Thermoelectric generator utilizing near-constant temperature water and air heat and its effective operation method

Abstract

This invention relates to a thermoelectric generator utilizing near-constant temperature water and air heat, and an effective operating method. The thermoelectric generator includes a microchannel flat plate heat sink. The upper side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink is sequentially arranged with a high thermal conductivity graphene film, several upper thermoelectric modules, a high thermal conductivity graphene film, and an upper finned heat sink. The lower side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink is sequentially arranged with a high thermal conductivity graphene film, several lower thermoelectric modules, a high thermal conductivity graphene film, a lower finned heat sink, and a support. A transparent glass cover is installed on the upper finned heat sink. Both ends of the microchannel flat plate heat sink are connected to inlet and outlet water pipes. This invention solves the problem that traditional air-based thermoelectric generators typically use solar radiation as a heat source and air as a cold source, resulting in a low temperature difference and the inability to generate electricity continuously throughout the day.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of thermoelectric power generation technology, and relates to a thermoelectric generator that utilizes near-constant temperature water and air heat and light and heat and an effective operating method thereof, and more particularly to a thermoelectric generator that utilizes near-constant temperature water and air heat in karst caves / underground and an effective operating method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Caves / underground spaces possess abundant near-constant temperature (~15℃) water resources, typically pumped out to supply water for production and daily life. The atmosphere contains inexhaustible solar and thermal resources; for example, in summer, air temperatures generally range from 25-40℃, and surface solar radiation is very strong, reaching several hundred to one kilowatt per square meter; in winter, air temperatures are generally below 10℃, and surface solar radiation reaches tens to hundreds of watts per square meter. In summary, there is a significant temperature difference between the atmospheric solar and thermal energy and the near-constant temperature water in caves / underground spaces, offering considerable potential for thermal energy utilization.

[0003] Thermoelectric power generation is a solid-state power generation technology that directly converts heat energy into electrical energy. As long as the thermoelectric power generation module is placed between a heat source and a cold source, it can continuously output electrical energy. Traditional air-based solar-thermal thermoelectric generators usually use solar radiation as a heat source and air as a cold source, resulting in a low temperature difference and the inability to generate electricity continuously throughout the day.

[0004] Based on this, a thermoelectric generator utilizing near-constant temperature water from karst caves / underground locations and the solar and thermal energy of the air is proposed. The near-constant temperature water from karst caves / underground locations flows through a microchannel flat plate radiator, with thermoelectric modules and finned radiators symmetrically arranged at both ends. This thermoelectric generator combines the near-constant temperature water from karst caves / underground locations with the solar and thermal energy of the air, achieving high power generation, especially under summer conditions when the temperature difference is large, enabling uninterrupted power generation around the clock. Furthermore, the near-constant temperature water from karst caves / underground locations is generally pumped out for domestic and industrial use; its flow through the microchannel flat plate radiator in the intermediate stage adds almost no energy to the pump. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, in order to solve the problem that traditional air-thermal thermal differential power generators usually use solar radiation as a heat source and air as a cold source, resulting in a low temperature difference and the inability to generate electricity continuously throughout the day, the present invention provides a thermal differential power generator that utilizes near-constant temperature water and air thermal energy, as well as an effective operating method, which can achieve uninterrupted recovery of air thermal energy for power generation.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A thermoelectric generator utilizing near-constant temperature water and air heat generation includes a microchannel flat plate heat sink. The upper side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink is sequentially arranged with a high thermal conductivity graphene film, several upper thermoelectric modules, another high thermal conductivity graphene film, and an upper finned heat sink. The lower side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink is sequentially arranged with a high thermal conductivity graphene film, several lower thermoelectric modules, another high thermal conductivity graphene film, a lower finned heat sink, and a support. A transparent glass cover is installed on the upper finned heat sink. Both ends of the microchannel flat plate heat sink are connected to inlet and outlet water pipes.

[0008] The beneficial effects of this basic scheme are as follows: the microchannel flat plate heat sink has symmetrical thermoelectric generators on both sides, which can achieve uninterrupted power generation around the clock, and the inlet and outlet water pipes are used to connect to the karst cave / underground near constant temperature water.

