THERMOELECTRIC MEMS GENERATOR, MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF THE GENERATOR AND HEATING SYSTEM WITH THE GENERATOR
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE602023002074
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-05-26
- Filing Date
- 2023-05-08
- Publication Date
- 2025-02-19
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-05-08
AI Technical Summary
Conventional MEMS thermoelectric generators are bulky, non-scalable, and inefficient in converting small temperature gradients into electrical power, due to the use of discrete components and materials like Bismuth Telluride that are not compatible with standard MEMS manufacturing processes.
A MEMS thermoelectric generator is developed using polysilicon or polysilicon-germanium thermoelectric elements with a planar serpentine arrangement, integrated with a thermoplastic layer and thermal vias to enhance heat flow and temperature gradients, allowing for more efficient electrical power generation.
The solution enables the generation of higher electrical powers (up to mW) from small temperature gradients, while reducing the device size and increasing mechanical stability, making it suitable for applications like driving thermo valves in radiators.