JP6039346B2 - Thermoelectric power generator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermoelectric power generation apparatus that converts a thermal energy into an electrical energy by giving a temperature difference to a thermoelectric conversion module housed in an airtight container.

  A power generation technique for converting thermal energy into electrical energy using a thermoelectric conversion element is known. The thermoelectric conversion element uses a Seebeck effect in which a potential difference is generated between a high-temperature part and a low-temperature part by giving a temperature difference to a separated part, and the power generation amount increases as the temperature difference increases. Such a thermoelectric conversion element is used in the form of a thermoelectric conversion element module in which a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements are joined. Then, the thermoelectric conversion module is sandwiched between the heating-side plate member and the cooling-side plate member, and the heating-side plate member is heated and the cooling-side plate member is cooled to give a temperature difference to the thermoelectric conversion module. Thus, a thermoelectric power generation apparatus that obtains electricity from the thermoelectric conversion module is configured (see Patent Document 1, etc.).

JP 2009-088408 A

  In this type of power generation device, it is known that as the temperature difference given to the thermoelectric conversion module increases as described above, the amount of power generation increases and the power generation performance improves. As one of the measures for increasing the temperature difference of the thermoelectric conversion module, the plate members on the heating side and the cooling side, which are arranged with the thermoelectric conversion module interposed therebetween, are brought into close contact with the thermoelectric conversion module in a uniform state. It is effective to increase the thermal conductivity through the substrate.

  For example, as in Patent Document 1, each plate member can be brought into close contact with the thermoelectric conversion module using a fastening member such as a tie rod or a nut in a pressurized state. However, when such a member is used, it is difficult to press the plate member to the thermoelectric conversion module with a uniform pressure, and the configuration of the apparatus becomes complicated and the cost increases. In addition, there are cases where the design and the degree of freedom of the design are limited, and there is also a problem that it is disadvantageous when the apparatus is intended to be reduced in weight as much as possible.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its main problem is that each plate member on the heating side and the cooling side of a hermetic container disposed across the thermoelectric conversion module to give a temperature difference to the thermoelectric conversion module Can be adhered to the thermoelectric conversion module in a uniform pressure state without the complexity and cost of the device, and the thermoelectric conversion type can contribute to improvement in design and design freedom and weight reduction. It is to provide a power generation device.

The thermoelectric conversion power generation device of the present invention is a state in which a hermetic container including a heating-side plate member and a cooling-side plate member is disposed between the heating-side plate member and the cooling-side plate member. And a thermoelectric conversion module disposed in the sealed container, wherein the heating side plate member is heated and the cooling side plate member is cooled to give a temperature difference to the thermoelectric conversion module. Thus, the thermoelectric conversion power generation device that generates power from the thermoelectric conversion module, wherein at least one of the heating-side plate member and the cooling-side plate member is in a reduced pressure state in the sealed container. A movable plate member that is brought into contact with the thermoelectric conversion module in a pressurized state due to a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the sealed container that is generated in this manner, and the movable plate member has rigidity and is attached to the thermoelectric conversion module. Rigid part to be abutted Is formed continuous with the state that extends around the rigid portion in the surface direction of the rigid portion, and deformed by the pressure difference, the deformable portion to abut the rigid part to the thermoelectric conversion module by the deformation, It has a thermoelectric conversion power generation apparatus characterized by being formed into a substantially flat plate shape as a whole.

  According to the present invention, the assembly state is completed by reducing the inside of the sealed container to a predetermined pressure. A pressure difference occurs between the inside and outside of the sealed container due to the internal pressure reduction, and the deformable portion is deformed by the pressure reducing action in the movable plate member having the rigid portion and the deformable portion, and the rigid portion is pressurized to the thermoelectric conversion module by the external pressure. Abut and adhere. Since the plate member on the movable side is brought into close contact with the thermoelectric conversion module by reducing the pressure in the sealed container without using a fastening member such as a tie rod or nut, the device on the movable side becomes complicated and expensive. It can be made to adhere to a thermoelectric conversion module in the uniform pressurization state without. And since the member for fastenings, such as a bolt and a nut, is not used, it can contribute to the improvement in design, the freedom degree of design, and weight reduction.