[0009] Furthermore, the microchannel flat plate heat sink is flat, with the upper bottom plate fixedly connected to the upper finned heat sink at the four corners by upper fastening bolts, and the lower bottom plate of the microchannel flat plate heat sink fixedly connected to the lower finned heat sink at the four corners by lower fastening bolts. Beneficial effect: The fastening bolts improve the connection stability between the microchannel flat plate heat sink and the corresponding finned heat sink.

[0010] Furthermore, the microchannel flat plate radiator has several interconnected microchannels along its length. Beneficial effect: The microchannels facilitate the uniform flow of near-constant-temperature water from caves / underground spaces through the microchannel flat plate radiator.

[0011] Furthermore, the inlet and outlet water pipes have rectangular holes on the side facing the microchannel flat plate radiator, and are fixedly connected to both ends of the microchannel flat plate radiator by welding. Beneficial effect: The welding method ensures a stable connection between the inlet and outlet water pipes and the microchannel flat plate radiator.

[0012] Furthermore, the top and bottom plates of the microchannel flat plate heat sink extend 3-5cm to both sides. Benefit: This facilitates the installation and fastening of the corner bolts of the microchannel flat plate heat sink with the corresponding finned heat sink.

[0013] Furthermore, the upper and lower finned radiators are comb-shaped. Beneficial effect: The comb-shaped finned radiator increases the heat transfer area.

[0014] The effective operation method of this thermoelectric generator that utilizes the photothermal difference between near-constant temperature water and air includes the following steps:

[0015] S1. Place the high thermal conductivity graphene film, the upper thermoelectric module, the high thermal conductivity graphene film and the upper finned heat sink on the upper side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink in sequence. The upper bottom plate of the microchannel flat plate heat sink and the upper finned heat sink are fixedly connected at the four corners by the upper fastening bolts. Place the transparent glass cover on the upper finned heat sink.

[0016] S2. The high thermal conductivity graphene film, the lower thermoelectric module, the high thermal conductivity graphene film, the lower finned heat sink and the bracket are sequentially set on the lower side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink. The bottom plate of the microchannel flat plate heat sink and the lower finned heat sink are fixedly connected at the four corners by the lower fastening bolts.

[0017] S3. The microchannel flat plate heat sink is placed between adjacent high thermal conductivity graphene films, and the inlet and outlet water pipes are fixedly connected at both ends by welding. The inlet and outlet water pipes are used to connect to the cave / underground near constant temperature water.

[0018] S4. Under summer operating conditions, the heat source of the upper thermoelectric module is the solar heat of the air, the heat source of the lower thermoelectric module is hot air, and the near-constant temperature water in the cave / underground serves as the cold source.

[0019] In winter, the cold source of the lower thermoelectric module is cold air, and the heat source is near-constant temperature water in a cave / underground. When the light is weak, the cold source of the upper thermoelectric module is light and heat from the air, and the heat source is near-constant temperature water in a cave / underground. When the light is strong, the cold source of the upper thermoelectric module is near-constant temperature water in a cave / underground, and the heat source is light and heat from the air.

[0020] Furthermore, in step S1, the upper thermoelectric module is laid out at equal intervals between the high thermal conductivity graphene films, and the upper finned heat sink is placed on the high thermal conductivity graphene film with its teeth facing upwards.

[0021] Furthermore, in step S2, the high thermal conductivity graphene film is laid flat on the lower finned heat sink, and the high thermal conductivity graphene films are laid flat at equal intervals on the lower thermoelectric module. The lower finned heat sink is placed on the support with its teeth facing downwards, and the support is placed at both ends of the lower finned heat sink.

[0022] Furthermore, in step S4, when the surface temperature of the upper finned heat sink is greater than the air temperature, i.e., when the sunlight is strong, a transparent glass cover is placed over the upper finned heat sink to prevent convection heat loss between the air and the upper finned heat sink.

[0023] When the surface temperature of the upper finned heatsink is lower than the air temperature, i.e., when the light is weak, the transparent glass cover on the upper finned heatsink should be removed in order to enhance the convective heat dissipation between the air and the upper finned heatsink.

[0024] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0025] 1. The thermoelectric generator disclosed in this invention utilizes near-constant temperature water and air heat. Near-constant temperature water from karst caves / underground flows through a microchannel flat plate radiator. The thermoelectric modules and finned radiators are symmetrically arranged on the upper and lower sides of the microchannel flat plate radiator, forming a symmetrical thermoelectric generator. This thermoelectric generator combines the near-constant temperature water from karst caves / underground with air heat, and especially under summer conditions with a large temperature difference, it generates high power and can achieve uninterrupted power generation around the clock. Furthermore, the near-constant temperature water from karst caves / underground is generally pumped out for production and domestic use. When it flows through the microchannel flat plate radiator in the intermediate stage, it hardly increases the energy consumption of the pump, which can make reasonable use of the constant temperature characteristics of the near-constant temperature water from karst caves / underground and achieve rational utilization of resources.

