Thermoelectric conversion module
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MURATA MFG CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-06
Smart Images
Figure JP2026000470_06082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Thermoelectric conversion module
[0001] This disclosure relates to the technology of thermoelectric conversion modules.
[0002] Conventionally, as thermoelectric conversion technologies that utilize the mutual conversion of thermal energy and electrical energy (i.e., thermoelectric conversion), the Peltier cooling technology and the thermoelectric power generation technology are known. A thermoelectric conversion module using this thermoelectric conversion technology is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-150403 (Patent Document 1).
[0003] A thermoelectric conversion module includes two substrates each provided with electrodes, and a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements sandwiched between the two substrates. The plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements include two thermoelectric conversion elements with different polarities (p-type thermoelectric conversion elements and n-type thermoelectric conversion elements), and the two thermoelectric conversion elements with different polarities are connected in series via the electrodes provided on each substrate.
[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-150403
[0005] The thermoelectric conversion module is installed on an object to cool or heat the object, or is used to convert the waste heat generated in the object into electric power. Therefore, the installation surface on which the thermoelectric conversion module is installed is not necessarily flat, and a curved surface such as a pipe is also conceivable. Even in the thermoelectric conversion module disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-150403 (Patent Document 1), a resin material is adopted for the substrate so that it can be bent, or a conductive adhesive is adopted for the bonding material between the electrode of the substrate and the thermoelectric conversion element.
[0006] However, the thermoelectric conversion module has a structure in which a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements are arranged at intervals between two substrates. Therefore, when the thermoelectric conversion module is installed on an installation surface having a shape other than a plane, simply making the substrate flexible by adopting a resin material or the like cannot provide sufficient followability for the thermoelectric conversion module to follow the curved installation surface.
[0007] This disclosure is made to solve such problems, and its object is to provide a thermoelectric conversion module that can obtain followability to follow a curved installation surface.
[0008] A thermoelectric conversion module according to this disclosure is a flexible thermoelectric conversion module. The thermoelectric conversion module comprises a flexible first substrate, a flexible second substrate provided opposite to the first substrate, and a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and made of a thermoelectric semiconductor composition. The plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements include a first thermoelectric conversion element having a first polarity and a second thermoelectric conversion element having a second polarity. The first substrate has a first electrode that electrically connects one surface of the first thermoelectric conversion element to one surface of the second thermoelectric conversion element. The second substrate has a second electrode that electrically connects the other surface of the first thermoelectric conversion element to the other surface of the second thermoelectric conversion element. Adjacent first thermoelectric conversion elements and second thermoelectric conversion elements are alternately connected by the first electrode and the second electrode. The spacing between multiple thermoelectric elements is longer in the bending direction than in the first spacing perpendicular to the bending direction of the thermoelectric module.
[0009] In the thermoelectric conversion module according to this disclosure, the spacing between the multiple thermoelectric conversion elements is such that the second spacing in the bending direction is longer than the first spacing in the direction perpendicular to the bending direction of the thermoelectric conversion module, thereby providing conformability to a curved surface in the bending direction.
[0010] This is a plan view of the thermoelectric conversion module in Embodiment 1. This is a cross-sectional view of the thermoelectric conversion module in Embodiment 1. This is a schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion module in Embodiment 1 aligned with the installation surface. This is a plan view of the thermoelectric conversion module in a modified example of Embodiment 1. This is a cross-sectional view of the thermoelectric conversion module in Embodiment 2. This is a schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion module in Embodiment 2 aligned with the installation surface. This is a cross-sectional view of the thermoelectric conversion module in Embodiment 3. This is a cross-sectional view of the thermoelectric conversion module in a modified example of Embodiment 3. This is a cross-sectional view of the thermoelectric conversion module in Embodiment 4.
[0011] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated.
