KR101411437B1 - Thermoelectric Device, Array, Module, Generating Apparatus, Thermal Sensor, Peltier Apparatus and the Method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermoelectric element assembly, a thermoelectric module, a temperature sensor, a Peltier device, and a thermoelectric module manufacturing method and, more particularly, to a thermoelectric element assembly, a thermoelectric module, a temperature sensor, a Peltier device, and a thermoelectric module manufacturing method capable of using a module by cutting the module into a desired size. As p, n type thermoelectric elements are arranged in a two-layered zigzag type, a connecting part of the thermoelectric elements is placed in both end parts of the thermoelectric module (3) so that an electrode can be integrally manufactured later. An existing thermoelectric module, that is formed by repeatedly intersecting a p type element (10) and an n type element (12), has a disadvantage of determining the size at the earliest timing of manufacture because the module and the connecting part need to be manufactured together. According to the present invention, as a thermoelectric element assembly having a four-layered zigzag arrangement is formed by using the p type element (10) and the n type element (12) arranged in the two-layered zigzag type, the connecting part is not manufactured together but integrally manufactured at the finish and thus the existing disadvantage can be overcome.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a thermoelectric device assembly, a thermoelectric module, a temperature sensor, a peltier device, and a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric module,

The present invention relates to a thermoelectric device assembly, a thermoelectric module, a temperature sensor, a peltier device, and a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric module, and more particularly, to a thermoelectric device assembly, a thermoelectric module, A Peltier device and a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric module.

Cooling and generation of electromotive force using the thermoelectric effect are attracting great attention as an alternative for solving heat management and energy problems. Thermoelectric phenomena are classified into Seebeck phenomenon where the temperature gradient forms the potential difference and Peltier phenomenon which causes the temperature gradient by the potential difference. It is used for automobile sheet, small refrigerator, semiconductor chiller, blood analyzer, PCR, dehumidifier, circulator, CCD cooler, CPU cooler, waste heat generator, infrared detector and thermostat.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a horizontal thermoelectric module using a general heterogeneous semiconductor. As shown in FIG. 1, a commercially available thermoelectric module is manufactured by pelletizing a plurality of p-type and n-type thermoelectric materials and assembling them electrically in series and thermally in parallel. The p-type device and the n-type device are connected in series between the electrode and the electrode in a vertical form, which is manufactured in the form of pi. A good thermally conductive substrate is provided on the electrodes connected to the upper end surfaces of the p-type device and the n-type device. A thermally conductive substrate is also provided on the electrodes connected to the lower end surfaces of the p-type device and the n-type device.

At this time, when DC power is connected to the electrode and current flows through the thermoelectric module, heat is absorbed or emitted from the upper and lower thermally conductive substrates depending on the direction of current at the junction of the p-type and n-type devices (Peltier phenomenon) . On the other hand, when a load is connected to the electrodes to constitute a closed circuit, and a temperature difference is given to the upper and lower thermally conductive substrates, current flows through the closed circuit to obtain power (Seebeck phenomenon).

However, in the conventional thermoelectric module, since the p-type device and the n-type device are repeatedly arranged and arranged so as to be connected to each other, there is a disadvantage that it is impossible to change dimensions after fabrication. After all, the desired dimensions must be determined from the initial design stage. Particularly, this disadvantage has been a problem in a thin film thermoelectric module using vapor deposition or the like. Therefore, a thermoelectric module capable of changing dimensions after fabrication is needed.

Patent No. 10-1119595 Published Bulletin 10-2010-0094193 WO 2010-090460 A2

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a thermoelectric element assembly capable of cutting a size of a module to a desired size.

It is a second object of the present invention to provide a thermoelectric module which can be used by cutting the size of a module to a desired size.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a temperature sensor using a thermoelectric module that can cut a module to a desired size.

It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide a Peltier device using a thermoelectric module that can cut a desired size of a module.

A fifth object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric module in which the size of a module can be cut to a desired size.

