substrate, and the first groove is located between the two first connecting parts.

[0011] The cold-end substrate is a cuboid with a second groove on its surface, the second groove is located on the side of the cold-end substrate facing the thermoelectric arm, the cold-end substrate comprises a second connecting part, the second connecting part is used for connecting with the thermoelectric arm, the second connecting part is two, the two second connecting parts are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the cold-end substrate, and the second groove is located between the two second connecting parts.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first connecting part and the second connecting part are both provided with micropores, and the micropores are located on the side of the first connecting part and the second connecting part facing the thermoelectric arm.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present application, the hot-end substrate and / or the cold-end substrate comprises an insulating layer, and the insulating layer is located on the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate away from the thermoelectric arm.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present application, the insulating layer is a heat-conducting insulating layer; and / or, the insulating layer is a plating film layer or is adhesively fixed to the molybdenum-copper substrate.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present application, the hot-end substrate comprises a first contact layer, the first contact layer is located between the hot-end electrode and the thermoelectric arm, the first contact layer is a metal layer, and the density of the first contact layer is greater than the density of the hot-end electrode; the cold-end substrate comprises a second contact layer, the second contact layer is located between the cold-end electrode and the thermoelectric arm, the second contact layer is a metal layer, and the density of the second contact layer is greater than the density of the cold-end electrode.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first contact layer and / or the second contact layer is made of titanium-aluminum or chromium; and / or, the first contact layer and the second contact layer are made of the same material.

[0017] According to the method for manufacturing the thermoelectric device of the second aspect of the embodiments of the present application, the thermoelectric device is the thermoelectric device of the first aspect of the embodiments of the present application, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0018] manufacturing the hot-end substrate and the cold-end substrate;

[0019] mounting the thermoelectric arm between the hot-end substrate and the cold-end substrate;

[0020] The manufacturing of the hot-end substrate comprises:

[0021] applying a plating process to plate an insulating layer on the molybdenum-copper substrate;

[0022] welding a first contact layer to the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate that is away from the insulating layer to obtain the hot-end substrate;

[0023] The manufacturing of the cold-end substrate comprises:

[0024] applying a plating process to plate an insulating layer on the molybdenum-copper substrate;

[0025] welding a second contact layer to the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate that is away from the insulating layer to obtain the cold-end substrate.

[0026] The welding of the first contact layer to the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate that is away from the insulating layer to obtain the hot-end substrate comprises:

[0027] applying a high-temperature solder to weld the first contact layer to the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate that is away from the insulating layer, the melting point of the high-temperature solder being in the range of 200-300℃;

[0028] The welding of the second contact layer to the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate that is away from the insulating layer to obtain the cold-end substrate comprises:

[0029] applying a high-temperature solder to weld the second contact layer to the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate that is away from the insulating layer, the melting point of the high-temperature solder being in the range of 200-300℃.

[0030] According to the method for fabricating a thermoelectric device according to an embodiment of the present invention, by providing the above-mentioned thermoelectric device and using the hot end substrate and / or cold end substrate as flexible components, the hot end substrate and / or cold end substrate themselves have a certain deformation capability, so that the thermoelectric device as a whole presents a flexible state, which can better fit the surface of the heat exchanger, increasing the effective contact area between the heat exchanger and the thermoelectric device. Especially when the surface of the heat exchanger is uneven, the hot end substrate and / or cold end substrate can also better fit the surface of the heat exchanger, thereby increasing the effective contact area between the thermoelectric device and the uneven surface of the heat exchanger, which is beneficial to improving the heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric device and the heat exchanger.

[0031] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0032] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0033] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a thermoelectric device according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the thermoelectric device in the diagram;

[0035] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the thermoelectric device from another angle;

[0036] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the thermoelectric device from another angle;

[0037] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the thermoelectric device from another angle;

[0038] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Exploded view of thermoelectric devices in the image.