[0012] Thermoelectric conversion modules are used by being installed on an object, but the installation surface is not necessarily flat. For example, when installing a thermoelectric conversion module on a cylindrical exhaust pipe or drainage pipe that transports waste heat discharged from a factory, it is necessary to install the thermoelectric conversion module along the curved surface of the exhaust pipe or drainage pipe. Therefore, it is desirable that the thermoelectric conversion module be deformable to conform to the curved surface of the installation surface, such as the exhaust pipe or drainage pipe, so that it can be installed on an installation surface with a shape other than a flat surface. Furthermore, thermoelectric conversion modules can be incorporated into terminal devices such as game consoles, VR machines, and medical devices as thermal sensation transmission devices, enabling information to be transmitted to the user through thermal sensation using temperature changes. When using a thermoelectric conversion module as a thermal sensation transmission device, it is necessary to install the thermoelectric conversion module along the curved surface of the user's body or terminal device in order to transmit information to the user through thermal sensation more efficiently. Therefore, it is desirable that the thermoelectric conversion module be deformable to conform to the curved surface of the user's body or terminal device, so that it can be installed on an installation surface with a shape other than a flat surface.
[0013] However, thermoelectric conversion modules have a structure in which multiple thermoelectric conversion elements are placed spaced apart between two substrates, with the multiple thermoelectric conversion elements acting as pillars to support the two substrates. Therefore, even if the substrates are made of resin material to make the thermoelectric conversion module easier to deform, there are structural limitations to how much it can be deformed, and sufficient conformability to the shape of the mounting surface cannot be obtained.
[0014] Therefore, the thermoelectric conversion module according to this disclosure focuses on the structure of the thermoelectric conversion module and employs a structure that makes it easy to deform in a specific bending direction by making the second spacing in the bending direction longer than the first spacing in the direction perpendicular to the bending direction in which the thermoelectric conversion module bends. In particular, the objects on which the thermoelectric conversion module is installed are often bent in a specific direction, such as exhaust pipes or drainage pipes, and by adopting the structure of the thermoelectric conversion module according to this disclosure, sufficient conformability to the shape of the installation surface can be obtained. The structure adopted in the thermoelectric conversion module according to this disclosure will be specifically described in the following embodiments.
[0015] [Embodiment 1] Figure 1 is a plan view of the thermoelectric conversion module 100 in Embodiment 1. Figure 1(a) is a plan view of the substrate 1 from the side of the substrate 2 (substrate 2 is not shown), and Figure 1(b) is a plan view of the substrate 2 from the side of substrate 1 (substrate 1 is not shown). Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the thermoelectric conversion module 100 in Embodiment 1. In Figures 1 and 2, the direction of the long side of the thermoelectric conversion module 100 is the X direction, the direction of the short side is the Y direction, and the direction from substrate 2 to substrate 1 is the Z direction.
[0016] The thermoelectric conversion module 100 has a structure in which multiple thermoelectric conversion elements 3 are sandwiched between two flexible substrates, a first substrate and a second substrate, which are arranged facing each other. In addition, the thermoelectric conversion module 100 also has a structure in which the multiple thermoelectric conversion elements 3 support the substrates 1 and 2 as pillars.
[0017] Substrates 1 and 2 can be any flexible material, such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyetherimide (PEI), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), acrylic, and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Furthermore, substrates 1 and 2 can be, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyaramid, polyimide, silicone, cellulose material, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyethylene naphthalate. In addition, substrates 1 and 2 can be, for example, polyamide, polyamide-imide, polyphenylene sulfide, and poly(4-methylpentene-1).
[0018] Substrates 1 and 2 are selected to be made of materials with the same flexibility. For example, both substrates 1 and 2 are made of the same liquid crystal polymer (LCP). Liquid crystal polymer (LCP) has high thermal conductivity and high flexibility, so it can have both high conformability to the shape of the mounting surface and high cooling and heating capacity. Alternatively, materials with different flexibility may be selected for substrates 1 and 2, and the material with relatively higher flexibility may be used on the substrate side where deformation is greater. For example, if substrate 2 deforms more than substrate 1, liquid crystal polymer (LCP) may be selected for substrate 1, and a highly flexible material such as silicone or polyurethane may be selected for substrate 2.
