THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR FOR EXHAUST SYSTEM AND CONTACT MEMBER OF THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermoelectric generator which prevents a thermocouple element from being overloaded thermally.SOLUTION: A thermoelectric generator 7 includes: a first contact member 4 arranged between a first flow path 1 defining a first flow direction 10 of a high temperature fluid and a second flow path 2 defining a second flow direction 20 of a low temperature fluid, and including contact portions 41, 42, 43 associated with a plurality of mutually adjacent thermocouple elements 3 (31, 32, 33) between the plurality of thermocouple elements 3 (31, 32, 33) and the first flow path 1; and a second contact member 5 including contact portions 51, 52, 53 associated with the thermocouple elements 3 (31, 32, 33) between the plurality of thermocouple elements 3 (31, 32, 33) and the second flow path 2. The sum of thermal resistance of the contact portions 41, 51 of the first thermocouple element 31 is larger than the sum of thermal resistance of the contact portions 42, 52 of the second thermocouple element 32 located downstream in the first flow direction 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1 【課題】熱電対素子が熱的に過負荷になることを防止する熱電発電装置を提供する。【解決手段】熱電発電装置７は、高温流体の第１の流れ方向１０を規定する第１の流路１と低温流体の第２の流れ方向２０を規定する第２の流路２との間に配置された、互いに隣接する複数の熱電対素子３（３１、３２、３３）と第１の流路１との間の熱電対素子３（３１，３２，３３）に対応付けられた接点部分４１、４２、４３を含む第１の接点部材４と、複数の熱電対素子３（３１、３２、３３）と第２の流路２の間の熱電対素子３（３１、３２、３３）に対応付けられた接点部分５１、５２、５３を含む第２の接点部材５とを含む。第１の熱電対素子３１の接点部分４１、５１の熱抵抗の和は、第１の流れ方向１０の下流に位置する第２の熱電対素子３２の接点部分４２、５２の熱抵抗の和よりも大きい。【選択図】図１