Deep sea hydrothermal power generation device

Abstract

The invention discloses a deep-sea hydrothermal power generation device, which comprises a hydrothermal nozzle for providing high-temperature hydrothermal liquid as an energy source; a continuously upward hot surface temperature field is provided based on the hot liquid nozzle; the retention cover is arranged above the hydrothermal solution nozzle to form a retention space and is used for accommodating the eruption hydrothermal solution so as to prolong the retention time of the hydrothermal solution and expand the heat influence range; the retention cover comprises a cover body and a thermoelectric module embedded in the cover body; wherein the thermoelectric module comprises two contact surfaces which are respectively a hot surface and a cold surface, the hot surface faces hot liquid of the hot liquid nozzle, and the cold surface is in contact with deep sea water and is driven by temperature difference to generate electric energy; and the voltage conversion module is electrically connected with the thermoelectric modules, is used for intensively processing the electric energy generated by the thermoelectric modules and outputting stable voltage, is connected to the data acquisition terminal through a cable, and is used for realizing in-situ observation data acquisition and storage of the hydrothermal liquid nozzle area.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of hydrothermal power generation, in particular to a deep-sea hydrothermal power generation device. BACKGROUND

[0002] The deep-sea hydrothermal vent is a special seabed geological structure, which usually emits high-temperature and sulfide-rich hydrothermal fluid, so it is also called "black chimney". There is a unique ecological system around the deep-sea hydrothermal vent, and it has important scientific research value, especially in the fields of earth science and marine biology. Therefore, it is of great significance to carry out long-term in-situ observation on the deep-sea hydrothermal vent.

[0003] However, the current marine equipment for deep-sea exploration usually relies on lithium batteries or fuel cells for power supply, which is limited by its volume, weight and endurance, and it is difficult to meet the demand of long-term stable observation. The hydrothermal fluid itself contains a large amount of temperature difference energy, and its emission temperature can reach 400℃, while the temperature of the background seawater in the deep sea is usually only 2℃. Using temperature difference energy for self-power supply becomes a potential technical path.

[0004] However, at present, the deep-sea hydrothermal power generation device is still in the theoretical stage, and there is no mature technical scheme or practical device that can be widely used, so it is difficult to realize the demand of long-term, stable and autonomous in-situ observation power supply.

[0005] In view of this, the present application provides a deep-sea hydrothermal power generation device. SUMMARY

[0006] The purpose of the present application is to provide a deep-sea hydrothermal power generation device to realize the purpose of in-situ observation.

[0007] The present application provides a deep-sea hydrothermal power generation device, which comprises

[0008] The hydrothermal vent provides high-temperature hydrothermal fluid as an energy source, and provides a continuous upward thermal surface temperature field based on the hydrothermal vent;

[0009] The retention cover is arranged above the hydrothermal vent to form a retention space for accommodating the emitted hydrothermal fluid, so as to prolong the retention time of the hydrothermal fluid and expand the thermal influence range;

[0010] The retention cover comprises a cover body and a thermoelectric module embedded on the cover body; wherein: the cover body is a thin-walled structure, which serves as a function of installing the thermoelectric module and connecting with other modules. The thermoelectric module comprises two contact surfaces, namely a hot surface and a cold surface, the hot surface faces the hydrothermal fluid of the hydrothermal vent, and the cold surface contacts the deep-sea water, and generates electric energy through temperature difference driving;

[0011] The voltage conversion module is electrically connected to each thermoelectric module, which is used for centralized processing of the electric energy generated by the thermoelectric module and outputting stable voltage. The voltage conversion module is connected to the data acquisition terminal through a cable, which is used for realizing in-situ observation data acquisition and storage of the hydrothermal vent area.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution of the present application, the retention cover comprises an anchor chain and a float, wherein:

[0013] The float is installed on the top of the cover body through a connecting assembly, and is used to provide upward buoyancy support for the retention cover,

[0014] The anchor chain is arranged at the outer edge of the retention cover, and is used to position the retention cover above the hydrothermal vent and limit the horizontal movement thereof.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution of the present application, the retention cover further comprises an opening, which is distributed on the cover body in a preset arrangement mode, and is used to guide and discharge the excess hydrothermal fluid in the cover body.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution of the present application, the connecting assembly is a shell structure or a support rod structure or a cable.