  Further, according to the movable-side plate member of the present invention, the portion that is in close contact with the thermoelectric conversion module is a rigid portion, so that the thermoelectric conversion module can be surely brought into contact with the thermoelectric conversion module without causing deformation. Easy to obtain uniform pressure on the module. In addition, since the inside of the sealed container is depressurized, the inside of the sealed container is less likely to be heated than when a gas such as air is present at normal pressure, and the internal gas expands to affect the sealed container, or the thermoelectric Generation | occurrence | production of the malfunction that a conversion module heats and deteriorates can be suppressed.

  The present invention includes a form in which the deformable portion is deformable by the pressure difference because the plate thickness is smaller than that of the rigid portion. According to this embodiment, the deformable portion can be easily configured.

  Further, the present invention includes a mode in which the cooling-side plate member is the movable-side plate member, and the rigid portion is provided with a cooling promotion fin. According to this form, the cooling effect of the plate member on the cooling side is improved, the temperature difference generated in the thermoelectric conversion module is further increased, and the power generation performance is further improved. Further, the rigidity of the rigid portion is increased by the fin, and the effect of preventing the deformation of the rigid portion can be further enhanced. Furthermore, since it is a rigid part, it is easy to fix a fin.

  In the present invention, the deforming portion is provided in a state extending laterally from the outer side opposite to the thermoelectric conversion module side in the peripheral surface of the rigid portion, and the peripheral surface of the rigid portion is It includes a form that is formed in a substantially tapered shape that protrudes laterally from the outside toward the inside that is the thermoelectric conversion module side. According to this aspect, the deformed portion that is deformed by the pressure reducing action is less likely to interfere with the peripheral surface of the rigid portion, and the deformed portion is less likely to be broken or cracked.

  Further, according to the present invention, the sealed container has a hollow portion surrounded by the heating-side plate member, the thermoelectric conversion module is disposed around the hollow portion, and the thermoelectric conversion module is disposed outside the thermoelectric conversion module. A cooling-side plate member is disposed, and a heating fluid is circulated through the hollow portion to heat the heating-side plate member. In this embodiment, the heating-side plate member can be efficiently heated without causing the heating fluid to diffuse by allowing the heating fluid to flow through the hollow portion.

  Moreover, this invention includes the form in which the said thermoelectric conversion module is a non-joining state with the said rigid part. According to this embodiment, when the thermoelectric conversion module or the rigid portion expands / shrinks due to heating / cooling, the rigid portion and the thermoelectric conversion module are in a non-bonded state, so that both move relatively in contact with each other. Therefore, there is no problem of deformation due to stress caused by thermal effects.

  According to the present invention, the plate members on the heating side and the cooling side of the hermetic container disposed with the thermoelectric conversion module sandwiched between them in order to give a temperature difference to the thermoelectric conversion module can be obtained without making the apparatus complicated and expensive. The thermoelectric conversion module can be brought into close contact with the thermoelectric conversion module in a uniform pressure state, and there is an effect that a thermoelectric conversion power generation device that can contribute to improvement in design and freedom of design and weight reduction is provided.

1 is an overall perspective view of a thermoelectric conversion power generator according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state which removed the outer side cover and the sealing cover in the thermoelectric conversion electric power generating apparatus of one Embodiment. It is a side view of the thermoelectric conversion power generation device of one embodiment. It is IV-IV sectional drawing of FIG. It is a front view of the thermoelectric conversion type generator of one embodiment. It is VI-VI sectional drawing of FIG. (A) It is a front view of the electric power generation unit which comprises the thermoelectric conversion type electric power generating apparatus of one Embodiment, (b) It is a side view. It is sectional drawing which shows typically the principal part structure of the airtight container in the same electric power generation unit, Comprising: (a) Before decompressing the inside of an airtight container, (b) The state which decompressed the inside of an airtight container is shown. It is sectional drawing which shows the modification of one Embodiment, Comprising: It is the modification which made the peripheral surface of the inner side rigid part tapered. It is sectional drawing which shows the modification of one Embodiment, Comprising: It is a modification which made the deformation | transformation part of the movable plate part cyclic | annular ((a) before decompressing the airtight container, (b) is the state which decompressed the airtight container ).

