The invention relates to a thermoelectric device including a pair of different conductors joined at one head end to form a thermocouple junction, the opposite tail ends being free. The conductors have a circular or elliptical section, are arranged side-by-side in proximity of the head end and are joined by laser welding. Several pairs of conductors may be connected together by joining also the tail ends of a conductor of a pair with the tail end of the different conductor of another pair to form a thermopile comprising thermocouple junctions in series. The invention further relates to a process of manufacturing the device.

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 battery module, a vehicle, and a method of manufacturing a battery module, the battery module including a housing accommodating a plurality of secondary batteries; and a thermoelectric element assembly on the housing and in contact with the plurality of secondary batteries through at least one contact opening in the housing, the thermoelectric element assembly being configured to heat or cool the plurality of secondary batteries.

A heat conversion apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a pipe which includes a first flat surface and a second flat surface disposed parallel to the first surface, and through which air having a lower temperature than entered air is discharged; a plurality of thermoelectric elements that have heat-absorbing surfaces disposed in external sides of the respective first and second surfaces; a plurality of printed circuit boards (PCBs) that are electrically connected to the plurality of thermoelectric elements; and coolant passing members that are disposed on heat-radiating surfaces of the plurality of thermoelectric elements, wherein an external floor surface of the coolant passing member includes a plurality of first external floor surfaces having a first height and a plurality of second external floor surfaces having a second height that is different from the first height, the plurality of first external floor surfaces are in contact with the heat-radiating surfaces of the plurality of thermoelectric elements, and the plurality of PCBs are disposed in the plurality of second external floor surfaces.

A thermoelectric module includes a substrate, a plurality of electrodes arranged on a surface of the substrate, a plurality of thermoelectric elements respectively connected to the plurality of electrodes, and at least three terminals respectively connected to the different electrodes and connected to one or both of a first load and a second load.

Protective coating to prevent sublimation are disclosed. More particularly, the protective coatings comprise one or more alkaline earth halide materials, or mixtures thereof, to prevent sublimation. The alkaline earth halide material of the coating can be judiciously selected to match the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the material of the external surface of the underlying substrate coated. The protective coatings may be advantageous for protecting external surfaces of thermoelectric materials, parts and devices at high temperature to prevent sublimation and material loss.

A thermoelectric module according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first substrate; a thermoelectric element disposed on the first substrate; a second substrate disposed on the thermoelectric element and having a smaller area than the first substrate; a sealing part disposed on the first substrate and surrounding a side surface of the thermoelectric element; and a wire part connected to the thermoelectric element, drawn out through the sealing part, and supplying power to the thermoelectric element, wherein the sealing part has a through hole through which the wire part passes, and the through hole is disposed closer to the second substrate than the first substrate.

Thermoelectric devices have an electrically conductive connector for connecting thermoelectric modules. The electrically conductive connector is a compliant mechanism having a first connecting region and a second connecting region that are rigid bodies and an elastically deformable region that is a flexible member positioned between the first and second connecting regions. The electrically conductive compliant mechanism connector enables facile manufacture and assembly of thermoelectric devices of various sizes and shapes that are conformable to irregularly shaped objects and body parts.

A printed wiring board includes a core substrate including core material and having opening, thermoelectric elements including P-type and N-type thermoelectric elements such that the thermoelectric elements are accommodated in the opening, a first build-up layer including a first resin insulating layer on first surface of the core substrate and an outermost first resin insulating layer on the first resin insulating layer, and a second build-up layer including a second resin insulating layer on second surface of the core substrate and an outermost second resin insulating layer on the second resin insulating layer. The outermost first resin insulating layer is formed to have thermal conductivity that is higher than thermal conductivities of the first resin insulating layer and the core material, and the outermost second resin insulating layer is formed to have thermal conductivity that is higher than thermal conductivities of the second resin insulating layer and the core material.

Provided is a heat flow switching element which has a larger change in a thermal conductivity and has excellent thermal responsiveness. The heat flow switching element includes an N-type semiconductor layer, an insulator layer laminated on the N-type semiconductor layer, a P-type semiconductor layer laminated on the insulator layer, an N-side electrode connected to the N-type semiconductor layer, and a P-side electrode connected to the P-type semiconductor layer. In particular, the insulator layer is formed of a dielectric. Also, a plurality of N-type semiconductor layers and P-type semiconductor layers are laminated alternately with the insulator layer interposed therebetween.