[0039] Figure label:

[0040] 100. Thermoelectric devices;

[0041] 10. Hot-end substrate; 101. Hot-end electrode; 102. First contact layer; 20. Cold-end substrate; 201. Cold-end electrode; 202. Second contact layer;

[0042] 11. Molybdenum-copper substrate; 12. Insulating layer;

[0043] 3. Thermoelectric arm. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] Embodiments of the present application are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar components or components having the same or similar functions are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals throughout. The embodiments described below by reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only for explanation of the present application, and cannot be construed as limiting the present application.

[0045] Reference is made below to Figures 1-6 A thermoelectric device 100 according to an embodiment of the present application is described.

[0046] Reference is made to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 A thermoelectric device 100 according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application comprises a hot end substrate 10, a cold end substrate 20, and a plurality of thermoelectric arms 3, the hot end substrate 10 comprises a hot end electrode 101, the cold end substrate 20 comprises a cold end electrode 201, the cold end substrate 20 is arranged opposite and spaced apart from the hot end substrate 10, and the plurality of thermoelectric arms 3 are arranged between the hot end substrate 10 and the cold end substrate 20, and each of the plurality of thermoelectric arms 3 is connected to the hot end electrode 101 and the cold end electrode 201.

[0047] The plurality of thermoelectric arms 3 are arranged between the hot end substrate 10 and the cold end substrate 20, can sense a temperature difference between the hot end substrate 10 and the cold end substrate 20, and convert the temperature difference into electrical energy, thereby achieving an energy conversion process. For example, the plurality of thermoelectric arms 3 can also store heat for subsequent use at any time. For example, the thermoelectric device 100 comprises a wire, one end of the wire is connected to the plurality of thermoelectric arms 3 and the other end of the wire is connected to an electrical device, the electrical energy can be transmitted to the electrical device to provide electrical energy for the electrical device, thereby improving the utilization rate of thermal energy.

[0048] For example, when the thermoelectric device 100 is connected to a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprises a heater and a cooler, the hot end substrate 10 can be connected to the heater, the cold end substrate 20 can be connected to the cooler, there is a temperature difference between the hot end substrate 10 and the cold end substrate 20, the plurality of thermoelectric arms 3 can sense this part of the temperature difference, and convert the temperature difference into electrical energy, and then transmit the converted electrical energy to the electrical device through the wire.

[0049] The plurality of thermoelectric arms 3 are arranged between the hot end substrate 10 and the cold end substrate 20, and each of the plurality of thermoelectric arms 3 is connected to the hot end electrode 101 and the cold end electrode 201, thereby achieving a series connection between the plurality of thermoelectric arms 3. For example, the plurality of thermoelectric arms 3 comprise P-type thermoelectric blocks and N-type thermoelectric blocks, a single P-type thermoelectric block and a single N-type thermoelectric block constitute a thermoelectric arm 3 pair, and the P-type thermoelectric block and the N-type thermoelectric block are both connected to the hot end electrode 101 and the cold end electrode 201, and are electrically connected in series through the hot end electrode 101 and the cold end electrode 201.

[0050] For example, the P-type thermoelectric block can be one of bismuth telluride, lead telluride, germanium telluride, skutterudite, magnesium-based, bismuth copper selenium oxide, and half-Heusler material; and the N-type thermoelectric block can be one of bismuth telluride, lead telluride, skutterudite, magnesium-based, bismuth copper selenium oxide, and half-Heusler material.

[0051] The heat end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 is a flexible piece, so that the heat end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 has a certain deformation ability, and the thermoelectric device 100 as a whole presents a flexible state, which can better fit the surface of the heat exchanger, so as to increase the effective contact area between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger. Especially when the surface of the heat exchanger is uneven due to high temperature, the heat end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 can better fit the surface of the heat exchanger by its own deformation, so as to increase the effective contact area between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger with uneven surface, which is beneficial to improve the heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger.