Hereinafter, specific means for achieving the object of the present invention will be described.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device comprising a plurality of columnar p-type devices (10) arranged in parallel to one another in a longitudinal direction (L) and arranged in a zigzag pattern of two layers and arranged between each of the p- A p-type layer (50) including a columnar insulator A plurality of columnar n-type elements 12 arranged in parallel in the longitudinal direction L and arranged in a zigzag pattern of two layers and the insulator 14 disposed between each of the n-type elements 12, Type layer 50 and an n-type layer 52 provided on one side of the p-type layer 50. The p-type layer 50 and the p- An insulating layer 16 of a layered insulating material is disposed between the n-type layer 50 and the n-type layer 52, and the p- ≪ / RTI >

A first substrate (20) for insulating and protecting the other side of the p-type layer (50) other than the bonding surface with the insulating layer (16); And a second substrate (22) for insulating and protecting the other side of the n-type layer (52) other than the bonding surface with the insulating layer (16); , And the first substrate (20) and the second substrate (22) may be made of a flexible insulating material.

The first substrate 20 and the second substrate 22 may be made of a polygonal, polyimide or OHP film.

The insulator 14 may be formed to be thinner than the p-type device 10 or the n-type device 12.

The p-type device 10 or the n-type device 12 may be provided in a paste form in which a thermoelectric material in a powder state, a metal powder, and a conductive polymer are mixed.

The metal powder may be composed of Ag, Ni or Cu and may be pulverized to 200mesh or less, and may be composed of 5 to 10% by weight of the p-type device or the n-type device.

The insulator 14 and the insulating layer 16 may be formed of any one of silicon, polyurethane, and polystyrene.

The p-type device 10 or the n-type device 12 may be a Bi-Te, Co-Sb, Pb-Te, Si-Ge, Sb-Te, Sm- And a thermoelectric material selected from a combination thereof.

A second object of the present invention resides in a thermoelectric element assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8; A plurality of first electrodes 30 configured to connect the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12, which are one component of the thermoelectric element assembly 1, on the front side of the thermoelectric element assembly 1; A plurality of second electrodes (32) configured to connect the p-type device (10) and the n-type device (12) at the rear side of the thermoelectric element assembly (1); And a terminal (4) provided on one side of the rear side and the other side of the p-type layer (50) or the n-type layer (52) and constituted by one side terminal (40) and the other side terminal (42); And a plurality of thermoelectric elements from the one side terminal 40 to the other side terminal 42 are electrically connected in a pn-p-n order.

The p-type element 10, the insulator 14, the insulating layer 16, and the n-type element 12, which are constituent elements of the thermoelectric element assembly 1, may be applied in the form of a thin film.

The p-type element 10, the insulator 14, the insulating layer 16, and the n-type element 12, which are constituent elements of the thermoelectric element assembly 1, may be configured in a bulk form.

A third object of the invention is a thermoelectric module (3) according to claim 9; A temperature sensor installed at a front end of the thermoelectric module 3; A temperature calculation unit connected to the terminal 4, which is one component of the thermoelectric module 3; And a controller for outputting or storing temperature information calculated by the temperature calculator; And a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the substrate.

A fourth object of the invention is a thermoelectric module (3) according to claim 9; A low temperature part installed at one end of the thermoelectric module 3; A high temperature part provided at the other end of the thermoelectric module 3; And a power source connected to the terminal (4), which is one component of the thermoelectric module (3); And a peltier device configured to supply a current to the thermoelectric module (3) from the power source to generate a predetermined temperature difference between the low temperature part and the high temperature part.

A fifth object of the present invention is to provide a p-type device (10) comprising a plurality of p-type devices (10) elongated in the longitudinal direction on the upper surface of a first substrate (20) A p-type layer mounting step of disposing an insulator (14) between the layers (10) and placing an insulating layer (16) between the layers; The insulating layer 16 is disposed on the upper surface of the p-type layer 50, and a plurality of n-type elements 12, which are elongated in the back-and-forth direction, are formed thereon in a zigzag manner, An n-type layer providing step of disposing the insulator (14) between the layers (12) and arranging the insulating layer (16) between the layers; A step of completing a thermoelectric element assembly in which a second substrate 22, which is a flexible insulating material, is provided on an upper surface of the n-type layer 52 to complete the thermoelectric element assembly 1; A cutting step of cutting the thermoelectric element assembly (1) into a desired length or shape; And a plurality of first electrodes (30) provided in front of the cut thermoelectric element assembly (1) and connecting the p-type device (10) and the n-type device (12) A plurality of thermoelectric elements are arranged in the order of pnpn from one side terminal 40 to the other side terminal 42 in the order of pnpn, And a thermoelectric module finalizing step of installing a plurality of second electrodes (32) in the rear so that the thermoelectric module can be manufactured.

The p-type device 10 or the n-type device 12 may be printed by a press molding method in the p-type layer setting step S10 and the n-type layer setting step S20.