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[1] Overall Configuration of Thermoelectric Conversion Power Generation Device FIGS. 1 to 6 show a thermoelectric conversion power generation device (hereinafter referred to as a power generation device) 1 according to an embodiment. In this power generation device 1, a plurality of power generation units 2 each having a sealed container 3 are stacked in a parallel state with a cooling unit 5A sandwiched in the Y direction in the figure, and cooling units are also provided on both side surfaces of the entire device 1, that is, both ends in the Y direction. 5B is arranged. The number of the power generation units 2 is arbitrary, and in this case, the power generation apparatus 1 is configured by stacking four power generation units 2.

  The hermetic container 3 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped box-shaped casing 30 whose longitudinal section (YZ section) is long in the Z direction, and a flat tube whose longitudinal section disposed in the center of the casing 30 is long in the Z direction. And a sealing cover 38 (see FIG. 6) that closes the openings at both ends in the X direction. Both the casing 30 and the flow pipe 35 are open at both ends in the X direction, and the inside of the flow pipe 35 is a hollow portion 351 through which a heating fluid described later flows in the X direction.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the casing 30 includes a pair of movable plate portions (a cooling-side plate member and a movable-side plate member of the present invention) 31 that are parallel to the XZ plane and face each other, and a movable plate. A pair of flat end plate portions 32 connecting the upper and lower edges of the portion 31 are formed in a substantially rectangular box shape. The flow pipe 35 has a semicircular cross section that connects a pair of opposed inner plate portions (plate members on the heating side of the present invention) 36 parallel to the XZ plane and upper and lower end edges of the inner plate portion 36. A pair of arcuate curved portions 37 is formed into a flat tubular shape.

  Fins 352 are disposed inside the flow pipe 35, that is, in the hollow portion 351 of the sealed container 3. The fins 352 are formed, for example, by bending a plate material into a corrugated plate shape, and are joined by a joining means such as brazing while the outer side of the bent portion is in contact with the inner surface of the inner plate portion 36.

  A substantially annular inner space 3a having a longitudinal section that is long in the Z direction is formed in the sealed container 3, that is, between the inner surface of the housing 30 and the outer surface of the flow pipe 35. And the thermoelectric conversion module 4 is each arrange | positioned in the state pinched | interposed between the movable plate part 31 of the housing | casing 30, and the inner plate part 36 of the flow pipe 35 in the Y direction both sides in this internal space 3a. Yes.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the plurality of sealed containers 3 in which the thermoelectric conversion modules 4 are disposed in a pair of states in regions on both sides in the Y direction of the internal space 3 a include the cooling unit 5 </ b> A between the movable plate units 31. They are stacked in parallel in the Y direction. In addition, cooling units 5B are also disposed on the outer surfaces of the movable plate 31 at both ends in the Y direction. Hereinafter, the cooling unit 5A between the sealed containers 3 is referred to as an intermediate cooling unit 5A, and the cooling units 5B at both ends in the Y direction are referred to as end cooling units 5B.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the thermoelectric conversion module 4 connects one surface and the other surface of a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements 41 arranged in a plane in a zigzag manner by an electrode 42 made of copper or the like. The electrode 42 on one surface side is joined to the inner surface of the inner plate portion 36 of the flow pipe 35 by a joining means such as brazing. The electrode 42 on the other surface side of the thermoelectric conversion module 4 is in contact with the inner surface of the inner rigid portion 312 described later of the movable plate portion 31 of the housing 30. That is, the thermoelectric conversion module 4 is in a non-bonded state with the inner rigid portion 312, and both can move relative to each other along the contact surface.