[0026] 2. The thermoelectric generator disclosed in this invention utilizes near-constant temperature water and air solar thermal energy. By combining near-constant temperature water from karst caves / underground locations with air solar thermal energy, a symmetrical thermoelectric generator can achieve uninterrupted power generation around the clock. In summer, the lower thermoelectric generator primarily utilizes hot air for power generation, while the upper thermoelectric generator primarily utilizes air solar thermal energy. Specifically, when sunlight is strong (i.e., the surface temperature of the upper finned radiator is higher than the air temperature), placing a transparent glass cover on the upper part effectively prevents convective heat loss between the upper finned radiator and the air, thereby enhancing the power generation performance of the upper thermoelectric generator. Furthermore, the near-constant temperature water from karst caves / underground locations is generally pumped out for production and domestic use; its flow through the microchannel flat plate radiator in the intermediate stage adds almost no energy to the pump. This thermoelectric generator will strongly promote the development and application of distributed air solar thermal power generation technology.

[0027] Other advantages, objectives, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following examination, or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention can be realized and obtained through the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0029] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the structure of a thermoelectric generator that utilizes the photothermal effect of near-constant temperature water and air, according to the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermoelectric generator that utilizes the photothermal energy of near-constant temperature water and air according to the present invention.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a side view of a thermoelectric generator that utilizes the photothermal effect of near-constant temperature water and air according to the present invention.

[0032] Figure 4 This is a front view of a thermoelectric generator that utilizes the photothermal energy of near-constant-temperature water and air according to the present invention.

[0033] Figure 5 This is a top view of a thermoelectric generator that utilizes the photothermal effect of near-constant temperature water and air, according to the present invention.

[0034] Reference numerals: 1. Bracket; 2. Lower finned heat sink; 3, 5, 9, 11. High thermal conductivity graphene film; 4. Lower thermoelectric module; 6. Microchannel flat plate heat sink; 7. Lower fastening bolt; 8. Inlet and outlet connecting water pipe; 10. Upper thermoelectric module; 12. Upper finned heat sink; 13. Upper fastening bolt; 14. Transparent glass cover. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0036] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are schematic diagrams, not actual pictures. They should not be construed as limiting the invention. To better illustrate the embodiments of the invention, some parts in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual product dimensions. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings.

[0037] In the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0038] like Figures 1-5The device shown is a thermoelectric generator that utilizes the photothermal difference between near-constant temperature water and air. It includes a microchannel flat plate heat sink 6. The upper side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink 6 is sequentially arranged with a high thermal conductivity graphene film 9, several upper thermoelectric modules 10, a high thermal conductivity graphene film 11, and an upper finned heat sink 12. The microchannel flat plate heat sink 6 is flat, and the upper bottom plate is fixedly connected to the upper finned heat sink 12 at the four corners by upper fastening bolts 13. The lower side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink 6 is sequentially arranged with a high thermal conductivity graphene film 5, several lower thermoelectric modules 4, a high thermal conductivity graphene film 3, a lower finned heat sink 2, and a bracket 1. The lower bottom plate of the microchannel flat plate heat sink 6 is fixedly connected to the lower finned heat sink 2 at the four corners by lower fastening bolts 7. A transparent glass cover 14 is provided on the upper finned heat sink 12.

[0039] The microchannel flat plate radiator 6 has several through-channels along its length. Both ends of the microchannel flat plate radiator 6 are connected to inlet and outlet water pipes 8. The microchannel design facilitates the uniform flow of near-constant-temperature water from the karst cave / underground environment through the microchannel flat plate radiator 6. The inlet and outlet water pipes 8 are used to connect to the near-constant-temperature water from the karst cave / underground environment. Specifically, the inlet and outlet water pipes 8 have rectangular holes on the side facing the microchannel flat plate radiator 6 and are fixedly connected to both ends of the microchannel flat plate radiator 6 by welding. The upper and lower bottom plates of the microchannel flat plate radiator 6 extend 3-5 cm to both sides to facilitate the installation and fastening of bolts for fixed connection with the corresponding finned radiators. The upper finned radiator 12 and the lower finned radiator 2 are comb-shaped to increase the heat transfer area. The upper thermoelectric module 10 and the lower thermoelectric module 4 are in the shape of a 3×10 rectangle. The upper thermoelectric module 10 and the lower thermoelectric module 4 are uniformly sandwiched between corresponding high thermal conductivity graphene films. The high thermal conductivity graphene films facilitate the uniform transfer of heat to both sides of the corresponding thermoelectric modules, and the thermoelectric modules realize the efficient conversion of temperature difference into electrical energy.

