THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR INTENDED TO GENERATE AN ELECTRIC CURRENT IN A MOTOR VEHICLE

摘要

The invention relates to a thermoelectric device comprising: a first circuit (1), or hot circuit, through which a first fluid can flow following a path along which the temperature of the fluid drops; a second circuit (2), or cold circuit, through which a second fluid can flow at a temperature below that of the first fluid, following a path along which the temperature of the second fluid rises; and elements (3p, 3n), known as thermoelectric elements, which can be used to generate an electric current in the presence of a temperature gradient, said thermoelectric elements (3p, 3n) being distributed along the hot (1) and cold (2) circuits which are configured to create the gradient. According to the invention, the device is configured so that the contribution of the thermoelectric elements to the generation of electricity is substantially constant along the path of the first and/or second fluid.