  As the thermoelectric conversion element 41 constituting the thermoelectric conversion module 4, a type having a high heat-resistant temperature is used. For example, a silicon-germanium system, a magnesium-silicon system, a manganese-silicon system, an iron silicide system, or the like is preferably used. The thermoelectric conversion module 4 is connected to a pair of terminals 43 for taking out electricity. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7A, the terminal 43 extends upward in the upper part of the internal space 3 a, and penetrates the end plate portion 32 on the upper side of the sealed container 3 and protrudes to the outside. The through hole of the terminal 43 of the end plate part 32 is subjected to a process of hermetically closing.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the opening on the X side of the internal space 3 a of the sealed container 3 is closed by an oval sealing cover 38 as a whole with a U-shaped section that is recessed inward. The sealing cover 38 is airtightly joined to the inner surface of an outer rigid portion 311 (described later) of the movable plate portion 31 and the outer surface of the end portion in the X direction of the flow pipe 35. The internal space 3 a of the sealed container 3 is hermetically sealed by the housing 30, the distribution pipe 35 and the sealing cover 38. Outer covers 33 are joined to both end surfaces in the X direction of the casing 30 of each sealed container 3, and both sides in the X direction of the apparatus 1 are covered with the outer covers 33. Both end portions in the X direction of each flow pipe 35 protrude from each housing 30, and the protruding end portions pass through flow pipe insertion holes 331 formed in the outer cover 33 and protrude to the outside.

[2] Configuration of Airtight Container As shown in FIG. 7, the movable plate portion 31 constituting the casing 30 of the airtight container 3 includes an outer rigid portion 311 formed in a rectangular frame shape, and an outer rigid portion. The inner rigid portion 312 having the same thickness as the outer rigid portion 311 disposed on the inner side of 311 and the gap 314 having a constant width formed between the outer rigid portion 311 and the inner rigid portion 312 are closed. The deformed portion 313 is thinner than the thickness of each rigid portion 311, 312.

  The inner edge 311a of the outer rigid portion 311 is formed in a substantially oval shape, and the outer edge 312a of the inner rigid portion 312 is formed in a substantially oval shape with a certain gap 314 from the inner edge 311a of the outer rigid portion 311. Yes. A flexible thin plate 315 is joined to the outer surface of the inner rigid portion 312 by a joining means such as brazing. The thin plate 315 has a size that covers the gap 314 between the rigid portions 311, 312 and reaches the outer surface of the outer rigid portion 311, and the outer edge portion is joined to the outer surface of the outer rigid portion 311 such as brazing. It is joined with. The thin plates 315 are connected so that the rigid portions 311 and 312 are in the same plane. In the present embodiment, the rigid portions 311 and 312 are present in the same plane, but the positional relationship between the rigid portions 311 and 312 is not limited to this, and one of the rigid portions 311 and 312 is displaced inward by the thin plate 315. The connected structure may be sufficient.

  A portion of the thin plate 315 covering the gap 314 constitutes a substantially annular deformable portion 313 having flexibility, and a convex portion projecting inward is formed at the center in the width direction of the deformable portion 313 as shown in FIG. A strip 313a is formed over the entire circumference. The deformable portion 313 is provided in a state of extending from the outer side of the peripheral surface 312 b of the inner rigid portion 312 to the outer side of the inner edge 311 a of the outer rigid portion 311. Edges on both sides in the Z direction of the outer rigid portion 311 are formed so as to be integrated with the end plate portion 32. That is, the outer rigid portion 311 on both sides is integrally formed with the pair of upper and lower end plate portions 32, and the inner rigid portion 312 is joined to the outer rigid portion 311 via the thin plate 315 to constitute the housing 30. The inner rigid portion 312 has a size that covers the thermoelectric conversion module 4 and is in contact with the entire surface of one side of the thermoelectric conversion module 4.

  A plurality of decompression sealing ports 321 are provided in the upper end plate portion 32 of the sealed container 3, and the internal space 3 a in the sealed container 3 is decompressed using these decompression sealing ports 321.

