Temperature difference power generation apparatus and measurement system
AssigneesYokogawa Electric Corporation, Collective Intelligence
InventorsTakashi Arai, Yusaku Yoshida, Shuichi Sato, Hiroo Urabe, Yoshiyasu Takefuji
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Abstract
A temperature difference power generation apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a thermoelectric conversion element configured to convert thermal energy into electric energy based on a temperature difference, radiation fins which are thermally connected to a low-temperature side of the thermoelectric conversion element and contactable to outside air, and a pipe which is thermally connected to a high-temperature side of the thermoelectric conversion element and through which a high-temperature fluid at a higher temperature than the outside air is flowable.
Claims17
A temperature difference power generation apparatus comprising a plurality of power generation units, each of the plurality of power generation units comprising:
- a thermoelectric conversion element configured to convert thermal energy into electric energy based on a temperature difference;
- radiation fins which are thermally connected to a low-temperature side of the thermoelectric conversion element and contactable to outside air;
- a pipe which is thermally connected to a high-temperature side of the thermoelectric conversion element and through which a high-temperature fluid at a higher temperature than the outside air is flowable;
- a plurality of first heat pipes configured to thermally connect the radiation fins and the low-temperature side of the thermoelectric conversion element to each other;
- a base plate having a first plane part connected to the low-temperature side of the thermoelectric conversion element;
- and
- a pressing mechanism comprising a pressing plate configured to press the high-temperature side of the thermoelectric conversion element to the pipe and a screw member configured to be inserted into a through-hole formed in the pressing plate,
- wherein the radiation fins are supported by one end parts of the plurality of first heat pipes,
- wherein the other end parts of the plurality of first heat pipes are thermally connected to the low-temperature side of the thermoelectric conversion element through the base plate,
- wherein the plurality of first heat pipes are installed in the base plate,
- wherein the plurality of first heat pipes extend from side edge faces of both sides of the base plate in a width direction to both sides thereof in the width direction to support the radiation fins,
- wherein the pressing plate is arranged to extend in a longitudinal direction of the pipe between the plurality of first heat pipes and straddle outer sides of the base plate, and the plurality of first heat pipes are installed in the both sides of the base plate in the width direction,
- wherein the plurality of power generation units are provided in a circumferential direction of the pipe with gaps therebetween,
- wherein a second plane part is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the pipe, the second plane part is mirror-finished to correspond to the thermoelectric conversion element, and the high-temperature side of the thermoelectric conversion element is in contact with the second plane part, and
- wherein the screw member is screw-engaged with a screw hole formed in the second plane part of the pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.