The p-type device 10, the n-type device 12, the insulator 14, and the insulating layer 16 may be formed in a thin film.

As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

First, since the electrode forming process is a post-process in manufacturing the thermoelectric module by arranging the elements in a zigzag form of four layers, it is possible to manufacture the thermoelectric module with an arbitrary length, and then cut and use it as needed by the user.

Second, since the thermoelectric module is cut by a user as necessary to form an electrode, the thermoelectric module can be suitably attached at an arbitrary position.

Thirdly, since manufacturing size is not determined at the time of manufacturing, the manufacturing process is simplified, productivity is improved, and manufacturing cost is reduced.

Fourth, by increasing the electrical conductivity by mixing the conductive polymer with the thermoelectric element, both the temperature sensor and the Peltier element can be used.

Fifth, the conductive polymer is mixed with the thermoelectric element to increase the flexibility and reduce the density.

Sixth, when the substrate is made of a flexible material, it can be effectively attached to a three-dimensional object to be applied.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, And shall not be interpreted.
1 is an exploded perspective view showing a horizontal thermoelectric module using a general heterogeneous semiconductor,
2 is a front view of a thermoelectric element assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;
3 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric element assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 4 is a front view of a thermoelectric element assembly in which an insulator is thinner than a thermoelectric element according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention,
7 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric module having an annular shape according to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing a use state of a thermoelectric module formed in an annular shape according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.
9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description of the operation principle of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention.

The same reference numerals are used for portions having similar functions and functions throughout the drawings. Throughout the specification, when a part is connected to another part, it includes not only a case where it is directly connected but also a case where the other part is indirectly connected with another part in between. In addition, the inclusion of an element does not exclude other elements, but may include other elements, unless specifically stated otherwise.

≪ Thermoelectric element aggregate &

FIG. 2 is a front view of a thermoelectric element assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric element assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 and 3, the thermoelectric element assembly 1 includes a p-type element 10, an n-type element 12, an insulator 14, an insulating layer 16, a first substrate 20, 2 substrate 22 as shown in FIG.

The p-type device 10 may be composed of a metal compound or a semiconductor, and may be formed into a paste by mixing a metal compound or a semiconductor with a conductive polymer or a metal powder by spraying the mixture in a mechanically pulverized or molten state . Particularly, since the semiconductor device has strong brittleness, when the conductive polymer is mixed, the flexibility and the electric conductivity can be improved. The metal powder may be composed of Ag, Ni, Cu or the like and may be ground to 200mesh or less and composed of 5 to 10wt%. This improves the electrical conductivity of the device.

The thermoelectric material having the best efficiency at around room temperature is known as a Bi-Te compound semiconductor in the material of the p-type device 10, and Co-Sb, Pb-Te, Si- -Te system, an Sm-Co system, a transition metal silicide system, or a combination thereof. Particularly, a thermoelectric element in which Bi-Sb-Te compound clusters are cut into pellets and is connected to each other in the form of an array is the most commercially available. The selection of materials is made according to the applied temperature as shown in Table 1 below.

Applicable temperature (Celsius)

Material
Below 227 degrees
VB, Telluride series such as Bi and Sb

227 to 527 degrees or less
Pb, Ge, Se and other IVB telluride series

527 to 1027 degrees or less
Fe ₁ -XSi ₂ MnX, Fe ₁ -XSiCoX silicide series

Other Qualified Thermoelectric Materials
_{ZnSb, PbTe, Bi 2 Te 3} , PbSe, Bi 2 Se 3, Sb 2 Te 3, MnTe, GeTe, 3-4 group compound

The p-type device 10 may have a columnar shape elongated in the longitudinal direction L, and a plurality of the p-type devices 10 may be disposed parallel to each other. When viewed from the plane, they can be arranged so that they do not overlap each other, and when viewed from the front, a zigzag form of two layers can be formed. This p-type device 10 is repeatedly connected in a zigzag pattern of two layers, so that the p-type layer 50 can be formed. The insulator 14 may be disposed between the p-type devices 10 and the insulating layer 16 may be disposed between the p-type devices 10 to separate the p-type devices 10 from each other. This is to prevent each of the p-type devices 10 from touching each other.