[0052] For example, if a ceramic substrate is used, since the area of the ceramic substrate is larger than the cross-sectional area of the thermoelectric arm 3 in the thickness direction, when the surface of the heat exchanger is uneven, the effective contact area between the ceramic substrate and the heat exchanger will be reduced, which affects the heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger, and further reduces the thermoelectric efficiency of the thermoelectric device 100, and is also not conducive to large-scale integration of the thermoelectric device 100. By making the heat end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 a flexible piece, the heat end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 has a certain deformation ability, and the thermoelectric device 100 as a whole presents a flexible state, which can better fit the surface of the heat exchanger, so as to increase the effective contact area between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger. Especially when the surface of the heat exchanger is deformed due to high temperature, the heat end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 can increase the effective contact area between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger with uneven surface by its own deformation, so as to improve the heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger.

[0053] According to the thermoelectric device 100 of the embodiment of the present application, by making the heat end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 a flexible piece, the heat end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 has a certain deformation ability, and the thermoelectric device 100 as a whole presents a flexible state, which can better fit the surface of the heat exchanger, so as to increase the effective contact area between the heat exchanger and the thermoelectric device 100. Especially when the surface of the heat exchanger is uneven, the heat end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 can also better fit the surface of the heat exchanger, so as to increase the effective contact area between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger, which is beneficial to improve the heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger.

[0054] Referring toFigure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 6 According to some embodiments of the present application, the hot-end substrate 10 and / or the cold-end substrate 20 comprises a molybdenum-copper substrate 11, at least part of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 of the hot-end substrate 10 constitutes the hot-end electrode 101, and at least part of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 of the cold-end substrate 20 constitutes the cold-end electrode 201.

[0055] The at least part of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 of the hot-end substrate 10 constituting the hot-end electrode 101 can include the following cases: for example, part of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 of the hot-end substrate 10 can constitute the hot-end electrode 101; for another example, all of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 of the hot-end substrate 10 can constitute the hot-end electrode 101.

[0056] The at least part of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 of the cold-end substrate 20 constituting the cold-end electrode 201 can include the following cases: for example, part of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 of the cold-end substrate 20 can constitute the cold-end electrode 201; for another example, all of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 of the cold-end substrate 20 can constitute the cold-end electrode 201.

[0057] By constituting the hot-end electrode 101 or the cold-end electrode 201 by at least part of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11, while the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 itself has electrical conductivity to achieve electrical connection with the thermoelectric arm 3, the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 itself can be utilized to have deformation capability, so that the hot-end substrate 10 and / or the cold-end substrate 20 has certain deformation capability, and thus the thermoelectric device 100 as a whole presents a flexible state, better fits the surface of the heat exchanger, increases the effective contact area between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger, and thus improves the heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger.

[0058] In addition, compared with the hot-end substrate 10 and / or the cold-end substrate 20 comprising a ceramic substrate, by the hot-end substrate 10 and / or the cold-end substrate 20 being the molybdenum-copper substrate 11, for example, when the thermoelectric device 100 is placed in a high-temperature environment for use, there is no need for additional requirement of the expansion difference between the two ends of the thermoelectric arm 3, and when the expansion difference between the two ends of the thermoelectric arm 3 is large, the deformation capability of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 itself can also better adapt to the deformation between the two ends of the thermoelectric arm 3, so that the hot-end electrode 101 and / or the cold-end electrode 201 has a larger effective contact area with the thermoelectric arm 3, and thus improves the thermoelectric performance of the thermoelectric device 100.

[0059] For another example, when the thermoelectric device 100 is placed in a high heat flux density environment for use, the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 can also reduce the possibility of reducing the effective temperature difference between the two ends of the thermoelectric arm 3 due to the temperature absorbed by itself, and thus improves the thermoelectric performance of the thermoelectric device 100.

[0060] Referring to Figures 4-6According to some embodiments of the present application, the thickness of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 is 0.05mm-0.5mm. For example, the thickness of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 can be 0.05mm, 0.15mm, 0.25mm, 0.4mm, 0.5mm, etc.

[0061] By setting the thickness of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 to 0.05mm-0.5mm, the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 can have good deformation ability, so that the hot-end substrate 10 and / or the cold-end substrate 20 have good deformation ability, so that the hot-end substrate 10 and / or the cold-end substrate 20 can better fit the surface of the heat exchanger, increase the effective contact area between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger, and improve the heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger.

