THERMOELECTRIC MATERIAL, π-TYPE MODULE GROUP FORMED FROM THERMOELECTRIC CONVERSION ELEMENT AND THERMOELECTRIC MATERIAL OR MODULE GROUP FORMED BY COMBINING THERMOELECTRIC CONVERSION ELEMENT WITH ANY OTHER MODULE GROUP THAN π-TYPE MODULE GROUP

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To create a thermoelectric conversion system in which thermoelectric conversion efficiency of a thermoelectric material is close to the Carnot cycle, including "a module group formed by combining thermoelectric conversion elements".SOLUTION: In the thermoelectric material of a new generation including "the module group formed from the combination of the thermoelectric conversion elements" that is the thermoelectric material, which is not damaged by electric charge or heat stagnation, formed from the thermoelectric conversion element which is not damaged by electric charge or heat stagnation, a coefficient of thermal conductivity is reduced as further as possible by any other material than a working material that is movable within the thermoelectric conversion element by a spatial portion or a connected spatial portion. A surface of the thermoelectric material holding a space or a surface confronting the thermoelectric material is modified to be made into an interface adaptive to power generation, cooling and heating operations. A higher-order interspecific module than "the module group formed from the combination of the thermoelectric conversion element" in contact with at least three or more different heat bath sources is created, and the thermoelectric conversion system in which the thermoelectric conversion efficiency is close to the Carnot cycle while including such a module, is created.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13