[0019] The thermoelectric conversion element 3 is made of a thermoelectric semiconductor composition. The thermoelectric semiconductor composition is a composition that includes a thermoelectric semiconductor having two effects (thermoelectric properties): the Seebeck effect, which converts heat into electricity, and the Peltier effect, which cools or heats by passing an electric current through it. Specific examples of thermoelectric semiconductor compositions are detailed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-150403, etc.
[0020] The thermoelectric conversion element 3 includes a p-type thermoelectric conversion element 3a (first thermoelectric conversion element) having a p-type (first polarity) and an n-type thermoelectric conversion element 3b (second thermoelectric conversion element) having an n-type (second polarity). The p-type thermoelectric conversion element 3a is a thermoelectric conversion element 3 in which the carriers are holes, for example, a p-type bismuth telluride. The n-type thermoelectric conversion element 3b is a thermoelectric conversion element 3 in which the carriers are electrons, for example, an n-type bismuth telluride.
[0021] The p-type thermoelectric elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric elements 3b are arranged alternately in the X-direction or Y-direction, as shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b). Here, the arrangement order of the p-type thermoelectric elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric elements 3b shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b) is just one example; as long as the p-type thermoelectric elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric elements 3b are arranged alternately, for example, the arrangement order of the p-type thermoelectric elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric elements 3b shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b) may be reversed. Furthermore, adjacent p-type thermoelectric elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric elements 3b in the X-direction are electrically connected by electrodes 4 (first electrodes) provided on the substrate 1 on one side. Adjacent p-type thermoelectric elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric elements 3b in the X-direction that are not electrically connected by electrodes 4 are electrically connected by electrodes 5 (second electrodes) provided on the substrate 2 on the other side. Furthermore, a bonding material (not shown) is used to connect one side of the p-type thermoelectric element 3a and the n-type thermoelectric element 3b to the electrode 4, but any known bonding material that does not hinder the bending of the thermoelectric module 100 is acceptable. The same applies to the bonding material (not shown) used to connect the other side of the p-type thermoelectric element 3a and the n-type thermoelectric element 3b to the electrode 5.
[0022] In this way, by alternately connecting adjacent p-type thermoelectric elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric elements 3b in the X direction with electrodes 4 and 5, multiple p-type thermoelectric elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric elements 3b aligned in the X direction are connected in series. As shown in Figure 1(b), at the end of the thermoelectric module 100, adjacent p-type thermoelectric elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric elements 3b in the Y direction are connected with electrodes 5. This connection allows multiple rows of series connections of multiple p-type thermoelectric elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric elements 3b aligned in the X direction to be connected.
[0023] Terminal 7 of the thermoelectric conversion module 100 is located at the upper right end of the diagram, as shown in Figure 1(b), and is electrically connected to the adjacent n-type thermoelectric conversion element 3b by an electrode 6. Terminal 8 of the thermoelectric conversion module 100 is located at the lower right end of the diagram, as shown in Figure 1(b), and is electrically connected to the adjacent p-type thermoelectric conversion element 3a by an electrode 6. Terminals 7 and 8 are for connecting the thermoelectric conversion module 100 to a power source or the like.
[0024] Furthermore, when the X direction is the bending direction and the Y direction is perpendicular to the bending direction, the spacing between the multiple thermoelectric elements 3 is longer in the X direction L2 (second spacing) than in the Y direction L1 (first spacing). In other words, by increasing the spacing L2 in the bending direction, the thermoelectric module 100 improves its ability to follow the installation surface when the thermoelectric module 100 is bent in the bending direction.