[0062] In some embodiments, the hot-end substrate 10 and / or the cold-end substrate 20 can be a cuboid, so as to facilitate the hot-end substrate 10 and / or the cold-end substrate 20 to connect two thermoelectric arms 3 at the same time.

[0063] According to some embodiments of the present application, the hot-end substrate 10 is a cuboid with a first groove on the surface, the first groove is located on the side of the hot-end substrate 10 facing the thermoelectric arms 3, the hot-end substrate 10 includes a first connecting part, the first connecting part is used to connect with the thermoelectric arms 3, the first connecting part is two, the two first connecting parts are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the hot-end substrate 10 and the first groove is located between the two first connecting parts, the first groove is located between the two adjacent thermoelectric arms 3 when the hot-end substrate 10 is connected with the thermoelectric arms 3, and the first groove can provide a certain buffer space for the expansion force between the two adjacent thermoelectric arms 3 because the hot-end substrate 10 is connected with the two thermoelectric arms 3 at the same time.

[0064] For example, because the hot-end substrate 10 itself has good deformation ability, the first groove itself can deform, for example, from a concave shape to a flat surface, which can increase the size of the hot-end substrate 10 in the length direction to provide a certain buffer space for the expansion force between the two thermoelectric arms 3, which can effectively relieve the expansion force and slow down the extrusion force between the two adjacent thermoelectric arms 3.

[0065] The cold end substrate 20 is a cuboid with a second groove on the surface, the second groove is located on the side of the cold end substrate 20 facing the thermoelectric arms 3, the cold end substrate 20 includes a second connecting part, the second connecting part is used to connect with the thermoelectric arms 3, the second connecting part is two, the two second connecting parts are arranged in the length direction of the cold end substrate 20 and the second groove is located between the two second connecting parts, through the connection of the two second connecting parts with the thermoelectric arms 3 and the second groove between the two second connecting parts, when the cold end substrate 20 is connected with the thermoelectric arms 3, the second groove can be located between the two adjacent thermoelectric arms 3, because the cold end substrate 20 is connected with the two thermoelectric arms 3 at the same time, during the operation of the thermoelectric device 100, the thermoelectric arms 3 will expand, the second groove located between the two adjacent thermoelectric arms 3 can provide a certain buffer space for the expansion force between the two adjacent thermoelectric arms 3.

[0066] For example, because the cold end substrate 20 itself has good deformation ability, the second groove itself can deform, for example, from a concave shape to a flat surface, which can increase the size of the cold end substrate 20 in the length direction to provide a certain buffer space for the expansion force between the two thermoelectric arms 3, which can effectively relieve the expansion force and slow down the extrusion force between the two adjacent thermoelectric arms 3.

[0067] Optionally, the cross section of the first groove and the second groove can be V-shaped or Ω-shaped.

[0068] Optionally, the depth of the first groove and the second groove is not greater than 1mm. For example, the depth of the first groove and the second groove can be 0.1mm, 0.3mm, 0.5mm, 0.8mm, 1mm, etc. By setting the depth of the first groove and the second groove to be not greater than 1mm, the hot end substrate 10 and the cold end substrate 20 can have a certain structural strength, and the depth of the first groove and the second groove can effectively relieve the extrusion force between the two adjacent thermoelectric arms 3 by deforming itself.

[0069] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first connecting part and the second connecting part are provided with micropores, the micropores are located on the side of the first connecting part and the second connecting part facing the thermoelectric arms 3, by providing micropores on the first connecting part and the second connecting part, the micropores can be used to accommodate solder, and the micropores can limit the movement of the solder to avoid the solder flowing out of the connecting part after being heated to liquid state and reducing the connection strength between the connecting part and the thermoelectric arms 3.

