Study On Micro (Small) Thermoelectric Generation Device With Heat And Sink Source

The widely use of MEMS prompted the extensive research of Power MEMS. Micro (small) thermoelectric generation device is one of the research programs for Power MEMS.In the paper, the project of micro (small) thermoelectric generate device with heat and sink source was put forward, and the theory of which is put temperature in difference actively to two sides of the micro (small) thermoelectric generator. The device includes mainly three parts such as heat source, sink source and micro (small) thermoelectric generator etc, which has merits of quiet, long life-span for use, no pollution and having no movable components etc. This program was put forward for the first time in civil.At first, combined with perfect model of common thermoelectric generator, the accurate design model of output power and efficiency for micro (small) thermoelectric generator were built up based on such factors as the effect of small scale, Thomson effect, contact internal resistance, soldier layer piece and current conduct layers, etc, and the performance parameters of generator were optimized. A series of micro (small) thermoelectric generators were manufactured based on above theories. The optimist micro (small) generators were got through testing performance of several generators with different surface scale, different number of thermocouple and different length of thermocouple. Secondly, the sink source of generation device was analyzed. Taken keeping temperature of the sink source working stably and lasting a certain time as target, sink source was optimized and freezing ice was selected as sink source. And the box used for sink source was optimized in structure. Thirdly, the heat source of the generate device was researched. In this chapter, phase change materials with high energy density (PCM), liquid fuel and gas fuel were taken as the heat source of the device and were researched respectively. At the same time, radioactive isotope was proposed as another kind perfect heat source. In this section, Taken PCM as heat source of the micro (small) thermoelectric generate device is the first time in the civil. At last, micro combustor was designed and manufactured, and micro combustion was done experiment and test successfully.In the paper several kinds of micro (small) thermoelectric generate devices fabricated by micro (small) thermoelectric generator, heat and sink source, and such parameters as output power, efficiency and working time. The testing results illuminate that the output power of micro thermoelectric generate device reach to 10～100mW or more and that of the small thermoelectric generator exceed 1.2W which have some merit comparing with some kinds of batteries in used.