  The airtight container 3 sucks the internal air from the decompression sealing port 321 to decompress the internal space 3a in the airtight container 3 to a predetermined pressure (for example, about 1 to 100 Pa), and welds the decompression sealing port 321. Thus, it is in an airtightly sealed state. As a result, a pressure difference is generated in the sealed container 3 such that the inside has a pressure lower than that of the outside atmosphere, and the movable plate portion 31 of the housing 30 receives a force that is pressurized inward by the pressure difference.

  FIG. 8A shows a state before the inside of the sealed container 3 is depressurized. When the movable plate portion 31 is pressurized inward by being depressurized, it has flexibility as shown in FIG. 8B. The deformed portion 313 is deformed so that the protruding strip portion 313 a further protrudes inward, whereby the inner rigid portion 312 is in strong contact with the thermoelectric conversion module 4 and is in a state of being in close contact with the thermoelectric conversion module 4. In other words, it is realized by the deformation of the deforming portion 313 that the contact surface of the inner rigid portion 312 with the thermoelectric conversion module 4 moves so as to be in close and uniform contact with the thermoelectric conversion module 4.

[3] Cooling unit The intermediate cooling unit 5A and the end cooling unit 5B include cooling cases 53A and 53B, respectively. The cooling case 53A of the intermediate cooling part 5A is formed in a frame shape along the periphery of the outer rigid part 311 of the movable plate part 31, and is sandwiched between adjacent outer rigid parts 311. It is joined to the outer peripheral edge. That is, in the present apparatus 1, the adjacent casings 30 are in a state where the adjacent outer rigid portions 311 are joined together via the cooling case 53A. A cooling jacket 53a is formed inside the intermediate cooling part 5A surrounded by the cooling case 53A and the movable plate parts 31 on both sides sandwiching the cooling case 53A to cool the movable plate part 31 as a cooling water flow path. Has been.

  On the other hand, the cooling case 53B of the end cooling unit 5B is formed in a lid shape that covers the movable plate 31 at the end, and the shallow recess formed on one side is directed toward the movable plate 31 to end the cooling plate 53B. The edge is joined to the outer peripheral edge of the outer rigid portion 311. A cooling jacket 53 b that is supplied with cooling water to cool the movable plate portion 31 is formed in the end cooling portion 5 </ b> B surrounded by the inner surface of the cooling case 53 </ b> B and the movable plate portion 31.

  In each of the cooling cases 53A and 53B of the intermediate cooling unit 5A and the end cooling unit 5B, a cooling water supply port 51 is formed at the lower end surface, and a cooling water drain port 52 is formed at the upper end surface. The cooling water supply port 51 and the cooling water drain port 52 are formed in the center in the X direction, and a cooling water supply pipe and a drain pipe (not shown) are connected to the cooling water supply port 51 and the cooling water drain port 52, respectively. The

  In the cooling jackets 53a and 53b of the intermediate cooling unit 5A and the end cooling unit 5B, fins 7 formed in, for example, a corrugated shape are accommodated. One end of the fin 7 is joined to the inner rigid portion 312 and the other end is in contact with the inner surface of the cooling case 53B without being joined.

[4] Action of Power Generation Device In the power generation device 1 having the above-described configuration, cooling water is supplied and circulated in the cooling jackets 53a and 53b, and the movable plate portion 31 of the hermetic container 3 is cooled. On the other hand, a high-temperature heating fluid H is passed through each flow pipe 35 from one end side to the other end side to heat the flow pipe 35. The temperature of the cooled movable plate portion 31 is transmitted to the outer surface side of the thermoelectric conversion module 4, and the outer surface side of the thermoelectric conversion module 4 is cooled, while the temperature of the inner plate portion 36 of the heated flow pipe 35 is heated. The inner surface side of the thermoelectric conversion module 4 is heated. The heating fluid H does not diffuse by flowing through the hollow portion 351, and the inner plate portion 36 of the flow pipe 35 is efficiently heated.

