Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric – Thermoelectric – Electric power generator
Reexamination Certificate
2006-09-19
2006-09-19
Diamond, Alan (Department: 1753)
Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric
Thermoelectric
Electric power generator
C136S201000, C136S211000, C136S212000, C136S236100, C136S238000, C136S239000, C136S240000, C257S467000, C257S470000, C257S471000, C310S306000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07109408
ABSTRACT:
A solid-state energy converter with a semiconductor or semiconductor-metal implementation is provided for conversion of thermal energy to electric energy, or electric energy to refrigeration. In n-type heat-to-electricity embodiments, a highly doped n* emitter region made of a metal or semiconductor injects carriers into an n-type gap region. A p-type layer is positioned between the emitter region and gap region, allowing for discontinuity of corresponding Fermi-levels and forming a potential barrier to sort electrons by energy. Additional p-type layers can optionally be formed on the collector side of the converter. One type of these layers with higher carrier concentration (p*) serves as a blocking layer at the cold side of the converter, and another layer (p**) with carrier concentration close to the gap reduces a thermoelectric back flow component. Ohmic contacts on both sides of the device close the electrical circuit through an external load to convert heat to electricity. In the case of a refrigerator, the external load is substituted by an external power supply.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3173032 (1965-03-01), Maynard
patent: 3267308 (1966-08-01), Hernqvist
patent: 3328611 (1967-06-01), Davis
patent: 3391030 (1968-07-01), Beaver, Jr. et al.
patent: 3515908 (1970-06-01), Caldwell
patent: 3579031 (1971-05-01), Kearns
patent: 3808477 (1974-04-01), Swank
patent: 3843896 (1974-10-01), Rason et al.
patent: 3890161 (1975-06-01), Brown, III
patent: 3899696 (1975-08-01), Fletcher et al.
patent: 3983423 (1976-09-01), Rasor et al.
patent: 4040903 (1977-08-01), Monroe, Jr.
patent: 4047093 (1977-09-01), Levoy
patent: 4151438 (1979-04-01), Fitzpatrick et al.
patent: 4188571 (1980-02-01), Brunson
patent: 4266179 (1981-05-01), Hamm, Jr.
patent: 4280074 (1981-07-01), Bell
patent: 4281280 (1981-07-01), Richards
patent: 4298768 (1981-11-01), Israel et al.
patent: 4303845 (1981-12-01), Davis
patent: 4323808 (1982-04-01), Davis
patent: 4346330 (1982-08-01), Lee et al.
patent: 4368416 (1983-01-01), James
patent: 4373142 (1983-02-01), Morris
patent: 4482910 (1984-11-01), Nishizawa et al.
patent: 4528417 (1985-07-01), Chubb
patent: 4667126 (1987-05-01), Fitzpatrick
patent: 4700099 (1987-10-01), Iden
patent: 4750023 (1988-06-01), Shannon
patent: 4755350 (1988-07-01), Kennel
patent: 4771201 (1988-09-01), Free
patent: 4927599 (1990-05-01), Allen
patent: 5028835 (1991-07-01), Fitzpatrick
patent: 5327038 (1994-07-01), Culp
patent: 5459367 (1995-10-01), Davis
patent: 5492570 (1996-02-01), Horner-Richardson et al.
patent: 5541464 (1996-07-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5572042 (1996-11-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5578886 (1996-11-01), Holmlid et al.
patent: 5623119 (1997-04-01), Yater et al.
patent: 5637946 (1997-06-01), Bushman
patent: 5646474 (1997-07-01), Pryor
patent: 5722242 (1998-03-01), Edelson
patent: 5780954 (1998-07-01), Davis
patent: 5841219 (1998-11-01), Sadwick et al.
patent: 5955772 (1999-09-01), Shakouri et al.
patent: 5973259 (1999-10-01), Edelson
patent: 5981071 (1999-11-01), Cox
patent: 5994638 (1999-11-01), Edelson
patent: 6020671 (2000-02-01), Pento et al.
patent: 6022637 (2000-02-01), Wilson
patent: 6037697 (2000-03-01), Begg et al.
patent: 6060331 (2000-05-01), Shakouri et al.
patent: 6203939 (2001-03-01), Wilson
patent: 6323414 (2001-11-01), Shakouri et al.
patent: 6396191 (2002-05-01), Hagelstein et al.
patent: 6403874 (2002-06-01), Shakouri et al.
