Thermoelectric composite semiconductor

Abstract

Heat transfer to refrigerate or heat uses a thermoelectric semiconductor structure including a P-type composite of dices of semiconductor material alloyed with P-type material forming spaced collector regions at junctions with a P-type conductive material for flux of electrical current and a N-type composite of dices of semiconductor material alloyed with N-type material forming spaced collector regions at junctions with a N-type conductive material for flux of electrical current. The thickness of each the dices is sufficient to form a PN junction. Electrically conductive buss bars form an electrical circuit between the dices of N-type conductivity and the dices of P-type conductivity. An electrically conductive buss bar forms an electrical circuit connection between the dices of N-type conductivity and the dices of P-type conductivity. An electrical potential is applied by terminals between the P-type composite and the N-type composite to induce a flux of heat concurrent with the flux of electrical current.

1 . A thermoelectric semiconductor structure including the combination of:
 a P-type composite comprised of a plurality of dices of semiconductor material alloyed with P-type material forming spaced collector regions at junctions with a P-type conductive material for flux of electrical current;   a N-type composite comprised of a plurality of dices of semiconductor material alloyed with N-type material forming spaced collector regions at junctions with a N-type conductive material for flux of electrical current, the thickness of each said dices being sufficient to form a PN junction thereof;   an electrically conductive buss bar forming an electrical circuit connection between one of said dices of N-type conductivity and one of said dices of P-type conductivity; and   terminals for applying an electrical potential between said P-type composite and said N type composite to induce a flux of heat concurrent with the flux of electrical current.   
   
   
       2 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 1  wherein the combination further includes a plurality of said P-type composite and a plurality of said N-type composite, and wherein said electrically conductive buss bar interconnects said plurality of said P-type composite and a plurality of said N-type composite forming a series circuit electrical circuit. 
   
   
       3 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 2  wherein said buss bar further includes an electrical conductor joining a dices of said P-type conductivity with a dices of said N-type conductivity. 
   
   
       4 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 3  wherein said electrical conductor electrically separates hot junctions from cold junctions. 
   
   
       5 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of said N-type conductive material and said P-type conductive material is sufficiently flexible for selectively establishing a desired heat discharge site for said flux of heat. 
   
   
       6 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 5  wherein said desired heat discharge site for said flux of heat accomplishes the heat transfer by convection, conduction, boiling including heat pipe, or radiation and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 1  wherein each of said N-type conductive material and said N-type conductive material are sufficiently flexible for selectively establishing a desired heat discharge site for said flux of heat. 
   
   
       8 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 1  further including a ceramic member for inducing a flux of heat concurrent with electrically insulating said electrically conductive buss bar. 
   
   
       9 . A thermal electric structure including a plurality of thermal electric junctions connected in series by electrically conductive busses, and terminals to apply an electrically current across the serially connected hybrid thermal electric junctions, each of said thermal electric junctions comprising:
 an elongated semiconductor of either N or P-type joined in an end-to-end relation between an elongated either N or P-type conductive material and one of said electrically conductive busses;   a first semiconductor dice of a type different from type of said elongated semiconductor joined with said elongated either N or P-type conductive material opposite said elongated semiconductor for establishing a hybrid P-N junction for both high thermal flux and high electrical flux; and   an elongated conduit of the same type conductivity as said first semiconductor dice connected for a high electrical flux return path and a low heat flux return path from said first semiconductor dice to a second semiconductor dice of the same conductivity as said first semiconductor dice, said second semiconductor dice joined to another of said electrically conductive busses.   
   
   
       10 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 9  wherein the combination further includes a plurality of said P-type composite and a plurality of said N-type composite, and wherein said electrically conductive busses interconnect said plurality of said P-type composite and a plurality of said N-type composite forming a series circuit electrical circuit. 
   
   
       11 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 10  wherein at least one of said conductor of N-type conductivity and said conductor of P-type conductivity is sufficiently flexible for selectively establishing a desired heat discharge site for said flux of heat. 
   
   
       12 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 11  wherein said desired heat discharge site for said flux of heat accomplishes the heat transfer by convection, conduction, boiling including heat pipe, or radiation and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       13 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 11  wherein said either N or P-type conductive material comprise shaped structures having mechanically sufficiently flexible for selectively establishing a desired heat discharge site for flux of heat to allow the orientation of the heat discharge site to be remotely spaced and when desired angularly orientated as desired in relation to the heat source. 
   
   
       14 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 9  further including a ceramic member for inducing a flux of heat concurrent with electrically insulating said electrically conductive busses. 
   
   
       15 . A multistage composite thermoelectric module including the combination of multistage P-type composites each comprised of two dices of P-type semiconductor material joined by a P-type conductive material to induce flux of electrical current concurrent with a flux of heat, one dice of P-type semiconductor of each of two P-composites having a common heat flux origin and the remaining one of the P-type semiconductor of each of said two P-type composites having independently spaced heat flux site for increasing the temperature differential between the refrigeration temperature and heat sink temperature increasing the thermal capacity for removing heat from the refrigeration area, and multistage N-type composites each comprised of two dices of N-type semiconductor material joined by a N-type conductive material to induce flux of electrical current concurrent with a flux of heat, one dice of N-type semiconductor of each of two N-composites having a common heat flux origin and the remaining one of the N-type semiconductor of each of said two N-type composites having independently spaced heat flux site for increasing the temperature differential between the refrigeration temperature and heat sink temperature increasing the thermal capacity for removing heat from the refrigeration area. 
   
   
       16 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 15  wherein the combination further includes a plurality of said P-type composite and a plurality of said N-type composite, and wherein said electrically conductive busses interconnect said plurality of said P-type composite and a plurality of said N-type composite forming a series circuit electrical circuit. 
   
   
       17 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 16  wherein at least one of said N-type conductive material and said P-type conductive material is sufficiently flexible for selectively establishing a desired heat discharge site for said flux of heat. 
   
   
       18 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 16  wherein said at least one of said N-type conductive material and said P-type conductive material comprise shaped structures having mechanically sufficiently flexible for selectively establishing a desired heat discharge site for flux of heat to allow the orientation of the heat discharge site to be remotely spaced and when desired angularly orientated as desired in relation to the heat source. 
   
   
       19 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 15  further including a ceramic member for inducing a flux of heat concurrent with electrically insulating said electrically conductive busses. 
   
   
       20 . The thermoelectric structure according to  claim 15  wherein said independently spaced heat flux site accomplishes the heat transfer by convection, conduction, boiling including heat pipe, or radiation and combinations thereof.