[0025] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion module 100 in Embodiment 1, which is aligned with the installation surface. As shown in Figure 3, when the thermoelectric conversion module 100 is installed in the circumferential direction of a pipe 200 such as an exhaust pipe or drain pipe, the conformability of the thermoelectric conversion module 100 to the pipe 200 is improved by aligning the direction of the longer spacing L2 (bending direction) of the thermoelectric conversion elements 3 with the circumferential direction of the pipe 200. On the other hand, in the direction of the shorter spacing L1 (direction perpendicular to the bending direction) of the thermoelectric conversion elements 3, the spacing between the thermoelectric conversion elements 3 is narrower, resulting in a higher density of thermoelectric conversion elements 3 and improved cooling performance. In Figure 3, the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 200 is used as the installation surface, and the thermoelectric conversion module 100 is installed along the installation surface. However, the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 200 may also be used as the installation surface, and the thermoelectric conversion module 100 may be installed along the installation surface.
[0026] In the thermoelectric conversion module 100 shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), an example is described in which adjacent p-type thermoelectric conversion elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric conversion elements 3b are connected by an electrode 4 that is long in the X direction, with the X direction being the bending direction and the Y direction being perpendicular to the bending direction. However, the thermoelectric conversion module is not limited to one in which the direction of the electrode 4 connecting adjacent p-type thermoelectric conversion elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric conversion elements 3b and the bending direction of the thermoelectric conversion module 100 are the same.
[0027] Figure 4 is a plan view of a thermoelectric conversion module 100a in a modified example of Embodiment 1. In Figure 4, only substrate 1a corresponding to substrate 1 of the thermoelectric conversion module 100 shown in Figure 1(a) is shown. However, the substrate corresponding to substrate 2 of the thermoelectric conversion module 100 shown in Figure 1(b) has the same configuration as substrate 1a and is therefore not shown.
[0028] In the thermoelectric conversion module 100a, when the X direction is the bending direction and the Y direction is perpendicular to the bending direction, adjacent p-type thermoelectric conversion elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric conversion elements 3b are connected by electrodes 4 that are long in the Y direction. In other words, in the thermoelectric conversion module 100a, the direction of the electrodes 4 connecting adjacent p-type thermoelectric conversion elements 3a and n-type thermoelectric conversion elements 3b is different from the bending direction of the thermoelectric conversion module 100a. Furthermore, since there are no electrodes 4 in the bending direction of the thermoelectric conversion module 100a, the ease of deformation in the bending direction is determined solely by the flexibility of the substrate 1a, thus further improving its ability to conform to the shape of the installation surface.
[0029] [Embodiment 2] In Embodiment 2, a configuration is described in which a fold is provided in the substrate to further improve the conformability to the shape of the installation surface of the thermoelectric conversion module. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the thermoelectric conversion module 100A in Embodiment 2. In the thermoelectric conversion module 100A shown in Figure 5, the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as those in the thermoelectric conversion module 100 shown in Figures 1(a), 1(b), and 2, and detailed descriptions will not be repeated.
[0030] The thermoelectric conversion module 100A has folds 4a and 4b on the substrate 1 in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction (Y direction). The folds 4a and 4b are provided between the p-type thermoelectric conversion element 3a and the n-type thermoelectric conversion element 3b. Fold 4a is a fold provided on the substrate 1 and the electrode 4, and fold 4b is a fold provided on the substrate 1. The thermoelectric conversion module 100A also has folds 5a and 5b on the substrate 2 in the Y direction. The folds 5a and 5b are provided between the p-type thermoelectric conversion element 3a and the n-type thermoelectric conversion element 3b. Fold 5a is a fold provided on the substrate 2 and the electrode 5, and fold 5b is a fold provided on the substrate 2.