The n-type device 12 may be formed of a metal compound or a semiconductor, and may be formed into a powder by mixing a metal compound or a semiconductor in a mechanical pulverization or melting state, mixing the powder with a conductive polymer or metal powder, . Particularly, since the semiconductor device has strong brittleness, when the conductive polymer is mixed, the flexibility and the electric conductivity can be improved. The metal powder may be composed of Ag, Ni, Cu or the like and may be ground to 200mesh or less and composed of 5 to 10wt%. This improves the electrical conductivity of the device. This can bring about an effect of reducing the sheet resistance to 1/100 or less as compared with the prior art.

If the sheet resistance is reduced, the operation as the active element, that is, the Peltier element can be smooth. A conventional thermoelectric device has a large resistance and thus operates as a temperature sensor, but is often not used as a Peltier device. However, according to the embodiment of the present invention, since the sheet resistance is small, both the temperature sensor and the Peltier element can be used.

The thermoelectric material having the highest efficiency at around room temperature is known as a Bi-Te compound semiconductor in the material of the n-type device 12. Co-Sb, Pb-Te, Si-Ge, Sb -Te system, an Sm-Co system, a transition metal silicide system, or a combination thereof. Particularly, a thermoelectric element in which Bi-Sb-Te compound clusters are cut into pellets and is connected to each other in the form of an array is the most commercially available. In an embodiment of the present invention, the p-type device 10 may be made of Cu and the n-type device 12 may be made of Constantan (60% Cu and 40% Ni). The selection of specific materials is made according to the applied temperature as shown in Table 1 above.

The n-type device 12 may be configured to be long in the longitudinal direction L, and a plurality of the n-type devices 12 may be disposed parallel to each other. When viewed from the plane, they can be arranged so that they do not overlap each other, and when viewed from the front, a zigzag form of two layers can be formed. This n-type device 12 is repeatedly connected in a zigzag pattern of two layers, whereby the n-type layer 52 can be formed. An insulator 14 is disposed between the n-type devices 12 and an insulating layer 16 is disposed between the n-type devices 12, so that the n-type devices 12 are separated from each other. This is to prevent each of the n-type devices 12 from touching each other.

By using such a two-layered zigzag arrangement, the connecting portions of the thermoelectric elements 3 are arranged at both ends of the thermoelectric module 3, and the electrodes can be integrally manufactured later. the conventional thermoelectric module in which the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12 are alternately repeated is required to make joints at the same time. According to the present invention, the thermoelectric element assembly of the four-layered zigzag array is formed by using the p-type element 10 and the n-type element 12 having the two-layer zigzag arrangement, It is possible to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

As a factor indicating the performance or efficiency of such a thermoelectric material, the thermoelectric performance factor Z value defined by the following Equation 1 is used.

Equation (1) relates to the thermoelectric performance factor Z, and Equation (2) relates to the maximum cooling temperature in the thermoelectric device. In Equation (1), S is the Seebeck coefficient, sigma is the electrical conductivity, and k is the thermal conductivity. In the equation (2), the efficiency or performance is determined by the thermoelectric performance index Z in the case of a thermoelectric power generation or temperature sensor using delta Tmax and the seebeck phenomenon, and Peltier phenomenon The efficiency of the maximum cooling temperature of the cooling module using the thermoelectric performance index Z is likewise determined. The dimensionless thermoelectric performance index, also referred to as ZT, is also a goal, that is, the smaller the Z, the better the efficiency at higher temperatures. The thermoelectric material currently being used is in the range of 1 to 2 ZT.

As a result, in order to improve the thermoelectric performance index (Z) and increase the efficiency of the thermoelectric module, a material having a high heat transfer coefficient and a high electric conductivity is required. Therefore, regardless of the type of metal, it is not possible to reduce the thermal conductivity while increasing the electrical conductivity according to Wiedemann-Franz's law, and it may not be practical to construct the thermoelectric module by metal alone because the Seebeck coefficient is very small. The concentration of the carrier (electron or hole) should be controlled appropriately by the addition of appropriate impurities. Ioffe of Russia proposed that the use of compound semiconductors based on elements of Groups 2-5, 4-6, and 5-6 in the periodic table could improve the conversion efficiency of thermoelectric power by 2.5-4.0% There is a bar.

When the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12 are made to be nano-structured, the thermoconductivity, the electric conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient constituting the thermoelectric performance factor can be independently controlled, have. This is due to the suppression of the thermal conductivity through the superlattice structure and the improvement of the Seebeck coefficient through the band gap control by the quantum confinement effect. Therefore, when a thermoelectric module is manufactured through a semiconductor device manufacturing process such as a deposition process, a high efficiency thermoelectric module can be realized. Thin film thermoelectric materials include nanoparticles, nanowires, and superlattice thermoelectric materials.