[0017] As a preferred technical solution of the present application, the data acquisition terminal is arranged outside or on the top of the cover body, and is used to acquire observation data of the hydrothermal vent and save in situ.

[0018] As a preferred technical solution of the present application, the voltage conversion module is arranged in the inner cavity of the cover body.

[0019] In the above technical solution, the present application has the following technical effects and advantages:

[0020] The present application effectively prolongs the hydrothermal fluid retention time, expands the heat affected range, significantly improves the hydrothermal fluid utilization rate and thermoelectric conversion efficiency, and the generated electric energy can be directly supplied to the in-situ observation device, thereby reducing the transmission loss and realizing long-term stable self-power supply. At the same time, the device structure has strong adaptability, good environmental adaptability and promotion value, and effectively solves the problems of power supply difficulty and short endurance of the existing deep sea observation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or the prior art, the drawings needed in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments described in the present application, and other drawings can also be obtained by those skilled in the art based on these drawings.

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the thermoelectric heating device of the present application;

[0023] Figure 2 is a top view of the retention cover of the present application;

[0024] Figure 3 is a structure example diagram of the retention cover of the present application;

[0025] Fig. 1, hydrothermal vent; 2, retention cover; 2.1, cover body; 2.2, thermoelectric module; 2.3, opening; 2.4, anchor chain; 2.5, deflector; 2.6, heat sink; 3, voltage conversion module; 4, float; 5, data acquisition terminal; 6, cable. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages of the present application clearer, the technical scheme in the embodiments of the present application will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

[0027] In the drawings, identical or similar reference signs represent identical or similar elements or elements having identical or similar functions throughout. The described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. The embodiments described below by reference to the drawings are exemplary and are intended to explain the present application, and cannot be understood as limiting the present application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art on the basis of the embodiments in the present application without making creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present application. The embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0028] Embodiment 1

[0029] Referring to Figure 1 As shown in the drawings, the present embodiment provides a deep-sea hydrothermal power generation device, which comprises a hydrothermal vent 1 providing high-temperature hydrothermal fluid as an energy source, a retention cover 2 providing a retention space above the hydrothermal vent 1, the retention cover 2 being fixed above the hydrothermal vent 1 by a float 4, and a plurality of thermoelectric modules being embedded on the retention cover 2 to achieve thermoelectric conversion, the thermoelectric modules being transmitted to a voltage conversion module 3 after being connected in series and in parallel, and the voltage conversion module 3 being supported by the float 4; wherein:

[0030] The hydrothermal vent 1 continuously sprays high-temperature, low-density hydrothermal fluid upward into seawater as a source of original heat energy. The hydrothermal fluid has a certain flow rate and a lower density than seawater, so it is sprayed upward. After being sprayed to a certain height, the hydrothermal fluid diffuses into the surrounding seawater to form a plume.

[0031] The retention cover 2 comprises a cover body 2.1, a thermoelectric module 2.2, an opening 2.3 and an anchor chain 2.4.

[0032] Specifically, the retention cover 2 retains the hydrothermal fluid in the cover. The retention cover 2 is located above the hydrothermal vent 1 and is fixed in position by the combined action of the float 4 and the anchor chain. The retention cover 2 retains the hydrothermal fluid sprayed from the hydrothermal vent 1 in the cover. The hydrothermal fluid gradually expands outward along the inner surface of the cover body 2.1, and the range of the thermal influence area also expands.

