Abstract
Thermopile devices are useful in many applications such as thermoelectric generators, temperature sensors as well as heat sinks. This paper presents a rapid fabrication scheme for thermopiles by thermal spray technique. The scheme is based on direct deposition of two over lapping chromel/constantan layer separated by sprayed on copper connector on a tube. The insulating layer on the tube is obtained by curing a sprayed on sol-gel ceramic by the spray gun itself. Serially connected thermocouple junctions are created by machining a spiral track on the tube. Design and manufacturability of an exhaust waste heat recovery module has been discussed. The electrical and thermal characteristics of the thermopile module have been presented. These thermopiles are designed for high temperature and harsh environments.