However, if the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12 are bulk-formed to form a thermoelectric module, the absolute heat or electromotive force may be improved although the efficiency may be lower than that of the thin film type.

The insulator 14 and the insulating layer 16 may be made of a flexible, electrically and thermally insulating material, typically silicon, polyurethane or polystyrene. The insulator 14 is formed in a columnar shape and disposed between the p-type devices 10 and between the n-type devices 12, and the insulating layer 16 is formed in layers, Type layer 50, and is also arranged in the n-type layer 52. [0060] The insulating layer 16 is also disposed between the p-type layer 50 and the n-type layer 52. Consequently, the insulator 14 and the insulating layer 16 are configured to electrically isolate the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12 from each other.

4 is a front view of a thermoelectric element assembly in which an insulator is thinner than a thermoelectric element according to an embodiment of the present invention. The insulator 14 may be configured to be thinner than the p-type device 10 or the n-type device 12, as shown in Fig. That is, the thickness of the insulator 14 can be determined within the scope of the present invention.

The first substrate 20 is for protecting the thermoelectric elements and may be formed of an electrically thermal insulation material. And is provided to include a thermoelectric element assembly on a wide one side surface of the thermoelectric element assembly. It is preferable that the material is made of a material having flexibility such as silicon, phthalocyanine, polyimide or OHP in a ceramic, and it can be made of a material having sufficient insulation. The reason why such a material can be used is that a method of printing the p-type element 10 and the n-type element 12, which will be described later, can use the low-temperature compression molding method.

The second substrate 22 is for protecting the thermoelectric elements and may be composed of an electrically thermal insulating material. And a thermoelectric element assembly on a wide other side surface of the thermoelectric element assembly. It is preferable that the material is made of a material having flexibility such as silicon, phthalocyanine, polyimide or OHP in a ceramic, and it can be made of a material having sufficient insulation. The reason why such a material can be used is that a method of printing the p-type element 10 and the n-type element 12, which will be described later, can use the low-temperature compression molding method. As a result, it is possible to attach to an object having a curved surface, and the application range is expanded by increasing the degree of freedom of shape of the object.

<Thermoelectric module>

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an assembled perspective view of a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 and 6, the thermoelectric module 3 may be composed of the thermoelectric element assembly 1, the first electrode 30, the second electrode 32, and the terminal 4.

The thermoelectric element aggregate (1) can use the above-mentioned thermoelectric element aggregate (1). When the first electrode 30 and the second electrode 32 are connected to each other, the connection portion serves as a point of action and serves as a temperature sensing surface in the temperature sensor and a heat generating surface or a cooling surface in the Peltier device. That is, connection of the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12 occurs at both ends of the thermoelectric element assembly 1 in the longitudinal direction (L).

The thermoelectric element assembly 1 uses a zigzag arrangement of two layers for each of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements, so that the connecting portion of the thermoelectric elements is arranged at both ends of the thermoelectric module 3, . the conventional thermoelectric module in which the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12 are alternately repeated is required to make joints at the same time. According to the present invention, the thermoelectric element assembly of the four-layered zigzag array is formed by using the p-type element 10 and the n-type element 12 having the two-layer zigzag arrangement, It is possible to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

The first electrode 30 may be made of a metal material and an electrode connecting the ends of the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12 at the front end of the thermoelectric element assembly 1 in the longitudinal direction (L) it means. And may be configured in a direction perpendicular to the plane as shown in Figs.

The second electrode 32 may be made of a metal material and an electrode connecting the end portions of the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12 at the rear end of the thermoelectric element assembly 1 in the longitudinal direction (L) it means. As a result, all the p-type devices 10 and the n-type devices 12 disposed in the thermoelectric element assembly 1 through the first electrode 30 and the second electrode 32 are configured to be electrically serially connected in the order of pnpn .

The terminal 4 means a terminal connected to the power source or the resistor by being connected to the p-type device 10 or the n-type device 12 on both sides of the rear end of the thermoelectric element assembly 1 in the longitudinal direction (L). One terminal 40 and the other terminal 42. When the current flows into the p-type device 10, the current can flow through the n-type device 12. That is, the current that has entered the one terminal 40 through the first electrode 30 and the second electrode 32 passes through the thermoelectric element in the order of p-n-p-n, and then flows out to the other terminal 42. The p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12 should be electrically connected in series and thermally connected in parallel.

