Embodiments relate to an apparatus including a transport medium, a first surface, and a second surface. The transport medium includes a nanoparticle suspended in a dielectric, and has a first side and a second side. The first side opposes the second side. The nanoparticle includes a conductive metal at least partially covered by a monolayer film that is less conductive than the conductive metal. The first surface is disposed at the first side of the transport medium and has a first work function. The second surface is disposed at the second side of the transport medium and has a second work function. The first work function is lower than the second work function. In embodiments, the apparatus is configured to power a load coupled to the apparatus.

A method of fabricating a thermoelectric device includes providing a thermoelectric device having a thermally conductive first plate, a thermally conductive second plate, and a plurality of thermoelectric elements in a region bounded by and including the first plate and the second plate. The plurality of thermoelectric elements is in thermal communication with the first plate and the second plate. The method further includes forming a polymeric coating in the region on at least one surface of the first plate, at least one surface of the second plate, and at least one surface of the plurality of thermoelectric elements.

A thin-film thermocouple probe includes a columnar substrate, a tungsten-26% rhenium film and an indium oxide (In.sub.2O.sub.3) film. A side surface of the columnar substrate is provided with a first straight groove and a second straight groove. The tungsten-26% rhenium film is arranged on a front end surface of the columnar substrate and in the first straight groove. The indium oxide film is arranged on the front end surface of the columnar substrate and in the second straight groove. The indium oxide film on the front end surface of the columnar substrate is connected to the tungsten-26% rhenium film on the front end surface of the columnar substrate. A first metal lead wire is connected to the tungsten-26% rhenium film, and a second metal lead wire is connected to the indium oxide film. A method of preparing the thin-film thermocouple probe is provided.

A cooling system for a photovoltaic panel including micro flat heat pipes (HP) integrated with thermoelectric generators (TEG) and a cooled water reservoir for cooling the working fluid in heat pipes. The cooled water in the reservoir is pumped from the condensate pan of an air conditioner. Experimental results show that cooling system reduced the average temperature of the panel by as much as 19° C. or 25%. Further, the output power of the photovoltaic panel increased by 44% when the photovoltaic panel was used in a very hot climate (30-40° C.). An additional two watts of power was generated by the TEGs.

Differential thermoelectric devices are provided for monitoring a change of areal thermal energy dissipation rate and surface temperature profile. The devices include a through electrode connecting to different sets of thermoelectric elements at different regions of the device. A sensing circuitry is electrically connected to the thermoelectric elements to measure a voltage output.

The present disclosure relates to an energy conversion material including: a pair of 2-dimensional active layers; and a property control layer positioned between the 2-dimensional active layers, and the property control layer is changed in any one or more of structure and state depending on an external environmental factor and performs reversible switching between the 2-dimensional active layers.

An energy harvesting apparatus may include a thermoelectric device, a heat exchanger coupled to the thermoelectric device, a thermal capacitor container, and a thermal capacitor generation device. The thermal capacitor generation device may be configured to generate a thermal capacitor fluid, to be contained in the thermal capacitor container. An electrical energy storage device may be electrically connected to the thermoelectric device, to store electricity generated by the thermoelectric device.

A system, a thermoelectric generator, and a method for generating electricity are provided. The system includes a thermoelectric generator, a cooling system, and a heating system. The cooling system includes a cold side module configured to hold a predetermined volume of air, a subterranean heat exchanger including an underground conduit, the underground conduit having a first end configured to receive ambient air and a second end coupled to the inlet of the cold side module, and an air exhaust coupled to the outlet of the cold side module and having one or more valves configured to control an airflow from the subterranean heat exchanger towards the air exhaust. The heating system includes a first solar concentrator to collect light rays, a hot side module, and a fiber optic cable to transport the collected light rays to the hot side module.

The invention relates to an active material comprising at least one oxygen containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, SiO.sub.2, Bi.sub.2O.sub.3, Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and TiO.sub.2, at least one thickener additive selected from the group consisting of agar agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose, and arabic gum, and at least one plasticizer additive, wherein the particle size of the at least one oxygen-based compound has an average diameter in the range from 10 nm to 40 μm. The invention concerns also an electric power generator (EPG) comprising at least a first electrode (11) and a second electrode (12), wherein the electric power generator comprises the active material between said electrodes (11,12).

A method of fabricating a two dimensional thermoelectric device includes forming dissimilar atomic layers having quantum electron transport properties, and forming a well-defined interface between the dissimilar atomic layers for effecting a thermoelectric transport by exploiting a gradient in the material parameters between the layers. The resulting device defines an inclusion matrix of the dissimilar atomic layers such that the inclusion layer is confined within a matrix formed by the other atomic layer.