Thermoelectric power generation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11031535-B2
Application number	US-201716344745-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2017
Priority date	Oct 25, 2016
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A thermoelectric power generation system including a plurality of thermoelectric power generation devices. Each of the thermoelectric power generation devices includes: a heating unit having a heat medium passage in which a heat medium flows; a cooling unit having a cooling liquid passage in which a cooling liquid flows; a thermoelectric element having the heating unit and the cooling unit so as to generate power by utilizing a temperature difference between a condensation temperature of the heat medium and a temperature of the cooling liquid; and a heat transfer pipe communicated with the heat medium passage to form a circulation path in which the heat medium circulates. The heat transfer pipes of the respective thermoelectric power generation devices are arranged in a single flow path in which a high temperature fluid flows. The heat medium passages of the thermoelectric power generation devices are structured to communicate with each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A thermoelectric power generation system comprising: a plurality of thermoelectric power generation devices, wherein: each of the thermoelectric power generation devices comprises:
a heating unit having a heat medium passage configured for flow of a heat medium flows, medium, a cooling unit having a cooling liquid passage in which configured for flow of a cooling liquid,
a thermoelectric element having the heating unit on one side thereof and the cooling unit on another side thereof, the thermoelectric element configured to generate power by utilizing a temperature difference between a condensation temperature of the heat medium that undergoes latent heat transfer in the heat medium passage and a temperature of the cooling liquid, and
a heat transfer pipe in fluid communication with the heat medium passage to form a circulation path associated with the heat medium, and
each heat transfer pipe of the plurality of thermoelectric power generation devices is arranged in a single flow path configured for flow of a high temperature fluid,
each heat medium passage of the plurality of thermoelectric power generation devices is in fluid communication each other heat medium passage of the plurality of thermoelectric power generation devices, and
each circulation path of the plurality of thermoelectric power generation devices is configured to include an amount of heat medium based on a position of a corresponding heat transfer pipe, the amount of heat medium based on a first position of the corresponding heat transfer pipe less than an amount of heat medium based on a second position of the corresponding heat transfer pipe, the corresponding heat transfer pipe configured to receive more heat in the first position than the second position.

2. The thermoelectric power generation system according to claim 1 , wherein the heat medium passages of the thermoelectric power generation devices are configured to be in fluid communication via a pressure equalizer so that the pressure inside the heat medium passage is equalized.

3. The thermoelectric power generation system according to claim 2 , wherein a maximum cross section of the pressure equalizer perpendicularly crossing a direction in which the pressure equalizer extends is smaller than a minimum cross section of the heat medium passage perpendicularly crossing a direction in which the heat medium passage extends.

4. A thermoelectric power generation system comprising:
a plurality of thermoelectric power generation devices, wherein:
each of the thermoelectric power generation devices comprises:
a heating unit having a heat medium passage configured for flow of a heat medium,
a cooling unit having a cooling liquid passage configured for flow of a cooling liquid,
a thermoelectric element having the heating unit on one side and the cooling unit on another side, the thermoelectric element configured to generate power by utilizing a temperature difference between a condensation temperature of the heat medium that undergoes latent heat transfer in the heat medium passage and a temperature of the cooling liquid, and
a heat transfer pipe in fluid communication with the heat medium passage to form a circulation path associated with the heat medium, and

each heat transfer pipe of the plurality of thermoelectric power generation devices is arranged in a single flow path configured to receive a high temperature fluid,
each circulation path of the plurality of thermoelectric power generation devices has an equal volume, and
an amount of heat medium filling the circulation path of any of the thermoelectric power generation devices whose heat transfer pipe is in a position where a higher quantity of heat is received from the high temperature fluid is smaller than an amount of heat medium filling the circulation path of any of the thermoelectric power generation devices whose heat transfer pipe is in a position where a lower quantity of heat is received from the high temperature fluid.

5. The thermoelectric power generation system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the heat transfer pipe and the heat medium passage are connected via an attaching part; and
the attaching part has a bent portion bent in such a manner that the heating unit, the cooling unit, and the thermoelectric element extend in a direction along a wall surface of the flow path.

6. A thermoelectric power generation device of a plurality of thermoelectric power generation devices, the thermoelectric power generation device comprising:
a heating unit having a heat medium passage configured for flow of a heat medium;
a cooling unit having a cooling liquid passage configured for flow of a cooling liquid;
a thermoelectric element having the heating unit on one side and the cooling unit on another side, the thermoelectric element configured to generate power based on a temperature difference between a condensation temperature of the heat medium that undergoes latent heat transfer in the heat medium passage and a temperature of the cooling liquid;
a heat transfer pipe in fluid communication with the heat medium passage to form a circulation path associated with circulation of the heat medium; and
wherein:
the heat transfer pipe is arranged in a flow path configured for flow of a high temperature fluid,
the heat transfer pipe and the heat medium passage are connected to each other through an attaching part,
the circulation path is configured to include an amount of heat medium based on a position of the heat transfer pipe; and
the amount of heat medium is based on a first position of the heat transfer pipe relative to a second heat transfer pipe of a second thermoelectric power generation device of the plurality of thermoelectric power generation devices, the second heat transfer pipe in the flow path, and the amount of heat medium in the heat transfer pipe less than a second amount of heat medium in the second heat transfer pipe based on the heat transfer pipe being positioned in the flow path such that the heat transfer pipe receives more heat than the second heat transfer pipe.

7. The thermoelectric power generation device according to claim 6 , wherein the attaching part has a flange part attached in such a manner as to close an opening portion provided on a wall surface of the flow path, the opening portion configured to allow the heat transfer pipe to pass therethrough.

8. The thermoelectric power generation device according to claim 6 , wherein the attaching part has a detachable communication pipe, the heat transfer pipe and the heat medium passage configured to communicate via the detachable communication pipe.

9. The thermoelectric power generation device according to claim 6 , wherein the attaching part has a bent portion bent in such a manner that the heating unit, the cooling unit, and the thermoelectric element extend in a direction along a wall surface of the flow path.

Assignees

• Yanmar Co Ltd
• Yanmar Power Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hatasako Yoshika
• Fukudome Jiro
• Tanaka Yuichiro
• Nakagawa Shuichi

Classifications

• H10W40/40

  involving heat exchange by flowing fluids · CPC title

• F01N2240/12

  a thermal reactor · CPC title

• H02N11/00

  Generators or motors not provided for elsewhere; Alleged perpetua mobilia obtained by electric or magnetic means (by hydrostatic pressure F03B17/04; {by mechanical means F03G7/10;} by dynamo-electric means, {including arrangements of permanent magnets interacting with other permanent magnets,} H02K53/00) · CPC title

• F25B21/02

  using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect · CPC title

• F28D15/02

  in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes {(heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257)} · CPC title