  In the present embodiment, the movable plate portion 31 of the housing 30 serves as a cooling-side plate member, and the inner plate portion 36 of the flow pipe 35 constitutes a heating-side plate member. In this way, a temperature difference is given between the outer surface side and the inner surface side of the thermoelectric conversion module 4, whereby the thermoelectric conversion module 4 generates power and electricity is taken out from the terminal 43.

  In the power generation apparatus 1 of this embodiment, for example, exhaust heat gas generated in a factory or a garbage incinerator, automobile exhaust gas, or the like is used as the heating fluid H.

[5] Effects of the sealed container In the power generation device 1 of the present embodiment, the pressure inside the sealed container 3 is reduced to create a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the sealed container 3, so The inner rigid portion 312 of the movable plate portion 31 that is in contact with the thermoelectric conversion module 4 comes into contact with the thermoelectric conversion module 4 in a pressurized state, and is in a state of being in intimate contact. The movable plate portion 31 includes an inner rigid portion 312 that abuts the thermoelectric conversion module 4 and a deformable portion 313 having flexibility around the movable plate portion 31. The rigid portion 312 can easily come into contact with the thermoelectric conversion module 4 uniformly. For this reason, the thermal conductivity from the cooling parts 5A and 5B to the thermoelectric conversion module 4 through the inner rigid part 312 of the movable plate part 31 is improved, and the temperature difference given to the thermoelectric conversion module 4 is increased, resulting in power generation performance. Will improve.

  In the present embodiment, unlike the conventional case, the inner rigid portion 312 of the movable plate portion 31 that is a cooling-side plate member is thermoelectrically converted by reducing the pressure in the sealed container 3 without using a fastening member such as a tie rod or a nut. Since the module 4 is brought into close contact with the module 4, the inner rigid portion 312 can be brought into close contact with the thermoelectric conversion module 4 in a uniform pressure state without being complicated and expensive. Further, since no fastening member such as a bolt and a nut is used, the design and the degree of freedom of design can be improved and the weight can be reduced.

  The inner rigid portion 312 that is brought into close contact with the thermoelectric conversion module 4 by the pressure reducing action is set to a thickness that does not cause deformation even when pressurized to the thermoelectric conversion module 4 side, while the deformation portion 313 is a sealed container. When the pressure in the interior 3 is reduced, the inner rigid portion 312 can be deformed following the inward movement. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the inner rigid portion 312 from being deformed, and the inner rigid portion 312 can reliably come into contact with the thermoelectric conversion module 4 on the surface and be in close contact with the thermoelectric conversion module 4.

  Further, since the inside of the sealed container 3 is depressurized, the inside of the sealed container 3 is less likely to be heated than when a gas such as air is present in the internal space 3a at normal pressure, and the internal gas expands and affects the sealed container 3 Or the occurrence of problems such as deterioration of the thermoelectric conversion module 4 due to heating can be suppressed. The deformable portion 313 of the movable plate portion 31 can be deformed because the plate thickness is smaller than that of the inner rigid portion 312, and the deformable portion 313 can be easily provided.

  In addition, the inner rigid portion 312 of the movable plate portion 31 is in close contact with the thermoelectric conversion module 4 but is not joined, and the inner rigid portion 312 and the thermoelectric conversion module 4 are relatively aligned with each other along the contact surface. It is movable. For this reason, when the thermoelectric conversion module 4 or the inner rigid portion 312 expands / shrinks due to heating / cooling, they both move relative to each other along the abutting surface, and as a result, stress due to the thermal effect is applied. It does not cause problems such as deformation.

  Further, since the fins 7 are attached to the outer surface of the inner rigid portion 312 of the movable plate portion 31, the cooling effect is improved and the temperature difference generated in the thermoelectric conversion module 4 can be further increased, and the power generation performance is further improved. Figured. Moreover, the rigidity of the inner side rigid part 312 increases by the fin 7, and the effect | action of deformation prevention of the inner side rigid part 312 can be improved more. Since the inner rigid portion 312 is not easily deformed, there is an advantage that the fin 7 can be easily fixed.