[0040] The effective operation method of this thermoelectric generator that utilizes the photothermal difference between near-constant temperature water and air includes the following steps:

[0041] S1. The high thermal conductivity graphene film 9, the 3×10 upper thermoelectric module 10, the high thermal conductivity graphene film 11, and the upper finned heat sink 12 are placed sequentially on the upper side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink 6. The upper bottom plate of the microchannel flat plate heat sink 6 is fixedly connected to the upper finned heat sink 12 at the four corners by the upper fastening bolts 13. The upper thermoelectric module 10 is laid flat with equal spacing between the high thermal conductivity graphene film 9 and the high thermal conductivity graphene film 11. The upper finned heat sink 12 is placed on the high thermal conductivity graphene film 11 with the teeth facing upward. The transparent glass cover 14 is placed on the upper finned heat sink 12.

[0042] S2. The high thermal conductivity graphene film 5, the 3×10 lower thermoelectric module 4, the high thermal conductivity graphene film 3, the lower finned heat sink 2, and the two stool-shaped brackets 1 are sequentially arranged on the underside of the microchannel flat plate heat sink 6. The bottom plate of the microchannel flat plate heat sink 6 is fixedly connected to the lower finned heat sink 2 at the four corners by the lower fastening bolts 7. The high thermal conductivity graphene film 3 is laid flat on the lower finned heat sink 2. The high thermal conductivity graphene film 3 and the high thermal conductivity graphene film 5 are laid flat at equal intervals on the lower thermoelectric module 4. The lower finned heat sink 2 is placed on the brackets 1 with the teeth facing downward. The brackets 1 are placed at both ends of the lower finned heat sink 2 to support the entire thermoelectric generator.

[0043] S3. The microchannel flat plate heat sink 6 is placed between the high thermal conductivity graphene film 9 and the high thermal conductivity graphene film 5, and the inlet and outlet water pipes 8 are fixedly connected by welding at both ends. The inlet and outlet water pipes 8 are used to connect to the cave / underground near constant temperature water.

[0044] S4. Under summer operating conditions, the heat source of the upper thermoelectric module 10 is the solar heat of the air, the heat source of the lower thermoelectric module 4 is hot air, and the near constant temperature water in the cave / underground is used as the cold source.

[0045] In winter, the cold source of the lower thermoelectric module 4 is cold air, and the heat source is near-constant temperature water in a cave / underground. When the light is weak, the cold source of the upper thermoelectric module 10 is air heat, and the heat source is near-constant temperature water in a cave / underground. When the light is strong, the cold source of the upper thermoelectric module 10 is near-constant temperature water in a cave / underground, and the heat source is air heat.

[0046] When the surface temperature of the upper finned heat sink 12 is greater than the air temperature, i.e. when the light is strong, in order to avoid convection heat loss between the air and the upper finned heat sink 12, a transparent glass cover 14 should be placed over the upper finned heat sink 12.

[0047] When the surface temperature of the upper finned heat sink 12 is lower than the air temperature, i.e., when the light is weak, the transparent glass cover 14 on the upper finned heat sink 12 should be removed in order to enhance the convective heat dissipation between the air and the upper finned heat sink 12.

[0048] When there are no clouds and the sunlight is strong during the day, the surface temperature of the upper finned heatsink 12 is T. surface Significantly greater than air temperature T air At this time, placing a transparent glass cover is advantageous; however, if clouds suddenly pass by and significantly reduce sunlight, T surface It will gradually decrease, while the air temperature T air The changes are relatively small, especially when T surface <T air When this happens, the transparent glass cover 14 needs to be removed; this process is repeated until the surface temperature T of the upper finned heat sink 12 reaches a certain level. surface It may frequently occur at air temperature Tair Fluctuations up and down. To avoid frequent placement and removal of the glass cover, a threshold ε can be set, i.e., when T... surface -T air When T > ε, place a transparent glass cover 14 on the upper finned radiator 12; when T surface -T air When ε < 10℃, remove the transparent glass cover 14; depending on the local daily climate characteristics of the application scenario, ε can be set to 5-10℃.