The terminal 4, the first electrode 30, and the second electrode 32 may be made of a metal or a metal alloy material which is not limited to achieve the object of the present invention.

It is obvious that a heat transfer material such as a heat dissipation compound or a heat dissipation grease may be applied to the contact surface of the object and the thermoelectric module 3 to a thin thickness (theoretically 0.0025 cm) to maximize heat transfer. Further, a separate substrate can be formed at both ends of the thermoelectric module 3 in the longitudinal direction (L). However, a ceramic or aluminum material having excellent thermal conductivity is preferable.

<Temperature sensor>

The temperature sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention can use the thermoelectric module 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention mentioned above. In addition to this, a temperature sensor provided at the front end of the thermoelectric module 3, a temperature calculator connected to the terminal 4 constituting the thermoelectric module, and a controller for outputting or storing temperature information calculated by the temperature calculator And the like. According to this, a temperature sensor capable of being cut and used as much as the user can be implemented. In the case where the sensor is formed of a flexible material according to an embodiment of the present invention, a temperature sensor capable of attaching to a three-dimensional object can be realized.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an annular thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a state of use of a thermoelectric module having an annular shape according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the thermoelectric module 3 may be configured as an annular type and used as a temperature sensor. Conventionally, a large surface has served as a temperature sensing part, and the configuration of a rectangular shape is easy, so that such a shape is impossible. By forming the annular shape, it is possible to apply to various three-dimensional objects such as precise measurement of the temperature of the bottom surface of the cup, the sample tube, and the like.

< Peltier  Devices>

The Peltier device according to an embodiment of the present invention can use the thermoelectric module 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A low temperature section provided at one end of the thermoelectric module 3, a high temperature section provided at the other end of the thermoelectric module 3, and a power source connected to a terminal of the thermoelectric module 3, Temperature module and the thermoelectric module 3 to generate and maintain a predetermined temperature difference between the low-temperature section and the high-temperature section. When the voltage is maintained, the temperature hardness is balanced.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, since the conductive polymer and the metal powder are mixed with the powder of the thermoelectric material and the paste is printed on the insulating layer, the sheet resistance is reduced and the operation as the active element, that is, the Peltier device, becomes smooth. That is, the conventional thermoelectric device can be used as both a temperature sensor and a Peltier device, whereas the conventional thermoelectric device can not be used as a Peltier device because it has a large resistance.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the thermoelectric module 3 may be formed into an annular shape and used as a Peltier device. Conventionally, a large surface has served as a low-temperature portion or a high-temperature portion, and a rectangular-shaped configuration was easy, and this configuration was impossible. By constituting the annular shape, accurate and efficient heating and cooling of various three-dimensional objects such as a cup or a bottom surface of a structure such as a sample tube becomes possible. It is obvious that a heat sink or a fan can be attached to a portion where heat is emitted to increase the efficiency.

<Transformation Examples >

In the case of using the thermoelectric module 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the sheet resistance is reduced and the efficiency is high and the degree of freedom of shape is high, a temperature display change as fast as the detection speed of the skin is induced, Can also be used.

In the case of using the thermoelectric module 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the sheet resistance is reduced, the efficiency is high and the shape freedom degree is high, it can be used as various thermoelectric generators. As an example, a thermoelectric generator is used together with solar power generation, and it has an advantage that the overall efficiency of the power generation can be enhanced by using solar energy in a wavelength range not covered by solar power generation. In addition, it can be used as a power source for a living body device attached to a human body.

In the case of using the thermoelectric module 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the sheet resistance is reduced and the efficiency is high and the shape freedom degree is high, it is made up of a plurality of unit pixel thermoelectric elements, and the Row multiplexer, the column multiplexer, It can also be used as a heat source image sensor composed of a display.

&Lt; Method of manufacturing thermoelectric module &

9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 9, a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a p-type layer mounting step S10, an n-type layer mounting step S20, a thermoelectric element assembly completion step S30, (S40) and a thermoelectric module completion step (S50).

The p-type device 10, the n-type device 12 and the insulator can be manufactured through various deposition processes such as thermal evaporation, flash evaportion, PLD (plasma depletion deposition), ion beam sputtering, and MOCVD ) And MBE (Molecular Beam Epitaxy) are expensive and time consuming, but can be fabricated in a nanostructured fashion. In addition, it can be manufactured in thin film type with precise composition ratio by screen printing or co-sputtering process.