[0070] For example, when the hot end substrate 10 or the cold end substrate 20 is welded to the thermoelectric arm 3 or used under high temperature conditions, the solder melts under heat and changes from a solid state to a liquid state. At this time, pressure needs to be applied to make the first connecting portion or the second connecting portion tightly adhere to the thermoelectric arm 3. Under the action of the pressure, the liquid solder is prone to overflow to the outside of the first connecting portion or the second connecting portion, thereby reducing the connection strength between the first connecting portion or the second connecting portion and the thermoelectric arm 3. The connecting portion is provided with a micro hole for accommodating the solder. The micro hole limits the movement of the solder to some extent. Thus, under the action of the pressure, the liquid solder fills in the micro hole, effectively reducing the overflow of the solder, thereby ensuring that the first connecting portion or the second connecting portion is provided with a certain amount of solder to make the first connecting portion or the second connecting portion have a relatively strong connection strength with the thermoelectric arm 3.

[0071] In some embodiments, the micro hole is a plurality of micro holes, which can increase the amount of solder accommodated by the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, thereby improving the connection strength between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion and the thermoelectric arm 3.

[0072] Optionally, the plurality of micro holes are arranged in multiple rows and multiple columns, so that the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion have solder at multiple positions, and the connection force between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion and the thermoelectric arm 3 is evenly distributed.

[0073] For example, the cross section of the micro hole is square or circular, so as to facilitate processing and manufacturing.

[0074] Optionally, the diameter of the cross section of the micro hole is not greater than 0.2 mm. For example, the diameter of the cross section of the micro hole can be 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.15 mm, 0.2 mm, etc. By limiting the diameter of the cross section of the micro hole to be not greater than 0.2 mm, the smaller diameter makes the micro hole have a stronger restraining force on the liquid solder, thereby effectively limiting the overflow of the liquid solder. For example, if the diameter of the micro hole is too large, the restraining force of the micro hole on the liquid solder is too weak, and the liquid solder is prone to overflow under the action of the pressure. By limiting the diameter of the cross section of the micro hole to be not greater than 0.2 mm, the liquid solder is more likely to be limited in the micro hole with a small diameter, thereby reducing the possibility of overflow from the micro hole under the action of the pressure.

[0075] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6According to some embodiments of the present application, the hot end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 comprises an insulation layer 12, which is located on the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 facing away from the thermoelectric arm 3. By locating the insulation layer 12 on the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 facing away from the thermoelectric arm 3, the insulation layer 12 can prevent the heat exchanger from being electrically connected to the hot end electrode 101 and / or the cold end electrode 201 and the thermoelectric arm 3 when the thermoelectric device 100 is connected to the heat exchanger, which can effectively prevent the heat exchanger from damaging the electrical connection between the hot end electrode 101 and the thermoelectric arm 3.

[0076] With reference to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 , according to some embodiments of the present application, the insulation layer 12 is a thermally conductive insulation layer 12, which can improve the heat exchange efficiency between the hot end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 and the heat exchanger while effectively preventing the heat exchanger from being electrically connected to the hot end electrode 101 and / or the cold end electrode 201 and the thermoelectric arm 3, which is conducive to improving the thermoelectric performance of the thermoelectric device 100.

[0077] With reference to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 , according to some embodiments of the present application, the insulation layer 12 is a plated film layer or is adhesively fixed to the molybdenum-copper substrate 11, which can make the connection between the insulation layer 12 and the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 simple and have strong stability.

[0078] With reference to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 , according to some embodiments of the present application, the hot end substrate 10 comprises a first contact layer 102, which is located between the hot end electrode 101 and the thermoelectric arm 3, and the first contact layer 102 is a metal layer and has a higher density than the hot end electrode 101. By making the first contact layer 102 a metal layer and having a higher density than the hot end electrode 101, the diffusion of molecules in the thermoelectric arm 3 to the hot end electrode 101 can be effectively blocked, thereby inhibiting the reduction of the thermoelectric performance of the thermoelectric arm 3 due to the diffusion of molecules in the thermoelectric arm 3 to the outside of the thermoelectric arm 3, which can improve the stability and reliability of the thermoelectric arm 3 to maintain good thermoelectric performance for a longer period of time, and is conducive to improving the stability and reliability of the thermoelectric device 100.