patent: 6489704 (2002-12-01), Kucherov et al.
patent: 6779347 (2004-08-01), Kucherov et al.
patent: 6906449 (2005-06-01), Kucherov et al.
patent: 2002/0033188 (2002-03-01), Shakouri et al.
patent: 2003/0033818 (2003-02-01), Kucherov et al.
patent: 2004/0050415 (2004-03-01), Kucherov et al.
patent: 0 452 661 (1991-10-01), None
patent: 2001-217469 (2001-08-01), None
Hagelstein et al, “Thermally-Induced Current Injection across n*-n Junction,” 21st International Conference on Thermoelectrics, pp. 400-403, Aug. 25-29, 2002.
Hagelstein et al, “Thermally-Induced Current Injection across an npn Junction,” 22nd International Conference on Thermoelectrics, pp. 554-557, Aug. 17-21, 2003.
Hagelstein et al, “Study of Emitter Structures for InSb Thermal Diodes,” 22nd International Conference on Thermoelectrics, pp. 578-581, Aug. 17-21, 2003.
Kucherov et al, “Importance of Barrier Layers in Thermal Diodes for Energy Conversion,” Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 97, (2005), pp. 1-8.
D.M. Rowe, Ph.D., D.Sc.,CRC Handbook of THERMOELECTRICS, CRC Press, 1995.
Bass, John C. et al.,Improved Termoelectric Converter Units and Power Generators, Electronics Tech Briefs, Dec. 1999.
DiSalvo, Francis, J.,Thermoelectric Cooling and Power Generation, Science, vol. 285 (Jul. 30, 1999), pp. 703-706.
Mahan, G.D. et al.,Multilayer Thermionic Refrigerator and Generator, Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 83, No. 9, May 1, 1998, pp. 4683-4689.
Mahan, G.D., et al.,Multilayer Thermionic Refrigeration, Physical Review Letters, vol. 80, No. 18, May 4, 1998, pp. 4016-4019.
Rasor, Ned S.,VA. Technology of Thermoelectric and Thermionic Energy Conversion, RASOR Associates Report, 1989, pp. 397-413.
Rasor, Ned S.,VB. Engineering Aspects of Thermionic Energy Conversion, RASOR Associates Report, 1989, pp. 415-439.
Lin, T.P. et al.,Thermionic Emission Including Both Space-charge and Image Forces, Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 85, No. 8, Apr. 15, 1989, pp. 3205-3211.
Capper, Peter,Properties of Narrow Gap Cadmium-based Compounds, EMIS Datareviews Series No. 10, Dec. 1993, pp. 207-211.
Bates, Clayton W. Jr.,Low-temperature Thermionic Emitters Using Metal-semiconductor Composites, Materials Letters, vol. 23, Apr. 1995, pp. 1-5.
Shakouri, Ali et al.,Heterostructure Integrated Thermionic Coolers, Applied Physics Letters, vol. 71, No. 9, Sep. 1, 1997, pp. 1234-1236.
Collier, C.P. et al.,Electronically Configurable Molecular-Based Logic Gates, Science, vol. 285, Jul. 16, 1999, pp. 391-394.
Hagelstein, P.L et al.,Enhanced Figure of Merit in Thermal to Electrical Energy Conversion Using Diode Structures, Applied Physics Letters, vol. 81, No. 3, Jul. 15, 2002, pp. 559-561.
Kuchervo, Y. et al.Energy Conversion Using Diode-like Structures, Proceedings of the 21stInternational Conference on Thermoelectronics, 2002.
Hagelstein, P.L. at al.Thermally-Induced Current Injection Across an n*-n Junction, Proceedings of the 21stInternational Conference on Thermoelectronics, 2002.
Hagelstein, P.L. et al.Thermally-Induced Current Injection across an npn Structure, Proceedings of the 22ndInternational Conference on Thermoelectrics, 2003.
Kucherov, Y. et al.Study of Emitter Structures for InSb Termal Diodes, Proceedings of the 22ndInternational Conference on Thermoelectrics, 2003.
Venkatasubramanian, R. et al.Thin-Film Thermoelectric Devices with High Room-Temperature Figures of Merit, Nature, vol. 413, Oct. 11, 2001.
Hagelstein Peter L.
Kucherov Yan R.
Diamond Alan
Eneco, Inc.
Workman Nydegger
LandOfFree
Solid state energy converter does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Solid state energy converter, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Solid state energy converter will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3542088