How were thermoelectric generators used during World War II?

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thermoelectric power generator Components of a thermoelectric generator.

During World War II, thermoelectric generators were utilized to power portable communications transmitters.1

These devices function as solid-state devices that convert heat directly into electricity by leveraging the temperature differential between a heat source and a heat sink. While early attempts to build these generators using metallic conductors were inefficient, the development of semiconductor-based technology by 1940 allowed for improved conversion efficiencies of approximately 4 percent, facilitating their practical application in military communications equipment.21