Abstract: A releasable clamping device is provided. The device includes a plurality of wedge members that slidably are disposed upon a carrier, with an input disposed in conjunction with a first wedge member. The input interacts with a projection and when the input is moved the first wedge members slides along the carrier. Motion of the first wedge member causes vertical motion of the second and fourth wedge members, which in combination cause the thickness of the releasable clamping device to increase, which frictionally retains the carrier and associated components thereon (such as a PCB) within a housing. The input may be moved in an opposite direction which causes the first wedge member to slide along the carrier in an opposite direction and causes the second and fourth wedge members to vertically move toward the carrier thereby narrowing the overall thickness of the device to allow removal of the carrier.

Abstract: A releasable clamping device is provided. The device includes a plurality of wedge members that slidably are disposed upon a carrier, with an input disposed in conjunction with a first wedge member. The input interacts with a projection and when the input is moved the first wedge members slides along the carrier. Motion of the first wedge member causes vertical motion of the second and fourth wedge members, which in combination cause the thickness of the releasable clamping device to increase, which frictionally retains the carrier and associated components thereon (such as a PCB) within a housing. The input may be moved in an opposite direction which causes the first wedge member to slide along the carrier in an opposite direction and causes the second and fourth wedge members to vertically move toward the carrier thereby narrowing the overall thickness of the device to allow removal of the carrier.

Abstract: A wedge clamp is provided. The wedge clamp includes wedge members aligned with a shaft and in sliding contact with surfaces of the neighboring wedge members. Some of wedge members each include a finger and a void, with the finger of a first member slidably inserted within the void of a second wedge member and vice versa. The fingers and voids extend at an acute angle, and the fingers and voids of other wedge members extend at another acute angle on an opposite side of a vertical axis. When the shaft is rotated some wedge members vertically translate with respect to the remaining wedge members. When the shaft is rotated in the reverse direction the wedge members translate vertically in the opposite direction returning to an original position. The interaction of the fingers and voids mechanically drive the moved wedge members into the original state.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a hybrid heat transfer system includes a first thermally conductive path configured to passively transfer heat between a load having a load temperature (TL) and an ambient environment having an ambient temperature (TA), and a second thermally conductive path configured to actively transfer heat between the load and the ambient environment, the second path comprising a heat pump.

Abstract: Thermoelectric materials and methods of making thermoelectric materials having a nanometer mean grain size less than 1 micron. The method includes combining and arc melting constituent elements of the thermoelectric material to form a liquid alloy of the thermoelectric material and casting the liquid alloy of the thermoelectric material to form a solid casting of the thermoelectric material. The method also includes ball milling the solid casting of the thermoelectric material into nanometer mean size particles and sintering the nanometer size particles to form the thermoelectric material having nanometer scale mean grain size.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material and methods of manufacturing thereof are disclosed. In general, the thermoelectric material comprises a Group V-VI host, or matrix, material and Group III-V or Group IV-VI nanoinclusions within the Group V-VI host material. By incorporating the Group III-V or Group IV-VI nanoinclusions into the Group V-VI host material, the performance of the thermoelectric material can be improved.

Abstract: A self-powered boiler comprising a burner that burns a fuel to produce a hot combustion product that is used to heat a fluid and a thermoelectric generator (TEG) system comprising a first side in thermal communication with the hot combustion product and a second side in thermal communication with a lower temperature region of the boiler, and a plurality of thermoelectric converters disposed therebetween for generating electric power, wherein the electric power generated by the TEG system is equal to or greater than a total electric power consumed by the boiler under normal operating conditions.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating a thermoelectric element with reduced yield loss include forming a solid body of thermoelectric material having first dimension of 150 mm or more and thickness dimension of 5 mm or less, and dicing the body into a plurality of thermoelectric legs, without cutting along the thickness dimension of the body. Further methods include providing a metal material over a surface of a thermoelectric material, and hot pressing the metal material and the thermoelectric material to form a solid body having a contact metal layer and a thermoelectric material layer.

Abstract: A power generating system comprising a heat exchanger comprising an inlet, an outlet and a conduit extending along a length of the heat exchanger between the inlet and the outlet, and a plurality of thermally conductive fins provided within the conduit, a packing fraction of the fins increasing from a first packing fraction proximate the inlet to a second packing fraction proximate the outlet; and a plurality of thermoelectric power generators positioned along the length of the heat exchanger, each thermoelectric power generator comprising a hot side, a cold side and a thermoelectric element extending there between, wherein the hot sides of the thermoelectric power generators are in thermal contact with the plurality of fins such that the temperature of each hot side is substantially equal along the length of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: Thermoelectric materials and methods of making thermoelectric materials having a nanometer mean grain size less than 1 micron. The method includes combining and arc melting constituent elements of the thermoelectric material to form a liquid alloy of the thermoelectric material and casting the liquid alloy of the thermoelectric material to form a solid casting of the thermoelectric material. The method also includes ball milling the solid casting of the thermoelectric material into nanometer mean size particles and sintering the nanometer size particles to form the thermoelectric material having nanometer scale mean grain size.

Abstract: A thermoelectric device having at least one thermoelectric unit including at least one thermoelectric pair of n-type and p-type thermoelements, a first header coupled to one side of the thermoelectric pair, and a second header coupled to a second side of the thermoelectric pair. The thermoelectric pair has a thermal conduction channel area smaller than an area of the first header or the second header such that the thermal conduction area is a fraction of the area of the first header or the second header.