A water filtration system with power generating capability includes a membrane that receives relatively hot water on a dirty side, purifies the hot water, and transmits it to a clean side having relatively cold purified water. The system further includes at least one thermoelectric element coupled to the membrane that absorbs thermal energy from the dirty side and emits thermal energy into the clean side to generate electrical power. The system further includes at least one conductor electrically coupled to the at least one thermoelectric element that channels generated electrical power away from the at least one thermoelectric element.

The invention relates to a method for cyclical operation of a thermoelectric cell arrangement by periodically changing the temperature of the thermoelectric cell arrangement, wherein the thermoelectric cell arrangement is thermally coupled to a cyclically operated absorption heat pump. The following method steps are carried out cyclically: thermally coupling the thermoelectric cell arrangement during a cooling phase to a cold side of the absorption heat pump, thermally coupling the thermoelectric cell arrangement during a heating phase to a hot side of the absorption heat pump. The invention also relates to a harvester device for generating electrical energy by means of a thermoelectric cell arrangement, wherein the thermoelectric cell arrangement is thermally coupled to an absorption heat pump, wherein the thermal coupling makes it possible to effect, in time with the working cycle of the absorption heat pump, a temperature change in the thermoelectric cell arrangement.

A human-interface device and a guiding apparatus for a visually impaired user including such human-interface device. The human-interface device includes a tactile module arranged to provide a set of haptic signals to a user, wherein the tactile module has a plurality of tactile units each arranged to provide at least a first haptic signal and operable to cooperate with one or more of other tactile units to provide different haptic signals.

An apparatus that is capable of propelling a gas includes a first layer and a second layer arranged in a stack, mechanism for heating and/or cooling the first layer and the second layer to form a hot layer and a cold layer, and a through hole in the stack. A surface of both the hot layer and the cold layer is exposed in an interior of the through hole. The mechanism for heating and/or cooling the first and second layers controls the hot layer to be hotter than an ambient temperature of the gas, and the cold layer to be colder than the ambient temperature of the gas.

In some aspects, the disclosed technology provides microelectronic devices which can effectively dissipate heat and manage hot spot. In some embodiments, a disclosed microelectronic device may include a substrate having a thickness in a first direction and at least one thermoelectric unit disposed in or on the substrate. The thermoelectric unit may be configured to transfer heat along a second lateral direction orthogonal to the first direction.

A cooling system comprises a board management controller (BMC), a thermoelectric cooling (TEC) controller, and a cooling distribution unit (CDU) controller. The BMC monitors a cooling system to obtain a first power value representing a power consumed by an electronic device, performs a lookup operation in a control lookup table based on the first power value, and determines a first thermoelectric cooling (TEC) current and a first pump speed based on the lookup operation. The TEC controller is to control a TEC device attached to the electronic device to cause the first TEC current to flow within the TEC device. The CDU controller is to configure a pump speed of a fluid pump of the CDU according to the first pump speed.

An electric submersible well pump assembly includes a pump and an electrical motor filled with a dielectric lubricant. A capsule extends around a portion of the motor, defining a chamber between the capsule and the motor. A port through a side wall of the motor communicates the lubricant within the motor to the chamber. Thermoelectric devices are located within the chamber. Voltage supplied to the thermoelectric devices cools the lubricant.

The thermoelectric generating unit 1 generates electric power by a temperature difference between the cold side and the hot side. The heating part 4 is composed of a plate-like hollow member 4a and a tubular member 4b. The hollow member 4a is provided along a hot-side surface of the thermoelectric transducer 2, and forms a plate-like cavity 40a inside. The tubular member 4b forms a tubular cavity 40b which communicates the plate-like cavity 40a, with the two open ends of the tubular member 4b being positioned distantly from each other and connected to the plate-like hollow member 4a. The tubular member 4b is heated from outside by a hot fluid. The plate-like cavity 40a and the tubular cavity 40b form a circulation path 40 in which a heating medium charged in the cavities 40a, 40b circulates.

A cold insulation container includes: a cold insulation storage including a coolant vessel; a circulating air fan that causes cold air from the coolant vessel to circulate in the cold insulation storage; a thermoelectric generating module attached to an outer surface of the coolant vessel; and a temperature controller that adjusts a temperature in the cold insulation storage. A temperature difference between the coolant vessel and circulating cold air in the cold insulation storage causes the temperature controller and the circulating air fan to be driven by thermoelectric power generated by the thermoelectric generating module.

Methods, apparatuses, and systems associated with tunable pumped two-phase liquid cooling thermal management are disclosed. In embodiments, a tunable cooling apparatus may include a thermoelectric cooler device, TEC, that has a hot side and a cold side, where the cold side is to cool the coolant in route to an inlet manifold of the cold plate before the coolant enters the inlet manifold, and the hot side may be to warm the coolant in route from an outlet manifold of the cold plate after the coolant flows through the cold plate and exits the outlet manifold and or vice versa. In embodiments, the coolant may be either in a liquid state or in a vapor state. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.