[0031] The folds 4a, 4b, 5a, and 5b may be areas that have been folded once to create a crease, or areas that have been made easier to fold by adding notches or the like. In Figure 5, for clarity, the positions of the folds 4a, 4b, 5a, and 5b are indicated by dashed lines, and notches are shown in the parts of substrate 1 and substrate 2 corresponding to the folds 4a, 4b, 5a, and 5b. By having the folds 4a, 4b, 5a, and 5b, substrates 1 and substrate 2 become easier to deform, further improving their ability to conform to the shape of the installation surface.
[0032] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion module 100A in Embodiment 2, which is aligned with the installation surface. As shown in Figure 6, when the thermoelectric conversion module 100A is installed on the pipe 200, the substrate 2 becomes a mountain fold M starting from the folds 5a and 5b, so that the deformable part of the substrate 2 deforms on the opposite side of the curved surface of the pipe 200, making it easier to follow the shape of the installation surface.
[0033] As shown in Figure 6, the thermoelectric conversion module 100A improves its conformability to the shape of the installation surface by providing folds 5a and 5b on the substrate 2 that contacts the pipe 200. If the thermoelectric conversion module 100A has only substrate 2 on the side that contacts the installation surface, then folds 5a and 5b only need to be provided on substrate 2. Conversely, if the thermoelectric conversion module 100A has only substrate 1 on the side that contacts the installation surface, then folds 4a and 4b only need to be provided on substrate 1. In other words, the thermoelectric conversion module 100A only needs to have folds 4a, 4b, 5a, and 5b on at least one of substrates 1 and 2 in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction.
[0034] Furthermore, while fold 4a is provided not only on the substrate 1 but also on the electrode 4, folds do not need to be provided in the area where the electrode 4 is located. In other words, the folds provided on the substrate 1 may consist only of folds like fold 4b. Similarly, while fold 5a is provided not only on the substrate 2 but also on the electrode 5, folds do not need to be provided in the area where the electrode 5 is located. In other words, the folds provided on the substrate 2 may consist only of folds like fold 5b.
[0035] As shown in Figure 5, the thermoelectric conversion module 100A may have a configuration in which folds 4a, 4b, 5a, and 5b are provided between the p-type thermoelectric conversion element 3a and the n-type thermoelectric conversion element 3b, or it may have a configuration in which folds 4b and 5b are provided between electrodes 4 and 5. The folds provided on electrodes 4 and 5 may also be provided on at least one of electrodes 4 and 5 in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction.
[0036] In Figure 6, the thermoelectric conversion module 100A is installed along the outer surface of the pipe 200, which is used as the installation surface. However, the thermoelectric conversion module 100A may also be installed along the inner surface of the pipe 200, which is used as the installation surface. When the thermoelectric conversion module 100A is installed on the inner surface of the pipe 200, even if the substrate on the side in contact with the installation surface is substrate 1, substrate 2 will deform significantly, so it is preferable to provide folds 5a and 5b on substrate 2. In other words, when the thermoelectric conversion module 100A is bent, it is preferable that the substrate on the side with the smaller radius of curvature of substrate 1 and substrate 2 deforms into a mountain fold at the fold.
[0037] [Embodiment 3] In Embodiment 3, a configuration in which a heat transfer layer is further provided on the substrate of the thermoelectric conversion module will be described. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the thermoelectric conversion module 100B in Embodiment 3. In the thermoelectric conversion module 100B shown in Figure 7, the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as those in the thermoelectric conversion module 100 shown in Figures 1(a), 1(b), and 2, and detailed descriptions will not be repeated.
[0038] The thermoelectric conversion module 100B has a heat transfer layer 9a (first heat transfer layer) on the side of the substrate 1 opposite to the side on which the electrodes 4 are provided, and a heat transfer layer 9b (second heat transfer layer) on the side of the substrate 2 opposite to the side on which the electrodes 5 are provided. The heat transfer layers 9a and 9b can be made of any material that is flexible and has high thermal conductivity, such as a thin metal film, a thin film of a carbon-based material, or a resin containing a thermally conductive filler.
