EP0185499A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Thermoelectric alloy composition
Assignee: University of Glasgow
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Filing: 1985-12-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-12-09
Abstract
Abstract A thermoelectric alloy composition is described comprising from 5% to 95% silicon, from 95% to 5% Germanium, from 0.01% to 0.2% lead and from 0% to 0.2% tin, all percentages being atomic percentages. In a preferred composition at least 50% silicon and 50% Germanium is present with 0.03% to 0.1 % lead and from 0 to 0.05% tin. Tin and lead in combination provide lower thermal conductivity and a greater figure of merit than with lead or tin alone. Other preferred compositions are provided and a thermoelectric material and a p-n coupling thermoelectric generator (10) incorporating the alloy is disclosed. The alloy composition provides high efficiency of power to heat loss and minimises running costs.
Inventors
- 👤 William Duncan
- 👤 Arthur John Barlow
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 05:11
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22C; C22C28/00; H; H10; H10N; H10N10/00; H10N10/80; H10N10/85; H10N10/851; H10N10/8556
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
33 words
A thermoelectric alloy composition comprising from 5% to 95% of silicon, from 95% to 5% Germanium, from 0.01% to 0.2% lead and from 0% to 0.2% of tin, all percentages being atomic percentages.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
33 words
A thermoelectric alloy composition comprising from 5% to 95% of silicon, from 95% to 5% Germanium, from 0.01% to 0.2% lead and from 0% to 0.2% of tin, all percentages being atomic percentages.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A thermoelectric alloy composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein silicon is from 50% to 95%, Germanium is from 5% to 50% and lead is from 0.01% to 0.2%.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A thermoelectric alloy composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein silicon is 50% to 95%, Germanium is 5% to 50% and lead is 0.03% to 0.1%.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A thermoelectric alloy composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein lead is from 0.03% to 0.1%.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A thermoelectric alloy as claimed in claim 1 wherein silicon is from 50% to 95%, Germanium is from 5% to 50%, lead is from 0.01% to 0.2% and tin is from 0 to 0.05%.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A thermoelectric alloy as claimed in claim 5 wherein lead is from 0.03% to C.1%.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A thermoelectric semi-conductor material comprising an alloy as claimed in claim 1 and a dopant consisting of one of a p and n type material having a concentration of 10 18 to 10 20 atoms of said dopant material per cubic centimetre of said alloy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A thermoelectric semi-conductor material as claimed in claim 7 wherein said dopant material has a concentration of 10 19 to 10 20 atoms of dopant material per cubic centimetre of said alloy.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A thermoelectric semi-conductor material as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 wherein said dopant material is a p-type material selected from elements in Group III of the Periodic Table.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
1 0 . A thermoelectric semi-conductor material as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 wherein said dopant material is an n-type material selected from elements in group V of the Periodic Table.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
A thermoelectric semi-conductor material comprising an alloy as claimed in claim 6 wherein said dopant material has a concentration of 10 19 to 10 20 of atoms of one of a p and n-type dopant material per cubic centimetre of alloy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
130 words
A thermoelectric device comprised of at least one p-type semi-conductor material portion (26) and at least one n-type semi-conductor material portion (24) as claimed in claim 7, said p-type material portion (26) having a first end electrically coupled to a first end of said n-type material portion to form a p-n coupling, said p-n coupling having first electrical contact means (38) coupled thereto and being disposable in proximity to a heat source (14), said p and n-type portions (24,26) having respective second ends (40) for receiving respective electrical contacts (18,20) and being connectable to an electrical load (22), the arrangement being such that, in use, in response to thermal energy applied to said p-n coupling electrical power can be obtained by connecting said electrical load between said electrical contacts (18,20).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
A thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 12, wherein a plurality of p-n couplings (39) are provided and adjacent p and n material portions being electrically connected in series and physically arranged in parellel, and, in use, electrical power being obtainable between spaced second ends of respective p and n material portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
119 words
A thermoelectric device comprising at least one p-type semi-conductor material portion as claimed in claim 11, wherein said p-type material portion having a first end electrically coupled to a first end of said n-type material portion to form a p-n coupling (39), said p-n coupling having first electrical contact means (38) coupled thereto and being disposible in proximity to a heat source (14), said p and n-type portions having respective second ends (40) for receiving respective electrical contacts (18,20) and being connectable to an electrical load (22), the arrangement being such that, in use, in response to thermal energy applied to said p-n coupling electrical power can be obtained by connecting said electrical load (22) between said electrical contacts.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
A thermoelectrical device as claimed in claim 12, wherein a plurality of p-n couplings (39) are provided and adjacent p and n material portions being electrically connected in series and physically arranged in parallel and in use, electrical power being obtainable between spaced second ends of respect p and n material portions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
A thermoelectric energy conversion device comprising a thermal energy source, and a thermoelectric device (10) as claimed in claim 12, the arrangement being such that, in use, thermal energy from said thermal energy source (14) is applied to said thermoelectric device (10) to provide power from between said electrical contacts (18,20).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
A thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 16 wherein saio heat source is a combustablefuel gas.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
71 words
A thermoelectric energy conversion device comprising a thermal energy source (14) in the form of a combusting fuel gas, a thermoelectric device (10) as claimed in claim 15, the arrangement being such that, in use, the combusting fuel gas applies thermal energy to the thermoelectric device (10) and said thermal energy is connected to electrical energy which can be obtained by coupling an electrical load (22) between said electrical contacts (18,20).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
19 . A method of converting thermal energy to electrical energy using a thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 13 or 15 said method comprising the steps of heating said p-n coupling to a predetermined temperature, and coupling the electrical contacts of said device across an electrical load.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
2 0 . A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said predetermined temperature is up to 1000 C.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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