[6] Modification of Embodiment As shown in FIG. 9, the peripheral surface 312 b of the inner rigid portion 312 of the movable plate portion 31 is moved from the outer side to the inner side (in FIG. 9, from the upper side opposite to the thermoelectric conversion module 4 side). In this case, the taper is formed in a substantially tapered shape that protrudes while being inclined toward the thermoelectric conversion module 4 side. According to this embodiment, the deformed portion 313 that is deformed inward by the pressure reducing action is less likely to interfere with the corner portion between the peripheral surface 312b and the outer surface of the inner rigid portion 312, and the deformed portion 313 is less likely to be damaged or cracked. . In the illustrated example, the tapered peripheral surface 312b is a flat surface, but it may be formed into a concave curved surface or a convex curved surface as it goes from the outside to the inside as necessary.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the thin plate 315 constituting the deformable portion 313 does not cover the entire outer surface of the inner rigid portion 312, but is wide enough to cover the gap 314 between the outer rigid portion 311 and the inner rigid portion 312. It is good also as what was formed in the cyclic | annular form which has.

  Further, the thermoelectric conversion module 4, the cooling side plate member (in this case, the inner rigid portion 312 of the movable plate portion 31 in the sealed container 3) and the heating side plate member (in this case, the inside of the flow pipe 35 in the sealed container 3). For example, a cushioning material made of a flexible material may be disposed between at least one of the plate portions 36). In the case of such a configuration, the sealed container 3 abuts against the thermoelectric conversion module 4 through the buffer material in a pressurized state, and the thermoelectric conversion module 4 is protected by the buffer material.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Thermoelectric conversion type generator 4 ... Thermoelectric conversion module 3 ... Sealed container 31 ... Movable plate part (cooling side plate member, movable side plate member) of housing
312 ... Inner rigid part 312b ... Peripheral surface 313 ... Deformation part 351 ... Hollow part 36 ... Inner plate part (plate member on the heating side) of the flow pipe
7 ... Fin H ... Heating fluid

Claims (6)

A sealed container including a heating-side plate member and a cooling-side plate member;
A thermoelectric conversion module disposed in the sealed container in a state of being disposed between the heating-side plate member and the cooling-side plate member;
The thermoelectric conversion power generator generates electric power by the thermoelectric conversion module by heating the plate member on the heating side and cooling the plate member on the cooling side to give a temperature difference to the thermoelectric conversion module,
At least one of the heating-side plate member and the cooling-side plate member is applied to the thermoelectric conversion module by a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the sealed container that is generated when the inside of the sealed container is depressurized. It is a movable plate member abutted in a pressure state,
The movable-side plate member is formed to be connected to a rigid portion that has rigidity and is brought into contact with the thermoelectric conversion module, and extends around the rigid portion in a surface direction of the rigid portion. deformed by the difference, have a, a deformation portion that is brought into contact with the thermoelectric conversion module of the rigid portion by deformation, thermoelectric power generation apparatus characterized by being formed into a substantially flat plate shape as a whole.   The thermoelectric conversion power generator according to claim 1, wherein the deformable portion is deformable by the pressure difference because the plate thickness is smaller than that of the rigid portion.   The thermoelectric conversion power generator according to claim 1, wherein the cooling-side plate member is the movable-side plate member, and the rigid portion is provided with fins for promoting cooling.   The deforming portion is provided in a state of extending laterally from the outer side opposite to the thermoelectric conversion module side of the peripheral surface of the rigid portion, and the peripheral surface of the rigid portion extends from the outer side to the thermoelectric conversion module. The thermoelectric conversion power generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the thermoelectric power generation device is formed in a substantially tapered shape that protrudes laterally toward an inner side that is a side. The sealed container has a hollow portion surrounded by the heating-side plate member, the thermoelectric conversion module is disposed around the hollow portion, and the cooling-side plate member is disposed outside the thermoelectric conversion module. Arranged,
The thermoelectric conversion power generator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a heating fluid is circulated through the hollow portion to heat the heating-side plate member.   The thermoelectric conversion power generator according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric conversion module is in a non-bonded state with the rigid portion.

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