Fluid transport device and method for manufacturing a fluid transport device

A method for manufacturing a fluid transport device, comprising:

• manufacturing a conduit unit having a wall for separating an inside of the conduit unit from an outside of the conduit unit, wherein the conduit unit is configured to transport a fluid through the inside of the conduit unit;
• integrating an energy supply unit at least partly into the conduit unit during manufacturing of the conduit unit, wherein the energy supply unit is configured to provide electrical energy based on a temperature gradient between the inside of the conduit unit and the outside of the conduit unit, wherein the energy supply unit comprises at least one thermoelectric generator at least partially integrated into the wall of the conduit unit, and wherein the conduit unit comprises a composite material and wherein a dielectric component of the thermoelectric generator is arranged between two plies of the composite material;
• and
• coupling a monitoring unit to the conduit unit such that the energy supply unit supplies the monitoring unit with the electrical energy, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to monitor a state of the conduit unit and to generate data representative of the state of the conduit unit.

A fluid transport device comprising:

• a conduit unit having a wall for separating an inside of the conduit unit from an outside of the conduit unit, wherein the conduit unit is configured to transport a fluid through the inside of the conduit unit;
• an energy supply unit coupled to the conduit unit, wherein the energy supply unit is configured to provide electrical energy based on a temperature gradient between the inside of the conduit unit and the outside of the conduit unit;
• and
• a monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of the conduit unit, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to generate data representative of the state of the conduit unit;
• wherein the energy supply unit is configured to supply the electrical energy to the monitoring unit, thereby enabling the monitoring unit to monitor the state of the conduit unit,
• wherein the energy supply unit comprises at least one thermoelectric generator at least partially integrated into the wall of the conduit unit,
• wherein the wall of the conduit unit has a first wall portion providing a direct contact surface with a first part of the at least one thermoelectric generator;
• and
• wherein the wall of the conduit unit has a second wall portion connected to the least one thermoelectric generator via an insulation layer spatially separating the second wall portion from a second part of the at least one thermoelectric generator.