In particular, the Bi ₂ Te ₃ thermoelectric material can be produced by a method of melting and unidirectional solidification and a low temperature press molding using a paste form, a hot pressing method and a hot pressing method. Unidirectional solidification materials can exhibit excellent thermoelectric properties, but may have low productivity and material loss during compact device processing. Such disadvantages can be overcome in manufacturing by using paste form. For this purpose, in one embodiment of the present invention, a method of mixing thermally conductive material, metal, and conductive polymer into paste may be used.

An embodiment using a screen printing method will be described.

In the p-type layer mounting step S10, a plurality of p-type elements 10, which are elongated in the longitudinal direction L, are printed on the upper surface of the first substrate 20, And the insulating layer 16 are applied thereon. The p-type device 10 is printed on the upper surface of the printed insulating layer 16 in the same direction as the printed p-type device 10 so as to form a two-layer zigzag form when viewed from the end in the longitudinal direction L . The insulator 14 and the insulating layer 16 are coated on the upper surface thereof so that the four sides of each p type device 10 are sealed by the insulator 14 and the insulating layer 16. And irradiating ultraviolet light to cure the insulator 14 and the insulating layer 16.

In the n-type layer mounting step S20, the n-type device 12, the insulator 14 and the insulating layer 16 can be printed on the upper surface of the second substrate 22 in the same manner as described above. The n-type device 12, the insulator 14, and the insulating layer 16 may be printed in the above-described manner after the insulating layer 16 is printed on the upper surface of the n-

In S10 and S20, the n-type layer 52 may be provided first, and the p-type layer 50 may be provided on the top surface.

The thermoelectric element assembly completion step (S30) is a step of installing the second substrate 22 on the upper surfaces of the p-type layer 50 and the n-type layer 52, which are made through S10 and S20.

In the cutting step S40, the thermoelectric module assembly produced through steps S10 to S30 is cut to a size required by the user to make the thermoelectric module precursor.

In the thermoelectric module completing step (S50), the electrodes may be attached to both ends of the thermoelectric module precursor cut by the user in the longitudinal direction (L) at step S40, and the terminals 40 may be connected to both ends of the thermoelectric module precursor. At this time, the arrangement of the first electrode 30 and the second electrode 32 should be such that the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12 are electrically connected in series in the order of pnpn, Electrodes should be placed. As a result, the first electrode 30 provided at the front may be connected to the p-type device 10 through the n-type device 12 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L, and the second electrode 32 Can be arranged in an electrical serial or thermal parallel arrangement by connecting the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12 in a diagonal direction.

The completed thermoelectric module 3 may be attached to a three-dimensional object and connected to a terminal 4 provided at both ends of the thermoelectric module 3 by power or resistance. Since both ends in the longitudinal direction L of the thermoelectric module 3 are the thermoelectric element connection portions, the temperature sensing portion in the power generation device and the temperature sensor, and the high temperature portion or the low temperature portion in the Peltier device.

The arrangements of the thermoelectric elements, electrodes and terminals described above are not limited to the drawings, and can be determined within the technical idea of the present invention depending on the application of the thermoelectric module.

As described above, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the detailed description and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and from the equivalent concept are to be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

1: thermoelectric element aggregate
3: Thermoelectric module
4: terminal
10: p-type device
12: n-type device
14: Insulator
16: Insulation layer
20: first substrate
22: second substrate
30: first electrode
32: second electrode
40: one terminal
42: the other terminal
50: p type layer
52: n-type layer
L: longitudinal direction

Claims (16)

