Thermoelectric generating device
AssigneeDenso Corporation
InventorsHiroo Yamaguchi, Yasutoshi Yamanaka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermoelectric generating device has a thermoelectric element which utilizes an exhaust gas from an engine as a high temperature heat source and an engine coolant as a low temperature heat source in order to generate electricity. An introducing passage introduces a part of the exhaust gas passed through the thermoelectric element into an intake of the engine. An introducing valve opens and closes the introducing passage. A controller controls an opening degree of the introducing valve according to a load of the engine.
Claims15
A thermoelectric generating device including a thermoelectric element generating electricity, utilizing an exhaust gas from an engine of a vehicle as a high temperature heat source, and utilizing a cooling fluid as a low temperature heat source, comprising:
- an introducing passage for introducing a part of the exhaust gas to an intake of the engine;
- an introducing valve for opening and closing the introducing passage;
- a controller for controlling an opening degree of the introducing valve according to a load of the engine;
- a branched passage diverging from and converging on an exhaust pipe;
- and
- a branch valve of which opening degree is controlled by the controller, the branch valve opening and closing the branched passage;
- wherein
- the thermoelectric element utilizes the exhaust gas flowing in the branched passage as a high temperature heat source, and
- the opening decree of the branch valve and the introducing valve are increased as the load of the engine is decreased.
A thermoelectric generating device including a thermoelectric element generating electricity, utilizing an exhaust gas from an engine of a vehicle as a high temperature heat source, and utilizing a coolant of the engine as a low temperature heat source, the coolant of the engine being cooled by a radiator, comprising:
- a variable means for varying a supplying condition of at least one of the exhaust gas and the coolant, the variable means increasing the temperature difference between the exhaust gas and the coolant at the thermoelectric element in relation to an increase in a surplus capacity of the radiator, the surplus capacity being derived by subtracting a cooling loss of the engine from a whole capacity of the radiator;
- and
- a branched passage diverging from an exhaust pine in which the exhaust gas flows, the thermoelectric element being disposed within the branched passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.