[0039] If the heat transfer layers 9a and 9b are thin metal films, they may be gold, silver, copper, aluminum, titanium, nickel, palladium, zinc, etc. If the heat transfer layers 9a and 9b are thin films of carbon-based materials, they may be graphite, graphene, carbon nanotubes, MXene, etc. If the heat transfer layers 9a and 9b are resins containing thermally conductive fillers, for example, resins exemplified in substrates 1 and 2 to which thermally conductive fillers such as aluminum oxide, aluminum hydroxide, silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, graphite, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, gold, silver, copper, aluminum, titanium, nickel, palladium, zinc, MXene, graphene, and carbon nanotubes are added.
[0040] The heat transfer layers 9a and 9b may be made of materials having the same flexibility and high thermal conductivity, or they may be made of materials having different flexibility and high thermal conductivity. For example, the heat transfer layers 9a and 9b that are in contact with the installation surface may be made of materials that are relatively more flexible and have higher thermal conductivity.
[0041] The thermoelectric conversion module 100B has heat transfer layers 9a and 9b on the substrates 1 and 2, so that the heat transfer layers 9a and 9b transfer heat in the planar direction of the substrates 1 and 2, thereby mitigating temperature unevenness between the part where the thermoelectric conversion element 3 is placed and the other parts.
[0042] For the thermoelectric conversion module 100B provided with the heat transfer layers 9a and 9b, in order to further improve the followability along the shape of the installation surface, a crease may be provided on the substrate including the heat transfer layer. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the thermoelectric conversion module 100C in a modification of the third embodiment. In the thermoelectric conversion module 100C shown in FIG. 8, the same components as those of the thermoelectric conversion module 100 shown in FIGS. 1(a), 1(b) and 2, and the thermoelectric conversion module 100A shown in FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will not be repeated.
[0043] The thermoelectric conversion module 100C has creases 4c and 4d in a direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the bending direction (X direction) on the substrate 1 provided with the heat transfer layer 9a. The creases 4c and 4d are provided between the p-type thermoelectric conversion element 3a and the n-type thermoelectric conversion element 3b. The crease 4c is a crease provided in the heat transfer layers 9a, the substrate 1 and the electrode 4, and the crease 4d is a crease provided in the heat transfer layer 9a and the substrate 1. Further, the thermoelectric conversion module 100C has creases 5c and 5d in the Y direction on the substrate 2 provided with the heat transfer layer 9b. The creases 5c and 5d are provided between the p-type thermoelectric conversion element 3a and the n-type thermoelectric conversion element 3b. The crease 5c is a crease provided in the heat transfer layer 9b, the substrate 2 and the electrode 5, and the crease 5d is a crease provided in the heat transfer layer 9b and the substrate 2.
[0044] The creases 4c, 4d, 5c and 5d may be portions that are once bent to form a crease, or portions provided with cutouts or the like to facilitate bending. In FIG. 8, for clarity, the positions of the creases 4c, 4d, 5c and 5d are indicated by dashed-dotted lines, and cutouts are shown in the heat transfer layer 9a and the heat transfer layer 9b corresponding to the creases 4c, 4d, 5c and 5d. The substrate 1 provided with the heat transfer layer 9a and the substrate 2 provided with the heat transfer layer 9b are easily deformed by having the creases 4c, 4d, 5c and 5d, and the followability along the shape of the installation surface is further improved.
[0045] Note that the provision, non-provision, and positions of the creases 4c, 4d, 5c and 5d are the same as those described for the creases 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b, and thus detailed descriptions thereof will not be repeated.
[0046] [Embodiment 4] In the thermoelectric conversion module according to Embodiment 4, a configuration in which the peripheral edge portion of the substrate is sealed with resin will be described. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the thermoelectric conversion module 100D according to Embodiment 4. In the thermoelectric conversion module 100D shown in FIG. 9, the same components as those of the thermoelectric conversion module 100 shown in FIGS. 1(a), 1(b) and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will not be repeated.
