A cooling system includes an evaporator associated with a heat source. A condenser is located at a higher elevation than the evaporator. A heat pipe structure fluidly connects the evaporator with the condenser. A fan forces air through the condenser. A working fluid is in the evaporator so as to be heated to a vapor state, with the heat pipe structure transferring the vapor to the condenser and passively returning condensed working fluid back to the evaporator for cooling of the heat source. A plurality of thermoelectric generators is associated with the condenser and converts heat, obtained from the working fluid in the vapor state, to electrical energy to power the fan absent an external power source. The thermoelectric generators provide the electrical energy to the fan so that a rotational speed of the fan is automatically self-regulating to either increase or decrease based on a varying heat load.

An electrical converter and heater module with heat insulators having different cross-sectional areas includes a thermoelectric conversion module that corrects the difference in thermal resistance between a P-type thermoelectric conversion member and an N-type thermoelectric conversion member. In this thermoelectric conversion module, since insulators included in the P-type thermoelectric conversion member and the N-type thermoelectric conversion member have a different thermal resistance, it is possible to correct the difference in thermal resistance between the P-type thermoelectric conversion element and the N-type thermoelectric conversion element.

A catheter has a cooling distal section for freezing tissue to sub-zero temperatures with one or more miniature reverse thermoelectric or Peltier elements, also referred to herein as micro-Peltier cooling (MPC) units or electrodes. The MPC units may be on outer surface of an inflatable or balloon member or a tip electrode shell wall that has a fluid-containing interior cavity acting as a heat sink. Each MPC unit has a hot junction and a cold junction whose temperatures are regulated by the heat sink, and a voltage/current applied to the MPC units. A temperature differential of about 70 degrees Celsius may be achieved between the hot and cold junctions for extreme cooling, especially where the MPC units include semiconductor materials with high Peltier co-efficients. An outer coating of thermally-conductive but electrically-insulative material seals the MPC units to prevent unintended current paths through the MPC units.

A sensing system including in-ground sensors not requiring battery power. A thermoelectric generator sensor rod includes an upper thermal contact and a lower thermal contact at or near its two ends. When the thermoelectric generator sensor rod is buried in the ground with one end buried more deeply than the other, a temperature gradient in the soil produces a temperature difference between the upper thermal contact and the lower thermal contact. The upper thermal contact and the lower thermal contact are thermally connected to a thermoelectric generator, e.g., by heat pipes or thermally conductive rods. Electrical power generated by the thermoelectric generator powers sensors for monitoring conditions in the ground, and circuitry for transmitting sensor data to a central data processing system.

A method for packaging a thermoelectric module may include thermoelectric module accommodation, of accommodating at least one thermoelectric module in a housing having a base and a sidewall, electric wire sealing, of sealing an electric wire of the thermoelectric module with a sealing tube, bonding member interposing, of placing a cover having a top portion and a sidewall on top of the housing and interposing a bonding member between the sidewall of the housing and the sidewall of the cover, and bonding, of bonding the sidewall of the housing and the sidewall of the cover that are hermetically sealed by the bonding member, in which the bonding member may be formed of a resin material.

A black silicon carbide ceramic based thermoelectric photodetector, and a thermoelectric optical power meter/thermoelectric optical energy meter using same. The black silicon carbide ceramic based thermoelectric photodetector comprises a thermal conduction plate (21) made of a black silicon carbide ceramic, wherein the surface of one side of the thermal conduction plate (21) is an optical absorption surface (211); and a thermopile (22) or a series connection conductive metal layer (302) is arranged on the surface of either side of the thermal conduction plate (21) to constitute the thermoelectric photodetector. In the thermoelectric photodetector, the black silicon carbide ceramic is used as both the thermal conduction plate (21) and a light absorber, and is directly combined with the thermopile (22) or the series connection conductive metal layer (302) to constitute the thermoelectric photodetector, thereby simplifying the structure of the thermoelectric photodetector.

A thermoelectric conversion material includes a base material that is a semiconductor having Si and Ge as constituent elements, a first additive element that is different from the constituent elements, has a vacant orbital in a d or f orbital located inside an outermost shell thereof, and forms a first additional level in a forbidden band of the base material, and oxygen. The oxygen content ratio is 6 at % or less.

A thermoelectric generator system including: a first surface having a first material configured to undergo a phase change at a first temperature; an actuator configured to retract the first material from contacting a heat source upon the heat source reaching a predetermined temperature higher than the first temperature; and a thermoelectric generator having a hot side and a cold side, the first material being on the hot side. The thermoelectric generator system can further include a second material configured to undergo a phase change at a second temperature, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature, the second material being on the cold side of the thermoelectric generator.

A cooling device for integrated circuits. The device includes: a plurality TEC cooling cells arranged in an array, wherein each of the cells includes a controller coupled to at least one TEC device; and a single power connector that provides power to all the cells in the array. The controller of each cell in the array is operable to control the at least one TEC it is coupled to with power received from the single power connector.

An integrated combustor-thermoelectric generator and method for producing electrical power and/or for operating a pneumatic or electric device. The apparatus includes a burner tube, a tubular heat exchanger extending along and around the burner tube, a plurality of thermoelectric generators disposed along sides of the heat exchanger, and a heat sink on an opposite side of the thermoelectric generators from the burner and heat exchanger. The thermoelectric generators can be paired with an electric valve or a DC air compressor for operating a pneumatic device by directing heated gases from the combustor through the heat exchanger to thermoelectric couples and/or modules for powering the air compressor. The thermoelectric generator and DC compressor can be installed to a natural gas source at a well pad for operating a pneumatic device at the well pad.