[0033] The shape and structural parameters of the cover 2.1 are related to the sea area where the hydrothermal vent 1 is located, the flow rate and temperature of the hydrothermal fluid, and the like, and are exemplarily similar to the downwardly inverted ball cap shape as shown in Figure 1 The cover 2.1 can also be flat or a large pot shape with an opening upward, and the shape of the cover 2.1 can be extended according to the actual application scenario, and thus the present embodiment is not limited to the shape of the cover 2.1. The cover 2.1 is made of a material with extremely poor thermal conductivity, has good heat insulation effect, and thus maintains the temperature difference between the hot side and the cold side of the thermoelectric module. For example, foamed polyurethane, phenolic resin, silica gel foam, or other materials with a thermal conductivity lower than 0.05 W / m·K. The cover 2.1 is inverted in structure, is arranged above the heat source path, and forms a mounting surface for accommodating a plurality of thermoelectric modules 2.2.

[0034] Further, the openings 2.3 are reasonably arranged on the cover 2.1. The purpose of the openings 2.3 is to release excess hydrothermal fluid and prevent the temperature difference from being reduced due to local high temperature. The shape, position and number of the openings 2.3 are related to the sea area where the hydrothermal vent 1 is located, the flow rate and temperature of the hydrothermal fluid, and the like, Figure 2 The other opening schemes should also be within the protection scope.

[0035] Exemplarily, the openings 2.3 can be evenly distributed in three or five annular shapes. The positioning diameter of the annular shape can be half of the diameter of the cover 2.1, or one third of the diameter of the cover 2.1. The specific flow rate, temperature and flow of the hydrothermal fluid are related, and are not limited to the shape of the transition state. The positive and inverted states are determined according to the actual situation to improve the utilization efficiency of the hydrothermal fluid and prevent local overheating. For example, the cover 2.1 is provided with triangularly arranged openings 2.3. Three openings 2.3 are arranged along the vertex direction of the equilateral triangle, and auxiliary openings 2.3 are further added according to the heat flux.

[0036] In a specific embodiment, the cover 2.1 can adjust the opening and closing states of the openings 2.3 through a sliding or rotating structure to realize dynamic adjustment of the heat flow guiding path. For example, a structure with an adjustable opening 2.3 cover plate is provided to form a controllable heat conduction channel.

[0037] The plurality of thermoelectric modules 2.2 are embedded on the shell of the cover 2.1, rather than being attached to the inner side of the cover. The hot side and the cold side of the thermoelectric module 2.2 are PN junctions, and the PN junctions are air, which is solidified by glue in some cases. However, in actual operation, the thermoelectric modules 2.2 are arranged in a certain order on the cover 2.1, and then bonded with resin. The position of the thermoelectric module 2.2 bonded is the middle layer where the PN junction is located, and thus the cover 2.1 does not affect the hot side or the cold side. The structure avoids the thermal interference between the cold side and the hot side. The arrangement of the thermoelectric modules 2.2 is various, and the arrangement with the maximum number and the best power generation performance is preferred, such as Figure 2Other arrangements are also within the scope of protection. The hot side of the thermoelectric module 2.2 faces the hot fluid vent, and the cold side faces the low-temperature deep-sea water. The temperature of the deep-sea water is generally 2 degrees Celsius. The hot side receives heat from the retained hot fluid, and the cold side exchanges heat with the low-temperature deep-sea water outside the cover 2.1 to form a stable temperature difference field. The thermoelectric module 2.2 converts the heat energy difference into electrical energy output based on the Seebeck effect. The temperature difference between the hot side and the cold side can be effectively converted into electrical energy. The greater the temperature difference, the higher the efficiency of thermoelectric conversion.

