Thermoelectric heat energy recovery module generator for application in a Stirling-electric hybrid automobile
AssigneesQuantum Industrial Development Corp., Texas A&M University
InventorsMark A. Junio, Terry R. McCauley, Joseph S. McDowell, Victoria A. Watson, Mirley K. Balasubramanya
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Abstract
A vehicle is provided which includes a Stirling Cycle engine that generates a flow of exhaust gases from the external combustion of a fuel supply. The vehicle is equipped with a thermoelectric generator module which is in fluidic communication with the flow of exhaust gases generated by the Stirling Cycle engine. The thermoelectric generator module includes a thermopile array, and generates electrical energy from the thermal energy in the flow of exhaust gases.
Claims20
A thermoelectric heat energy recovery module in combination with a Stirling cycle engine equipped with an exhaust line, said heat energy recovery module comprising:
- a conduit having a wall and equipped with an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet and outlet are in fluidic communication with each other by way of an interior space enclosed by said wall, wherein said inlet is fluidically coupled to the exhaust line of the Stirling cycle engine, and wherein said outlet is in fluidic communication with an environment external to said wall;
- and
- first and second sets of heat sink pins which extend from said wall and into said interior space in first and second opposing directions, respectively;
- wherein said first and second sets of heat sink pins are disposed in first and second opposing arrays, respectively, wherein each of said heat sink pins in the first array is disposed in an opposing and spaced-apart relationship to one of said heat sink pins in the second array, and wherein the heat sink pins in the first and second arrays are arranged in rows such that any two of said heat sink pins in each row which are adjacent to each other have different lengths as measured by the distance each of said heat sink pins extends from the wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.