18520174. Woven Thermoelectric Ribbon simplified abstract (Purdue Research Foundation)
Contents
Woven Thermoelectric Ribbon
Organization Name
Inventor(s)
Kazuaki Yazawa of West Lafayette IN (US)
Ali Shakouri of West Lafayette IN (US)
Ulrich Lemmer of Karlsruhe (DE)
Andres Georg Roesch of Karlsruhe (DE)
Woven Thermoelectric Ribbon - A simplified explanation of the abstract
This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18520174 titled 'Woven Thermoelectric Ribbon
Simplified Explanation
The woven structure in the patent application includes thermoelectric ribbons interwoven with thread, each ribbon consisting of a matrix of thermoelectric elements, conductive elements, and two terminals forming a series connection of the elements.
- The thermoelectric ribbons are interwoven with thread, passing alternately under stacks of first conductive contacts and over stacks of second conductive contacts.
- The matrix is configured to have alternating stacks of first and second conductive contacts, with the second contacts having a lower temperature than the first contacts when a current flows in a certain direction.
- Potential Applications
This technology could be applied in wearable electronics, smart textiles, and energy harvesting systems.
- Problems Solved
This innovation solves the problem of efficiently generating power from temperature differentials in a flexible and wearable form factor.
- Benefits
The benefits of this technology include increased energy efficiency, flexibility, and the ability to harvest energy from the environment.
- Potential Commercial Applications
A potential commercial application for this technology could be in the development of self-powered wearable devices for health monitoring or IoT applications.
- Possible Prior Art
One possible prior art for this technology could be the use of thermoelectric materials in flexible electronics, but the specific interwoven structure described in the patent application may be novel.
- Unanswered Questions
- How does the interwoven structure affect the overall efficiency of the energy harvesting system?
The interwoven structure allows for a more efficient transfer of heat and electricity, but the exact impact on overall efficiency needs further study and testing.
- What are the limitations of using thermoelectric ribbons in wearable applications?
While thermoelectric ribbons offer a flexible and lightweight solution for energy harvesting, there may be limitations in terms of power output and durability over time that need to be addressed.
Original Abstract Submitted
A woven structure includes thermoelectric ribbons interwoven with thread. Each thermoelectric ribbon includes a matrix of thermoelectric elements, the matrix having an insulating substrate that supports plural rows of thermoelectric elements, a plurality of conductive elements, and two terminals. The conductive elements form a series connection of the thermoelectric elements between the two terminals. A set of first conductive elements have a first temperature and a set of second conductive contacts have a second temperature lower than the first temperature when a first current flows in a first direction between the first matrix terminal and the second matrix terminal. The matrix is configured to form spaced-apart alternating stacks of the first conductive contacts and second conductive contacts. Each length of the yard or thread is interwoven such that it passes alternately under stacks of first conductive contacts and over stacks of second conductive contacts.