[0038] It should be noted that the thermoelectric module 2.2 is a standard commercially available device, and its model and structure are not limited. The power generation efficiency is limited by the temperature difference between the cold side and the hot side. More specifically, the cover 2.1 housing surface is provided with a plurality of mounting holes or grooves for accommodating the embedded installation of the thermoelectric module 2.2. One side of the thermoelectric module 2.2, i.e., the hot side, faces the heat source such as the hot fluid, and the built-in flow guide plate 2.5 extends the flow path of the hot fluid. The hot fluid with a temperature that is too high can first exchange heat with the surrounding seawater, thereby protecting the thermoelectric module 2.2. The other side, i.e., the cold side, is exposed to the cooling fluid or one side of the heat sink 2.6, such as Figure 3 As shown, each thermoelectric module 2.2 is fixed to the surface of the cover by embedded installation, and the cover is pre-fabricated with a plurality of mounting holes or grooves for module positioning and installation. The thermoelectric modules 2.2 are arranged at a certain array pitch, which is beneficial to forming a uniform heat field and can be connected to the voltage conversion module 3 in series and parallel to output unified electrical energy. The cover 2.1 is made of thermal insulation material, which effectively prevents heat from being directed to the cold side through the cover 2.1 itself, thereby maintaining a large temperature difference ΔT and ensuring the thermoelectric conversion efficiency of the thermoelectric module 2.2.

[0039] In addition, since the cover 2.1 does not have thermal conductivity, it will not act as a thermal bridge to short-circuit the heat flow to the cold side. Therefore, the plurality of thermoelectric modules 2.2 can maintain relatively independent heat field distribution and will not interfere with each other, which is beneficial to the overall power generation performance of the system.

[0040] The outer circle of the flow-retaining cover 2 is fixed with a plurality of anchor chains 2.4 for limiting the movement of the flow-retaining cover 2 affected by the horizontal flow, so that it can be kept above the hot fluid vent. The float 4 is independent of other components and can be composed of solid buoyancy material or hollow glass balls.

[0041] In fact, the floating body 4 can be fixed, and the floating body 4 is directly installed on the frame through a long bolt; or not fixed, and the floating body 4 and the equipment frame are connected together through a cable; the floating body 4 is fixedly installed on the top of the cover body 2.1 through a connecting assembly which is an integrated shell structure or a support rod structure, and is used for stably fixing the floating body 4 above the cover body 2.1, providing upward floating support, and ensuring that the whole retention cover 2 remains in a vertically suspended state in water and is aligned with the outlet direction of the hydrothermal vent 1.

[0042] The direct current output by the thermoelectric module 2.2 is stably processed through the voltage conversion module 3. Since the power of a single thermoelectric module 2.2 is small, the voltage conversion module 3 is required to concentrate all the energy and then convert the electric energy.

[0043] The voltage conversion module 3 is also attached with the cable 6 and the data acquisition terminal 5. The electric energy obtained by the voltage conversion module 3 is used to power the data acquisition terminal 5 through the cable 6, so as to realize the purpose of in-situ observation. However, when the hydrothermal fluid diffuses around the hydrothermal vent 1, the temperature of the hydrothermal fluid is also obviously reduced, and the heat energy has been dissipated in the surrounding environment. The embodiment is arranged near the hydrothermal vent 1, and the retention time of the hydrothermal fluid is effectively prolonged by the cover body 2.1, and the heat influence range is expanded. Both the utilization rate of the hydrothermal fluid and the number of the thermoelectric module 2.2 are improved, so as to improve the overall thermoelectric conversion efficiency and total energy. Through local power generation and local use, the heat loss of the electric energy on the transmission cable is reduced, and the energy utilization rate is improved.

[0044] Further, the data acquisition terminal 5 can be a camera, which is used to realize in-situ image acquisition of the hydrothermal vent 1 area, realize real-time acquisition and long-time monitoring of images; in addition, the data acquisition terminal 5 can also be a sensor. According to actual needs, the data acquisition terminal 5 can be replaced with other low-energy sensors, which are arranged below or around the cover body 2.1, and are used to collect basic physical parameters such as temperature, hydrothermal fluid flow rate and pressure of the environment around the hydrothermal vent 1.

