Stacked Thermoelectric Generator Module Integrated with Partial Electric Conducted Interposer Structure

In this paper, we designed a new type of stacked thermoelectric generator (TEG) module integrated with partial electric conducted interposer (PECI) structure. The partial electric conducted interposer is assembled among the thermoelectric generator with 36 pairs of thermoelectric piles. The thermoelectric piles are made of P-type and N-type Bi₂Te₃ material with the thickness of 2 mm and the cross section area of 4 mm x 4 mm. The interposer is composed of low thermal conductivity material and partial distributed metal via, which leads to the characteristics of electrical conducted and highly thermal resisted. Results showed that under same heating power imported to the hot side of thermoelectric generator and same temperature controlled at the cold side, the temperature difference between these two sides performed a higher value of 13.6% in the interposing cases than that in conventional cases, and resulted in a higher output power of 10.6%.