Energy harvesting device
AssigneeSabanci Universitesi
InventorAli Kosar
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Abstract
A device including a liquid's flow path having an upstream side and a downstream side, a plurality of flow restrictive elements providing material communication between the upstream side to the downstream side, a thermoelectric generator or a thermophotovoltaic cell in thermal connection with a portion of the device located at the downstream side with respect to the plurality of flow restrictive elements. The portion is provided with roughness elements for, in use, contacting a fluid flowing through the device and facilitating collapse of cavitation bubbles.
Claims19
A device comprising:
- a liquid's flow path having an upstream side and a downstream side allowing a liquid flow from the upstream side to the downstream side;
- a plurality of flow aligners located at the upstream side, wherein said plurality of flow aligners are formed of protrusions perpendicular to the liquid flow direction;
- a plurality of flow restrictive elements providing material communications between the upstream side and the downstream side;
- and
- a thermoelectric generator or a thermophotovoltaic cell in thermal connection with a portion of the device located at the downstream side with respect to the plurality of flow restrictive elements;
- wherein the plurality of flow restrictive elements are parallel to each other;
- the plurality of flow aligners guide the liquid flow through gaps between the plurality of flow restrictive elements;
- the local static pressure of the liquid in the gaps between the plurality of flow restrictive elements decreases in consistency with a Bernoulli equation;
- and
- the portion is provided with roughness elements for, in use, contacting a fluid flowing through the device and facilitating collapse of cavitation bubbles.
A method for energy harvesting from flowing liquid streams, the method comprising:
- passing the liquid through a plurality of flow aligners of a device, wherein said plurality of the flow aligners are formed of protrusions perpendicular to a flow direction of the liquid,
- passing the liquid through a plurality of flow restrictive elements of the device, in such conditions where cavitation bubbles arise in the liquid upon passing through the plurality of flow restrictive elements, wherein the plurality of flow restrictive element are parallel to each other, the plurality of flow aligners guide the liquid through gaps between the plurality of flow restrictive elements, and the local static pressure of the liquid in the gaps between the plurality of flow restrictive elements decreases in consistency with a Bernoulli equation;
- and
- letting the cavitation bubbles collapse at a portion of the device located at a downstream side with respect to the flow restrictive elements, by roughness elements provided on the portion for contacting the liquid flowing through the device and facilitating the collapse,
- harvesting heat generated around collapsing bubbles with a thermoelectric generator or a thermophotovoltaic cell in thermal connection with the portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.