A thermoelectric device with multiple headers and a method of manufacturing such a device are provided herein. In some embodiments, a thermoelectric device includes multiple thermoelectric legs, a cold header thermally attached to the thermoelectric legs, and a hot header thermally attached to the thermoelectric legs opposite the cold header. At least one of the cold header and the hot header includes at least one score line. According to some embodiments disclosed herein, this the thermal stress on the thermoelectric device can be greatly reduced or relieved by splitting the header into multiple pieces or by scoring the header by a depth X. This enables the use of larger thermoelectric devices and/or thermoelectric devices with an increased lifespan.

A system exchanges pressure and heat from a source stream to a sink stream. The system includes a source exchanger and a sink exchanger. The source exchanger includes a first pressure exchanger and a first heat exchanger. The first pressure exchanger converts pressure of the source stream to electrical energy. The first heat exchanger converts temperature from the source stream via a first temperature differential to electrical energy. The sink exchanger includes a second pressure exchanger and a second heat exchanger. The second pressure exchanger uses electrical energy received from the source exchanger to change a pressure of the sink stream. The second heat exchanger uses electrical energy received from the source exchanger to change a temperature of the sink stream. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.

An ambient energy converter includes a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion. The housing lower portion has a hydrophobic material portion. The upper portion has a vent opening in fluid communication with ambience. The housing contains a mass of hygroscopic within the housing lower portion that is in fluid communication with the hydrophobic material portion. An ion conductive membrane electrode assembly is coupled to the housing to allow the passage of ionized water or water vapor through the ion conductive membrane electrode and into contact with the hygroscopic solution. An air conduit may be coupled to the housing to provide an airflow to the ion conductive membrane electrode and/or hydrophobic material portion.

An ambient energy converter includes a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion. The housing lower portion has a hydrophobic material portion. The upper portion has a vent opening in fluid communication with ambience. The housing contains a mass of hygroscopic within the housing lower portion that is in fluid communication with the hydrophobic material portion. An ion conductive membrane electrode assembly is coupled to the housing to allow the passage of ionized water or water vapor through the ion conductive membrane electrode and into contact with the hygroscopic solution. An air conduit may be coupled to the housing to provide an airflow to the ion conductive membrane electrode and/or hydrophobic material portion.

An adverse event-resilient network system consisting of autonomously powered and mobile nodes in communication with each other either through radio, light or other electromagnetic signals or through a physical connection such as through wiring, cables or other physical connected methods capable of carrying information and communication signals. The nodes powered by an energy generator comprising multiple data, information and voice gathering, receiving and emitting devices as well as mechanical, optical and propulsion devices.

A method is disclosed for tailoring the thermoelectric response of a thermocouple to that desired by a user. The method comprises the steps of; (a) selecting a first thermoelectric material, (b) selecting a second thermoelectric material having dissimilar thermoelectric properties to the first thermoelectric material, a thermocouple formed from the first thermoelectric material and the second thermoelectric material having a known thermoelectric response, and (c) modifying the chemical composition of at least one of the first thermoelectric material and the second thermoelectric material to produce a thermocouple having a tailored thermoelectric response. In specific embodiments, the chemical composition may be modified by selectively depleting one or more chemical elements from the thermoelectric material or by selectively adding, or increasing the proportion of, one or more elements to the thermoelectric material.

To provide a stress relaxation structure that can achieve both high thermal conductivity and high thermal stress relaxation ability and has excellent vibration durability, and a thermoelectric conversion module having such a stress relaxation structure. The stress relaxation structure includes a rolled-up body having a first thermal conductor and a second thermal conductor that are alternately rolled up. The first thermal conductor is metal foil, and the second thermal conductor is porous metal foil.

Disclosed is a thermoelectric device in which a separate interlayer is inserted between a thermoelectric leg and an electrode to reduce the contact resistance between the thermoelectric leg and the electrode, so that the interlayer serves as a tunneling path between the thermoelectric leg and the electrode, facilitating the charge movements between the two materials. The thermoelectric device according to an embodiment includes a substrate; at least one thermoelectric leg positioned on the substrate; an interlayer positioned on each thermoelectric leg of the at least one thermoelectric leg and including a plurality of interlayer materials that are chemically bonded with a respective thermoelectric leg; and an electrode positioned on each interlayer and electrically connected to the respective thermoelectric leg, wherein the plurality of interlayer materials of each respective interlayer is arranged in a shape of a brush.

A thermoelectric module comprising nanostructured SnO and SnO.sub.2, and electrodes arranged between two electrical insulating substrates is described. The nanostructured SnO may be in the form of nanosheets and acting as p-type pillars of the module. The nanostructured SnO.sub.2 may be in the form of nanospheres and acting as n-type pillars of the module. This thermoelectric module is evaluated on the voltage, current, and power of the electricity generated once subjected to a temperature gradient.

A multi-core thermocouple includes a plurality of wires, an insulation core surrounding the plurality of wires, a sheath surrounding the insulation core, and a plurality of electrical junctions. The plurality of electrical junctions may include a first electrical junction formed between a first wire of the plurality of wires and the sheath at a first axial mid-section of the multi-core thermocouple, the first electrical junction including a first swaged axial mid-section of the sheath and a second electrical junction formed between a second wire of the plurality of wires and the sheath at a second, different axial mid-section of the multi-core thermocouple, the second electrical junction including a second swaged axial mid-section of the sheath.