[0079] The cold end substrate 20 comprises a second contact layer 202, the second contact layer 202 is located between the cold end electrode 201 and the thermoelectric arm 3, the second contact layer 202 is a metal layer and the density of the second contact layer 202 is greater than the density of the cold end electrode 201, by the second contact layer 202 being a metal layer and the density of the second contact layer 202 being greater than the density of the cold end electrode 201, the process of the molecules in the thermoelectric arm 3 diffusing to the cold end electrode 201 can be effectively blocked, so as to inhibit the thermoelectric performance of the thermoelectric arm 3 from being reduced due to the molecules of the thermoelectric arm 3 diffusing to the outside of the thermoelectric arm 3, so that the stability and reliability of the thermoelectric arm 3 can be improved, the thermoelectric performance of the thermoelectric arm 3 can be maintained for a longer time, and the stability and reliability of the thermoelectric device 100 can be improved.

[0080] With reference to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 , according to some embodiments of the present application, the material of the first contact layer 102 and / or the second contact layer 202 is a titanium-aluminum layer or a chromium layer. Since the titanium-aluminum layer or the chromium layer is a metal and has a relatively high density, by the material of the first contact layer 102 and / or the second contact layer 202 being a titanium-aluminum layer or a chromium layer, the density of the first contact layer 102 can be greater than the density of the hot end electrode 101, and the density of the second contact layer 202 can be greater than the density of the cold end electrode 201, so that the process of the molecules in the thermoelectric arm 3 diffusing to the hot end electrode 101 and the cold end electrode 201 can be effectively blocked.

[0081] Of course, the material of the first contact layer 102 and / or the second contact layer 202 is not limited to this, and can also be other materials with a relatively high density.

[0082] With reference to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 , according to some embodiments of the present application, the material of the first contact layer 102 is the same as that of the second contact layer 202. Compared with the first contact layer 102 and the second contact layer 202 being made of different materials, by the material of the first contact layer 102 being the same as that of the second contact layer 202, the processing and manufacturing of the thermoelectric device 100 are more convenient, and the production efficiency of the thermoelectric device 100 can be improved.

[0083] With reference to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 6 , according to the preparation method of the thermoelectric device 100 according to the second aspect of the embodiments of the present application, the thermoelectric device 100 is the thermoelectric device 100 according to the first aspect of the embodiments described above, and the preparation method of the thermoelectric device 100 comprises the following steps:

[0084] Preparation of the hot end substrate 10 and the cold end substrate 20;

[0085] Installation of the thermoelectric arm 3 between the hot end substrate 10 and the cold end substrate 20;

[0086] Preparation of the hot end substrate 10 includes:

[0087] The insulating layer 12 is plated on the molybdenum copper substrate 11 by using a plating process, so that the insulating layer 12 can uniformly cover the surface of the molybdenum copper substrate 11, thereby improving the insulation effect of the insulating layer 12 on the molybdenum copper substrate 11;

[0088] The first contact layer 102 is welded and fixed to the side of the molybdenum copper substrate 11 away from the insulating layer 12 to obtain the hot end substrate 10, so that the connection between the first contact layer 102 and the molybdenum copper substrate 11 is simple and has strong stability;

[0089] Preparation of the cold end substrate 20 includes:

[0090] The insulating layer 12 is plated on the molybdenum copper substrate 11 by using a plating process, so that the insulating layer 12 can uniformly cover the surface of the molybdenum copper substrate 11, thereby improving the insulation effect of the insulating layer 12 on the molybdenum copper substrate 11;

[0091] The second contact layer 202 is welded and fixed to the side of the molybdenum copper substrate 11 away from the insulating layer 12 to obtain the cold end substrate 20, so that the connection between the second contact layer 202 and the molybdenum copper substrate 11 is simple and has strong stability.

