Thermoelectrics Tutorial

There are essentially four parts to any thermoelectric application:

(1) a thermoelectric chip, (2) a thermoelectric module, (3) a thermoelectric sub-assembly, and (4) a thermoelectric system. Each requires a different set of base technologies and engineering expertise to operate effectively.
 
1. A thermoelectric chip is a small, rectangular, solid-state material. The individual MicroPower Chips (P-type and N-type) will be made from a proprietary combination of materials, doping, structure and dimensional ratios that achieves far superior performance (three to four times more efficient than alternatives). It is this breakthrough in performance that drives the major increase in overall thermoelectric system performance. Each of the other system components has an effect on performance, but it is more modest. Thus the MicroPower Chip will become the primary technological control point for system performance.

 
MicroPower Module cross-section, showing assembled chips

2. A thermoelectric module is a mechanical assembly of chips electrically connected in series via metal conductors, and all sandwiched between a non-electrically conducting hot plate and cold plate. This assembly is primarily driven by mechanical and thermal design with small incremental improvements made from time to time to overall efficiency.

3. A thermoelectric sub-assembly is a number of thermoelectric modules mechanically packaged to meet an application-dependent form factor. The thermoelectric modules are electrically connected in series or parallel, depending on the voltage and current requirements of the particular application.

4. A thermoelectric system adds the electrical interfacing electronics that conditions the power to meet the larger system needs. This system may have one or more thermoelectric sub-assemblies.

MicroPower Chips are expected to constitute the largest element of the markets served because they are common to all applications. There are some variations on the thermoelectric module from application to application, but many applications will share common modules. Thermoelectric sub-assemblies and systems, on the other hand, will be much smaller individual markets since they must be specifically designed for each application and sub-market application.