SYSTEM FOR CONVERTING THERMAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY WITH IMPROVED EFFICIENCY

摘要

System for converting thermal energy into electrical energy (S1) intended to be disposed between a hot source (SC) and a cold source (SF), comprising means for converting the thermal energy into mechanical energy (6) and a piezoelectric material, the means for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy (6) comprising groups (G1, G2) of at least three bimetallic strips (9, 11, 13) linked mechanically together by their longitudinal ends and suspended above a substrate (12), each bimetallic strip (9, 11, 13) comprising two stable states in which it exhibits in each of the states a curvature, two directly adjacent bimetallic strips (9, 11, 13) exhibiting opposite curvatures for a given temperature, the switching from one stable state of the bimetallic strips (9, 11, 13) to the other causing the deformation of a piezoelectric material.