[0092] The first contact layer 102 is welded and fixed to the side of the molybdenum copper substrate 11 away from the insulating layer 12 to obtain the hot end substrate 10, including:

[0093] The first contact layer 102 is welded and fixed to the side of the molybdenum copper substrate 11 away from the insulating layer 12 by using high-temperature solder, and the melting point of the high-temperature solder ranges from 200℃ to 300℃;

[0094] For example, the melting point of the high-temperature solder can be 200℃, 230℃, 250℃, 270℃, 300℃, etc. By using high-temperature solder with a melting point ranging from 200℃ to 300℃ to weld and fix the first contact layer 102 to the molybdenum copper substrate 11, when the thermoelectric device 100 is placed in a high-temperature environment for use, the environmental temperature is lower than the melting point of the high-temperature solder, so that the connection between the first contact layer 102 and the molybdenum copper substrate 11 has strong stability and reliability, reducing the possibility of the high-temperature solder melting due to the environmental temperature being higher than the melting point of the high-temperature solder, and further reducing the possibility of the connection between the first contact layer 102 and the molybdenum copper substrate 11 failing, which is conducive to improving the overall thermoelectric performance of the thermoelectric device 100;

[0095] The second contact layer 202 is welded and fixed on the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 away from the insulating layer 12 to obtain a cold end substrate 20, which comprises:

[0096] The second contact layer 202 is welded and fixed on the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 away from the insulating layer 12 by using a high-temperature solder with a melting point ranging from 200 to 300 degrees Celsius.

[0097] For example, the melting point of the high-temperature solder can be 200 degrees Celsius, 230 degrees Celsius, 250 degrees Celsius, 270 degrees Celsius, 300 degrees Celsius, etc. By using the high-temperature solder with a melting point ranging from 200 to 300 degrees Celsius to weld and fix the second contact layer 202 on the molybdenum-copper substrate 11, when the thermoelectric device 100 is placed in a high-temperature environment for use, the ambient temperature is lower than the melting point of the high-temperature solder, so that the connection between the second contact layer 202 and the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 has strong stability and reliability, reducing the possibility of the high-temperature solder melting due to the ambient temperature being higher than the melting point of the high-temperature solder, and further reducing the possibility of the connection between the second contact layer 202 and the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 failing, which is conducive to improving the overall thermoelectric performance of the thermoelectric device 100.

[0098] In addition, the first contact layer 102 can be welded and fixed on the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 by using a diffusion welding process, and the first contact layer 102 and the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 can be placed in a vacuum environment for welding, so that the first contact layer 102 and the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 can be closely attached, and the connection stability between the first contact layer 102 and the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 is high. Correspondingly, the second contact layer 202 can also be welded and fixed on the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 by using a diffusion welding process, and the second contact layer 202 and the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 can be placed in a vacuum environment for welding, so that the second contact layer 202 and the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 can be closely attached, and the connection stability between the second contact layer 202 and the molybdenum-copper substrate 11 is high.

[0099] According to the preparation method of the thermoelectric device 100 of the embodiment of the present application, by providing the above-mentioned thermoelectric device 100, the hot end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 are flexible, so that the hot end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 itself has a certain deformation ability, and the overall thermoelectric device 100 presents a flexible state, which can be well attached to the surface of the heat exchanger, and the effective contact area between the heat exchanger and the thermoelectric device 100 is increased. Especially when the surface of the heat exchanger is uneven, the hot end substrate 10 and / or the cold end substrate 20 can also be well attached to the surface of the heat exchanger to increase the effective contact area between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger with an uneven surface, which is conducive to improving the heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric device 100 and the heat exchanger.

[0100] In the description of the application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only used to facilitate the description of the application and simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the application.

[0101] In the description of the application, "first feature", "second feature" can include one or more of the features.

[0102] In the description of the application, the first feature "above" or "below" the second feature can include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them.

[0103] In the description of the application, the first feature "above", "above" and "above" the second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or only indicates that the first feature is higher than the second feature in height.