[0047] The thermoelectric conversion module 100D has the peripheral edge portions of the substrates 1 and 2 sealed with resin 10. Therefore, in the thermoelectric conversion module 100D, the space in which the thermoelectric conversion element 3 is disposed and the external space are isolated by the resin 10, and it becomes difficult for moisture or the like to enter the space in which the thermoelectric conversion element 3 is disposed from the outside. As a result, in the thermoelectric conversion module 100D, the risk of failures such as short circuits and migrations in the thermoelectric conversion element 3 and the electrodes 4 and 5 is low, and the reliability is high.
[0048] Furthermore, it is preferable that the thermal conductivity of the resin 10 is lower than the thermal conductivities of the substrate 1 and the substrate 2. By using the resin 10, which is a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the substrates 1 and 2, in the thermoelectric conversion module 100D, heat is less likely to be transmitted between the substrate 1 and the substrate 2, and the heating / cooling effect is increased.
[0049] Any material may be used as the resin 10 as long as it has a lower thermal conductivity than the substrates 1 and 2, such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyether imide (PEI), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), acrylic, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyaramide, polyimide, silicone, cellulose material, epoxy resin, phenol resin, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyamide, polyamide imide, polyphenylene sulfide, poly(4-methylpentene-1), and the like.
[0050] Although it has been described that the thermoelectric conversion module 100D has the peripheral edge portions of the substrates 1 and 2 sealed with resin 10, not only the peripheral edge portions of the substrates 1 and 2 but also the entire surface between the substrate 1 and the substrate 2 may be filled with resin 10.
[0051] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims are intended to be included.
[0052] 1, 1a, 2 Substrate, 3 Thermoelectric element, 3a p-type thermoelectric element, 3b n-type thermoelectric element, 4-6 Electrodes, 4a-4d, 5a-5d Folds, 7, 8 Terminals, 9a, 9b Heat transfer layer, 10 Resin, 100, 100A-100D, 100a Thermoelectric module, 200 Pipe.
Claims
1. A flexible thermoelectric conversion module comprising: a first flexible substrate; a second flexible substrate provided opposite to the first substrate; and a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements made of a thermoelectric semiconductor composition, disposed between the first and second substrates, wherein the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements include a first thermoelectric conversion element having a first polarity and a second thermoelectric conversion element having a second polarity; the first substrate has a first electrode that electrically connects one surface of the first thermoelectric conversion element to one surface of the second thermoelectric conversion element; the second substrate has a second electrode that electrically connects the other surface of the first thermoelectric conversion element to the other surface of the second thermoelectric conversion element; and adjacent first and second thermoelectric conversion elements are alternately connected by the first and second electrodes. A thermoelectric conversion module in which the spacing between the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements is longer in the bending direction than in the first spacing in the direction perpendicular to the bending direction of the thermoelectric conversion module.
2. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate has a fold in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction.
3. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode has a fold in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction.
4. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 2 or claim 3, having a fold between the first thermoelectric conversion element and the second thermoelectric conversion element.
5. The thermoelectric conversion module according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein when the thermoelectric conversion module is bent, the substrate with the smaller radius of curvature of the first substrate and the second substrate deforms into a mountain fold at the fold.
6. The thermoelectric conversion module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first substrate has a first heat transfer layer on the surface opposite to the surface on which the first electrode is provided.
7. The thermoelectric conversion module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second substrate has a second heat transfer layer on the side opposite to the side on which the second electrode is provided.
8. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 6, wherein the first heat transfer layer has folds in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction.
9. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 7, wherein the second heat transfer layer has folds in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction.
10. The thermoelectric conversion module according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the peripheral edges of the first substrate and the second substrate are sealed with a resin, and the thermal conductivity of the resin is lower than the thermal conductivity of the first substrate and the second substrate.
11. The thermoelectric conversion module according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are liquid crystal polymers.