APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING THERMAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

摘要

An apparatus for converting thermal energy into electrical energy comprises at least one thermoelectric module which has a hot side provided for a contact with a heat source and a cold side provided for a contact with a heat sink, a heating passage which can be flowed through by a hot fluid and which is in thermoconductive communication with the hot side of the thermoelectric module, and a cooling passage which can be flowed through by a cooling fluid and which is in thermoconductive communication with the cold side of the thermoelectric module. Provision is made that the cooling passage has at least one cooling passage opening facing toward the cold side of the thermoelectric module and/or that the heating passage has at least one heating passage opening facing toward the hot side of the thermoelectric module. The thermoelectric module is covered by a layer or film of an electrically insulating material at least in the region of the cooling passage opening and/or of the heating passage opening.