[0104] In the description of the application, the description of the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiment", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" and the like means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the application. In this specification, the illustrative description of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0105] Although embodiments of the application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art can understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the application, and the scope of the application is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric device, characterized in that, include: A hot-end substrate, the hot-end substrate including hot-end electrodes; A cold-end substrate, the cold-end substrate including a cold-end electrode, the cold-end substrate being opposite to and spaced apart from the hot-end substrate; Thermoelectric arms, wherein there are multiple thermoelectric arms and they are disposed between the hot end substrate and the cold end substrate, and the thermoelectric arms are connected to both the hot end electrode and the cold end electrode; Wherein, the hot end substrate and / or the cold end substrate are flexible components.

2. The thermoelectric device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hot-end substrate and / or the cold-end substrate include a molybdenum-copper substrate, at least a portion of the molybdenum-copper substrate of the hot-end substrate constitutes the hot-end electrode, and at least a portion of the molybdenum-copper substrate of the cold-end substrate constitutes the cold-end electrode.

3. The thermoelectric device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The thickness of the molybdenum-copper substrate is 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.

4. The thermoelectric device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The hot end substrate is a cuboid with a first groove on its surface. The first groove is located on the side of the hot end substrate facing the thermoelectric arm. The hot end substrate includes a first connecting part for connecting to the thermoelectric arm. There are two first connecting parts, which are arranged at intervals along the length of the hot end substrate and the first groove is located between the two first connecting parts. The cold end substrate is a cuboid with a second groove on its surface. The second groove is located on the side of the cold end substrate facing the thermoelectric arm. The cold end substrate includes a second connecting portion for connecting to the thermoelectric arm. There are two second connecting portions, which are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the cold end substrate, and the second groove is located between the two second connecting portions.

5. The thermoelectric device according to claim 4, characterized in that, Both the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are provided with micropores, which are located on the side of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion facing the thermoelectric arm.

6. The thermoelectric device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The hot-end substrate and / or the cold-end substrate include an insulating layer located on the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate opposite to the thermoelectric arm.

7. The thermoelectric device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The insulating layer is a thermally conductive insulating layer; and / or, the insulating layer is a coating layer or is bonded and fixed to the molybdenum copper substrate.

8. The thermoelectric device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The hot end substrate includes a first contact layer, which is located between the hot end electrode and the thermoelectric arm. The first contact layer is a metal layer and the density of the first contact layer is greater than that of the hot end electrode. The cold end substrate includes a second contact layer located between the cold end electrode and the thermoelectric arm. The second contact layer is a metal layer and its density is greater than that of the cold end electrode.

9. The thermoelectric device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first contact layer and / or the second contact layer are made of titanium aluminum layer or chromium layer; and / or the first contact layer and the second contact layer are made of the same material.

10. A method for fabricating a thermoelectric device, characterized in that, The thermoelectric device is the thermoelectric device according to any one of claims 1-9, and the method for preparing the thermoelectric device includes the following steps: Prepare the hot-end substrate and the cold-end substrate; The thermoelectric arm is installed between the hot end substrate and the cold end substrate; The preparation of the hot-end substrate includes: An insulating layer is deposited on a molybdenum-copper substrate using a coating process; The first contact layer is welded and fixed to the side of the molybdenum copper substrate away from the insulating layer to obtain the hot end substrate; The preparation of the cold-end substrate includes: An insulating layer is deposited on the molybdenum-copper substrate using a coating process. The second contact layer is welded and fixed to the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate away from the insulating layer to obtain the cold end substrate; in, The hot-end substrate is fabricated by welding and fixing the first contact layer to the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate away from the insulating layer, comprising: The first contact layer is welded and fixed to the side of the molybdenum copper substrate away from the insulating layer using high-temperature solder, wherein the melting point of the high-temperature solder is in the range of 200℃~300℃. The second contact layer is welded and fixed to the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate opposite to the insulating layer to obtain the cold-end substrate, comprising: The second contact layer is welded and fixed to the side of the molybdenum-copper substrate away from the insulating layer using high-temperature solder, wherein the melting point of the high-temperature solder is in the range of 200℃ to 300℃.

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