System for thermoelectric energy generation using natural gas

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10151220-B2
Application number	US-201213586828-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2012
Priority date	Aug 15, 2011
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus for using a controllable heat source to generate electricity. One embodiment provides an energy generation module comprising a controllable heat source, one or more jackets of thermoelectric devices, and heat conducting fluids surrounding or otherwise thermally coupled to the jackets. The energy generation module can be used to convert heat from a heat source such as a gas combustion chamber into electricity. Embodiments of the invention are particularly useful for generating electricity when electrical power is not existent, cost prohibitive or otherwise in short supply. The generated electricity can be used by the user, stored in an electrical storage battery or sold to a local or remote power grid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An energy generation system for providing electrical energy via an electricity output in communication with a local power grid, comprising:
multiple energy generation modules for converting thermal energy into the electrical energy;
a DC-to-AC converter including the electrical output, the DC-to-AC converter being directly coupled to a jacket of thermoelectric devices disposed in each energy generation module of the multiple energy generation modules, the local power grid being located external to the energy generation system;
a cold water input to admit cold water in to the energy generation system so that the cold water flows within the generation system to cool the jacket of thermoelectric devices in each energy generation module of the multiple energy generation modules during operation of the energy generation system; and
a control module being directly coupled to each controllable heat source of the multiple energy generation modules via a control line, the control module being in communication with the local power grid, the control line being configured to carry a control signal generated by the control module; and

each energy generation module of the multiple energy generation modules comprises:
the controllable heat source configured to receive the control signal;
the jacket of thermoelectric devices having a textured inner side and an outer side, the textured inner side of the jacket of thermoelectric devices surrounding the controllable heat source and being thermally coupled to the controllable heat source via a heat conducting fluid interposed and enclosed between the controllable heat source and the jacket of thermoelectric devices; and

the control module further being configured to:
(i) monitor at least a load demand of the energy generation system and a power supply condition of the local power grid;
(ii) determine whether an amount of heat of the at least one of the controllable heat sources of the multiple energy generation modules should be adjusted to modify the electricity output at the DC-to-AC converter and capacity of the energy generation system which would alter an amount of the electrical energy to be supplied to the local power grid from the energy generation system based on the monitoring; and
(iii) adjust the heat generated by the at least one of the controllable heat sources of the multiple energy generation modules based on the determination to the amount of heat by transmitting the control signal on the control line to the at least one of the controllable heat sources.

2. The energy generation system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is further configured to monitor:
a buying price for natural gas and a buying price for electrical energy available on the local power grid.

3. The energy generation system of claim 2 , wherein the control module is further configured to monitor:
a selling price for transmitting the electrical energy that is produced by the energy generation system which is output from the electricity output to the local power grid.

4. The energy generation system of claim 3 , wherein the control module adjusts the at least one of the controllable heat sources of the multiple energy generation modules in response to:
(a) determining that the load demand of the energy generation system is greater than the supply condition of the local power grid; and at least one of;
(b) determining that the cost of generating the electricity output is lower than the buying price for the electricity output; or
(c) determining that the cost of generating the electricity output is lower than the selling price for transmitting the electricity output back to the local power grid.

5. The energy generation system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is coupled to a wireless communication circuit to receive remote control commands.

6. The energy generation system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a battery; and
wherein the control module is further configured to:
(iv) enable storage of the electricity output in the battery during a first transition time in which an output from the multiple energy generation modules is higher than the load demand; and
(v) enable release of the electricity output from the battery during a second transition time in which the output from the multiple energy generation modules is lower than the load demand.

7. The energy generation system of claim 1 , wherein the heat conducting fluid is oil.

8. The energy generation system of claim 1 , wherein each controllable heat source is a natural gas combustor.

Assignees

• Imran Mir A
• Harrison Matthew
• Incube Labs Llc

Inventors

• Imran Mir A
• Harrison Matthew

Classifications

• H01L35/30

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J7/34

  Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01K21/00 Primary

  Steam engine plants not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• H10N10/13 Primary

  characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction · CPC title