A plurality of columnar p-type devices 10 arranged in parallel in the longitudinal direction L and arranged in a zigzag pattern of two layers and a columnar insulator 14 disposed between each of the p- A p-type layer (50) comprising; And
A plurality of columnar n-type elements 12 arranged in parallel in the longitudinal direction L and arranged in a zigzag pattern of two layers and the insulator 14 disposed between each of the n-type elements 12 An n-type layer 52 provided on one side of the p-type layer 50;
Lt; / RTI &gt;
An insulating layer 16 which is a layered insulating material is disposed between the respective layers of the p-type layer 50 and the n-type layer 52 and between the p-type layer 50 and the n-type layer 52 , And the p-type layer (50) and the n-type layer (52) are spaced apart from each other.
The method according to claim 1,
A first substrate (20) for insulating and protecting the other side of the p-type layer (50) other than the bonding surface with the insulating layer (16); And
A second substrate (22) which insulates and protects the other side of the n-type layer (52) other than the bonding surface with the insulating layer (16);
Further comprising:
Wherein the first substrate (20) and the second substrate (22) are made of a flexible insulating material.
3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the first substrate (20) and the second substrate (22) are made of a polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide or OHP film.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the insulator (14) is thinner than the p-type element (10) or the n-type element (12).
The method according to claim 1,
The p-type device (10) or the n-type device (12) is provided in a paste form in which a thermoelectric material in a powder state, a metal powder, and a conductive polymer are mixed to form a paste.
6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the metal powder is composed of Ag, Ni or Cu and is pulverized to 200mesh or less and is composed of 5 to 10% by weight of the p-type element or the n-type element.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the insulator (14) and the insulating layer (16) are composed of any one of silicon, polyurethane and polystyrene.
The method according to claim 1,
The p-type device 10 or the n-type device 12 may be a Bi-Te, Co-Sb, Pb-Te, Si-Ge, Sb-Te, Sm- And a thermoelectric material selected from a combination thereof.
A thermoelectric device assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8;
A plurality of first electrodes 30 configured to connect the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12, which are one component of the thermoelectric element assembly 1, on the front side of the thermoelectric element assembly 1;
A plurality of second electrodes (32) configured to connect the p-type device (10) and the n-type device (12) at the rear side of the thermoelectric element assembly (1); And
A terminal 4 provided on one side and the other side of the rear side of the p-type layer 50 or the n-type layer 52 and composed of one side terminal 40 and the other side terminal 42;
Lt; / RTI &gt;
And a plurality of thermoelectric elements from the one side terminal (40) to the other side terminal (42) are connected in an electrically serial manner in the order of pnpn.
10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the p-type device (10), the insulator (14) as one component of the thermoelectric element assembly (1), the insulating layer (16) and the n-type device (12) are applied in a thin film form.
10. The method of claim 9,
The thermoelectric module in which the p-type device (10), the insulator (14) constituting one component of the thermoelectric element assembly (1), the insulating layer (16) and the n-type device (12) are configured in a bulk form.
A thermoelectric module (3) according to claim 9;
A temperature sensor installed at a front end of the thermoelectric module 3;
A temperature calculation unit connected to the terminal 4, which is one component of the thermoelectric module 3; And
A controller for outputting or storing temperature information calculated by the temperature calculator;
.
A thermoelectric module (3) according to claim 9;
A low temperature part installed at one end of the thermoelectric module 3;
A high temperature part provided at the other end of the thermoelectric module 3; And
A power source connected to the terminal 4, which is one component of the thermoelectric module 3;
/ RTI &gt;
And a current is supplied to the thermoelectric module (3) from the power source to generate a predetermined temperature difference between the low temperature section and the high temperature section.
A plurality of p-type devices 10, which are elongated in the front-rear direction, are formed on the upper surface of a first substrate 20, which is a flexible insulating material, in a zigzag shape of two layers. An insulator 14 is interposed between the p- A p-type layer providing step of arranging an insulating layer (16) between layers;
The insulating layer 16 is disposed on the upper surface of the p-type layer 50, and a plurality of n-type elements 12, which are elongated in the back-and-forth direction, are formed thereon in a zigzag manner, An n-type layer providing step of disposing the insulator (14) between the layers (12) and arranging the insulating layer (16) between the layers;
A step of completing a thermoelectric element assembly in which a second substrate 22, which is a flexible insulating material, is provided on an upper surface of the n-type layer 52 to complete the thermoelectric element assembly 1;
A cutting step of cutting the thermoelectric element assembly (1) into a desired length or shape; And
A plurality of first electrodes 30 provided in front of the cut thermoelectric element assembly 1 and connecting the p-type device 10 and the n-type device 12 are provided, and the p- 50 or the rear side and the other side of the n-type layer 52 and the plurality of thermoelectric elements from the one terminal 40 to the other terminal 42 are electrically connected in the order of pnpn A thermoelectric module finalizing step of providing a plurality of second electrodes 32 on the rear side;
/ RTI &gt;
15. The method of claim 14,
The p-type device 10 or the n-type device 12 is printed through a pressure molding method in the p-type layer setting step S10 and the n-type layer setting step S20. Way.
15. The method of claim 14,
Wherein the p-type device (10), the n-type device (12), the insulator (14) and the insulating layer (16) are formed in a thin film.

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