[0045] In another embodiment, the data acquisition terminal 5 can be replaced with a group of in-situ environmental sensor units, such as a dissolved oxygen sensor, an electrical conductivity sensor, a heavy metal ion probe and the like, which are used to monitor typical chemical environmental indicators of the hydrothermal vent area.

[0046] The power of the data acquisition terminal 5 is generally between 5-10W. Although the scale of the power generated by the temperature difference is limited, the output power can stably cover the operation requirements of such equipment, and is particularly suitable for scenes without external energy access.

[0047] In further embodiments, the voltage conversion module 3 also includes a buffer energy storage unit, such as a super capacitor or low-power battery, for energy regulation in response to fluctuations in heat flow. The voltage conversion module-cable-data acquisition terminal 5, added to achieve the goal of "long-term in-situ observation" in the background, generates electrical energy in the current special environment, which is not transmitted further, but used by the local observation data acquisition terminal 5.

[0048] These components, including the voltage conversion module 3, the cable 6, and the data acquisition terminal 5, should be installed in a frame structure in actual operation, with the float 4 at the top to provide buoyancy. The voltage conversion module 3 is installed in the frame, and a rod can be extended to install the data acquisition terminal 5.

[0049] Working principle: This embodiment uses the flow-retarding cover to prolong the time of the hydrothermal fluid passing through the device, expand the range of thermal influence, and increase the number of thermoelectric modules 2.2, thereby improving the overall efficiency and energy of thermoelectric conversion. The locally obtained electrical energy can be directly applied to the data acquisition terminal 5 or other sensors, thereby achieving long-term in-situ observation or monitoring.

[0050] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be covered within the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A deep sea hydrothermal power plant, characterized by, The utility model relates to a kind of hot spring hydrothermal vent power generation system, including: Hot spring hydrothermal vent (1) provides high-temperature hot spring as energy source; Based on the hot spring hydrothermal vent (1) provides continuous upward hot surface temperature field; Residence cover (2) is arranged above hot spring hydrothermal vent (1) to form residence space, for accommodating eruption hot spring, to extend hot spring residence time and expand heat-affected range; The residence cover (2) includes cover body (2.1), hot-electricity module (2.2) inlaid on cover body (2.1);Wherein: cover body (2.1) is thin-walled structure, hot-electricity module (2.2) is installed on cover body (2.1), hot-electricity module (2.2) includes 2 contact surfaces, and hot surface and cold surface are respectively, hot surface is towards hot spring hydrothermal vent (1) hot spring, cold surface contacts deep sea water, and electricity is generated by temperature difference driving; Voltage conversion module (3) is electrically connected to each hot-electricity module (2.2), for centralized processing electricity generated by hot-electricity module (2.2) and outputting stable voltage, and voltage conversion module (3) is connected to data acquisition terminal (5) by cable (6), for realizing in-situ observation data acquisition to hot spring hydrothermal vent (1) area.

2. The deep sea hydrothermal power plant of claim 1, wherein, The residence cover (2) includes anchor chain (2.4) and float (4), wherein: Float (4) is installed on the top of cover body (2.1) by connecting assembly, for providing upward buoyancy support for residence cover (2). Anchor chain (2.4) is arranged at the outer edge of residence cover (2), for positioning residence cover (2) above hot spring hydrothermal vent (1) and limiting its horizontal movement.

3. The deep sea hydrothermal power plant of claim 2, wherein, The residence cover (2) further includes opening (2.3), and the opening (2.3) is distributed on cover body (2.1) by preset arrangement mode, to guide and discharge excess hot spring in cover body (2.1).

4. The deep sea hydrothermal power plant of claim 2, wherein, The connecting assembly is shell structure or support rod structure or cable.

5. The deep sea hydrothermal power plant of claim 1, wherein: The data acquisition terminal (5) is arranged outside or on the top of cover body (2.1), for collecting observation data of hot spring hydrothermal vent and saving.

6. The deep sea hydrothermal power generation apparatus according to claim 5, characterized by: The voltage conversion module (3) is arranged outside or on the top of cover body (2.1).

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