This article discusses the characteristics of the design of thermoelectric generators (TEGs) for cold climates. Since the thermocouples of thermoelectric batteries are produced from different materials, their major properties are studied. Particular attention is given to nanostructured materials regarding the modern class of thermoelectric materials. Two-, three-, and four-component alloys (metallic glasses) of the Fe-Ni(Cu)-P-B system are chosen based on the experience of thermoelectric thermometry. The close chemical composition of two thermoelectrodes enables their compatibility in thermocouple production and satisfactory thermoelectric efficiency of batteries during long-term operation. The improvement of the thermoelectric battery characteristics related to a unit of mass is evaluated. The materials studied are distinguished by the absence of toxic components harmful to the environment at the manufacturing and operating stages.

The hard operation conditions of temperature thermotransducers which involve their thermal cycling require special attention to the study of processes occurring in structural elements, in particular in thermometric materials. Operation impacts cause the drift of thermometric characteristics due to the influence of the few factors main of which seem to be the thermo structural stresses. Therefore, different kinds of sensitive elements were studied. Since traditional polycrystalline thermoelectrodes of thermocouples are inherent in the well-known drawback linked with recrystallization, there were investigated the liquid metals as the thermometric substances, melts, single-crystal materials, and metallic glasses. The need for metal glasses application in thermometry is substantiated, which allows eliminating thermally activated gradients of internal stresses in thermocouples ensuring high reproducibility and low drift of their thermo-EMF comparing to traditional materials. The analysis of sources of the instability of thermocouples' drift is carried out. It demonstrates the density of heat and electric flows in stressed thermoelectrodes depends not only on temperature and electric potential gradient but also on the stresses' gradient. This causes the dependence of thermometric parameters of both poly-and single-crystal substance of thermoelectrodes on the value and nature of stresses occurring within the operation cycle.

Можливість впровадження еталону квантової температури потребує приділення істотної уваги IT перетворювальному елементу, як унікальному електронному пристрою, що підлягає істотним навантаженням під час роботи. Враховуючи його нанорозмірність, оскільки елемент виготовляється на основі CNTFET конструкції шляхом її трансформування у нанорозмірний термоелектричний перетворювач (стік та витік) з надпровідним затвором, ми передбачаємо особливо жорсткі вимоги до даного елемента. Вирішення даної проблеми може бути здійснено із залученням інженерії еластичних напружень, яка раніше успішно була застосована для масштабування процесів виготовлення багатозатворних комплементарних польових транзисторів.

АнотаціяПроаналізовано вплив механічної деформації матеріалів термоелектродів вимірювальних термоперетворювачів на зміну їх термо-електрорушійної сили.Ключові слова: механічна деформація, термоелектроди, термоперетворювач, термо-е.р.с. AbstractIn order to reduce the uncertainty of the results obtained during the measuring the high temperatures with help of thermoelectric transducers in the adverse conditions of operation, particular in case of rapid temperature changes, the impact of mechanical deformation of thermoelectrodes on the value of their thermoelectric power is analyzed.Taking into account that the energy spectrum of electrons in metals is determined by their quantity and potential of a crystalline lattice, we assume that in the case of elastic deformation with displacement of ions, the lattice potential also varies. Proceeding from the principle of preserving the electro neutrality of the metal, it becomes evident that simultaneously with the change in the lattice potential during deformation the energetic spectrum of the electrons alters, which is manifested through the change in the electrokinetic properties of the metal.Since the thermoelectric force is determined by the electronic structure in the vicinity of the Fermi surface, its change is related with the alteration in topology of the mentioned surface. The relationship between the area of the Fermi surface and the thermoelectric force, caused by the elastic deformation of the thermoelectric substance, is considered.If the point of contact "deformed material -the non-deformed material" is maintained at the certain gradient of temperature, then the thermoelectric force arises in this circuit. It is due to the temperature dependence of the electrochemical potentials of deformed and non-deformed materials. Dependences of thermoelectric power change are obtained for the number of thermoelectrodes in the function of relative mechanical deformation. Taking into account these dependencies at the design stage of thermoelectric transducers, we reached the enhancement of their metrological characteristics for measuring high temperatures in aggressive environments, in particular, in the coke industry and metallurgy.

To study the metrological characteristics, there were studied manufactured based on the Ti-Cu-Co-Si alloy, obtained by quenching from the melt, the sensitive element of the resistance thermotransducer. The instability of its metrological characteristics as a function of temperature up to 350 oC and operation time up to 3000 hours was investigated; it does not exceed 0.025% under the worst operating conditions. In addition, the methodological error of measurement caused by heating of the sensitive element by the measuring current was examined. It was shown that the recorded changes in electrical resistance were outside the value of the methodological error. They may be due to the presence of nanostructured fields of mechanical stresses and the formation of nanoprecipitates as a consequence of manufacturing.