[0049] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An effective operating method for a thermoelectric generator utilizing near-constant temperature water and air heat, characterized in that, The thermoelectric generator includes a microchannel flat plate heat sink. The upper side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink is sequentially arranged with a high thermal conductivity graphene film, several upper thermoelectric modules, a high thermal conductivity graphene film, and an upper finned heat sink. The lower side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink is sequentially arranged with a high thermal conductivity graphene film, several lower thermoelectric modules, a high thermal conductivity graphene film, a lower finned heat sink, and a bracket. A transparent glass cover is installed on the upper finned heat sink. Both ends of the microchannel flat plate heat sink are connected to inlet and outlet water pipes. The operating method includes the following steps: S1. Place the high thermal conductivity graphene film, the upper thermoelectric module, the high thermal conductivity graphene film and the upper finned heat sink on the upper side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink in sequence. The upper bottom plate of the microchannel flat plate heat sink and the upper finned heat sink are fixedly connected at the four corners by the upper fastening bolts. Place the transparent glass cover on the upper finned heat sink. S2. The high thermal conductivity graphene film, the lower thermoelectric module, the high thermal conductivity graphene film, the lower finned heat sink and the bracket are sequentially set on the lower side of the microchannel flat plate heat sink. The bottom plate of the microchannel flat plate heat sink and the lower finned heat sink are fixedly connected at the four corners by the lower fastening bolts. S3. The microchannel flat plate heat sink is placed between adjacent high thermal conductivity graphene films, and the inlet and outlet water pipes are fixedly connected at both ends by welding. The inlet and outlet water pipes are used to connect to the cave / underground near constant temperature water. S4. Under summer operating conditions, the heat source of the upper thermoelectric module is the solar heat of the air, the heat source of the lower thermoelectric module is hot air, and the near-constant temperature water in the cave / underground serves as the cold source. In winter, the cold source of the lower thermoelectric module is cold air, and the heat source is near-constant temperature water in a cave / underground. When the light is weak, the cold source of the upper thermoelectric module is light and heat from the air, and the heat source is near-constant temperature water in a cave / underground. When the light is strong, the cold source of the upper thermoelectric module is near-constant temperature water in a cave / underground, and the heat source is light and heat from the air. In step S4, when the surface temperature of the upper finned heat sink is greater than the air temperature, i.e., when the light is strong, a transparent glass cover is placed over the upper finned heat sink to prevent convection heat loss between the air and the upper finned heat sink. When the surface temperature of the upper finned heatsink is lower than the air temperature, i.e., when the light is weak, the transparent glass cover on the upper finned heatsink should be removed in order to enhance the convective heat dissipation between the air and the upper finned heatsink.

2. The effective operating method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The microchannel flat plate heat sink is flat in shape, and its upper bottom plate is fixedly connected to the upper fin heat sink at the four corners by upper fastening bolts. The lower bottom plate of the microchannel flat plate heat sink is fixedly connected to the lower fin heat sink at the four corners by lower fastening bolts.

3. The effective operating method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The microchannel flat panel heat sink has several through-channels along its length.

4. The effective operating method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The inlet and outlet connecting water pipes have rectangular holes on the side facing the microchannel flat plate radiator, and are fixedly connected to both ends of the microchannel flat plate radiator by welding.

5. The effective operating method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The upper and lower plates of the microchannel flat plate heat sink extend 3-5cm to both sides.

6. The effective operating method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The upper and lower finned radiators are comb-shaped.

7. The effective operating method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S1, the upper thermoelectric module is laid out at equal intervals between the high thermal conductivity graphene films, and the upper finned heat sink is placed on the high thermal conductivity graphene film with the teeth facing upwards.

8. The effective operating method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S2, a high thermal conductivity graphene film is laid flat on the lower finned heat sink. The high thermal conductivity graphene films are laid flat at equal intervals on the lower thermoelectric module. The lower finned heat sink is placed on the support with its teeth facing downwards. The support is placed at both ends of the lower finned heat sink.

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