Abstract: Thermoelectric devices with controlled current flow are provided for motor vehicle applications including but not limited to electrical power generation applications such as thermoelectric alternators, alternator supplements, generators, and battery chargers. Further, thermoelectric devices with controlled current flow are provided for other motor vehicle climate control applications such as air conditioning, cooling, heating, and refrigeration. Thermoelectric devices and systems are disposed between heat sources and heat sinks of a motor vehicle, or between hot surfaces and cooler surfaces of a motor vehicle. For power generation applications, thermoelectric devices convert the temperature gradient between a heat source and a heat sink into electrical energy for the motor vehicle. For climate control applications, thermoelectric devices are driven by electrical current such that thermal energy is transferred between a heat source and a heat sink to provide heating, cooling, or both.

Abstract: Thermoelectric devices comprising at least a first conductive material, a first semiconductive material, a second conductive material, and a third conductive material. The second conductive material may be contacting, disposed within, or operably connected to the first semiconductive material. Semiconductive materials may be depleted, undoped, p-doped, or n-doped, nanotubes, nanowires, and others. Conductive materials may be metals, alloys, conductive materials, nanotubes, nanowires, and others. The effective electrical resistance between the first conductive material and the third conductive materials is reduced below the series electrical resistance of the first semiconductive material by design, reducing the associated Joule heating. Peltier cooling and Peltier heating counteract each other within the second conductive material as electrical current flows. Heat exchanged between the first conductive material and the third conductive material creates a temperature differential therebetween.