Long-endurance deep sea unmanned detection device
By using radioisotope thermoelectric generators and thermoelectric conversion modules in deep-sea unmanned probes, the problem of short endurance of deep-sea unmanned probes has been solved, enabling long-endurance deep-sea exploration operations and expanding the operational range and endurance.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202522479901.X
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-24
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-30
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-11-24
AI Technical Summary
Existing deep-sea unmanned probes have limited endurance and operating range due to the limited energy density of their high-energy batteries, making it difficult to conduct long-term and extensive scientific observation and resource exploration, especially in deep-sea plains and trenches far from hydrothermal vents.
It employs a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, which uses the stable heat generated by the decay of radioisotopes to convert thermal energy into electrical energy through a thermoelectric conversion module, providing continuous power output. Combined with internal heat insulation design and biomimetic fins for efficient heat exchange, it enables long-endurance operation.
It has achieved a long-term, stable power supply for deep-sea unmanned probes, enabling them to operate continuously in the deep-sea environment for decades, expanding their operational range and endurance, and meeting the needs of long-term scientific research missions.
Smart Images
Figure CN223736223U_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The utility model relates to deep sea unmanned detection technology field, concretely is a long voyage time deep sea unmanned detection device. BACKGROUND
[0002] Deep sea contains rich mineral resources (such as manganese nodule, cobalt-rich crust, combustible ice) and biological gene resources, is the key field of current resource development, and incubated unique deep sea microorganism under the extreme environment (high pressure, low temperature, darkness) of deep sea, and its gene and metabolic pathway can provide new ideas for biological technology, medical field etc., therefore, deep sea detection is the important means of exploring unknown field of earth, obtaining resources, protecting environment, carrying out marine scientific research and resource exploration.
[0003] At present, deep sea unmanned detector mainly relies on high-energy storage battery to provide power, when the storage battery power is insufficient, needs to return to the mother ship or shore base to charge in time, and its limited energy density seriously restricts the endurance time and operation range of deep sea unmanned detector, especially for the vast deep sea plain and trench area far from special topography such as submarine hydrothermal area, lack of stable energy source that can be directly obtained from environment, seriously restricts the persistence and coverage of deep sea detection. Therefore, developing a high-energy density, long-term intervention-free autonomous power source becomes the key core of promoting deep sea technology to the direction of 'unmanned, long voyage time'. Utility model content
[0004] The utility model aims at the deficiency of prior art, proposes a kind of long voyage time deep sea unmanned detection device based on radioisotope thermoelectric generator technology, radioisotope will continuously release a large amount of decay heat in decay process, its release rate is stable and is not influenced by external environment (pressure, illumination, oxygen), nuclear decay heat energy is directly converted into electric energy by thermoelectric conversion module, realizes the continuous output power under the condition of complete isolation of external environment, solve the serious endurance limit caused by the limited energy density of high-energy storage battery in the above prior art, seriously restrict the endurance time and operation range of deep sea unmanned detector, cannot meet the long-term scientific investigation task demand problem.
[0005] In order to complete above-mentioned purpose, the utility model uses following technical scheme:
[0006] The utility model provides a long voyage time deep sea unmanned detection device, including the detector body and the propeller of setting in the tail of detector body, the detector body is streamline structure, it includes the main shell and tail shell who are all cavity structure, is equipped with the controller in the main shell, the tail shell includes the front cavity and rear cavity, the propeller sets up in the outside end of rear cavity, is equipped with the heat source for continuously giving off heat and the thermoelectric conversion module for the heat energy conversion into electric energy in the front cavity, is equipped with the storage module for storing electric energy in the rear cavity, the controller and thermoelectric conversion module all are electrically connected with storage module, and the cold end of thermoelectric conversion module is covered on the circumferential inner wall of front cavity, and the hot end is covered on the circumferential outer wall of heat source.
[0007] Further, the heat source is a radioisotope heat source.
[0008] Still further, the heat source is a hexagonal prism structure, the corresponding front cavity is a hollow hexagonal prism structure, and the thermoelectric conversion module includes six thermoelectric power generation sheets respectively arranged between the circumferential outer side wall surface of the heat source and the inner side wall surface of the front cavity.
[0009] Still further, the outer side wall surface of the front cavity is provided with fins extending in the axial direction, and the fins are perpendicular to the corresponding front cavity wall surface.
[0010] Still further, the fins include a plurality of heat dissipation strips respectively arranged at intervals in the perpendicular direction of the corresponding front cavity wall surface.
[0011] Further, the front cavity is provided with two heat insulation plates respectively arranged at intervals in the axial direction, and the two heat insulation plates are respectively wrapped and attached to the axial two sides of the thermoelectric conversion module and the heat source.
[0012] Still further, the heat insulation plates are hexagonal prism structures corresponding to the heat source and the front cavity.
[0013] Further, the outer bottom of the main shell is provided with a mechanical gripper.
[0014] Further, the inner walls of the main shell and the rear cavity are both provided with aerogel.
[0015] Compared with the prior art, the utility model has the beneficial effects that:
[0016] The utility model discloses a through carrying radioactive isotope heat source and the thermoelectric conversion module matched with it in the detector body, has broken through the core energy bottleneck that restricts the long voyage operation of deep sea unmanned detector, utilizes the stable heat source of the high energy density of radioactive isotope decay, and the power output of radioactive heat source is not influenced by the external deep sea extreme environmental condition, and the performance is stable, and utilizes the low temperature condition of deep sea environment, realizes the direct conversion of heat energy to electric energy through the seebeck effect, makes deep sea unmanned detection device sustainable work for decades, maximumly improves the endurance, and makes long -term, large -scale continuous scientific observation and resource exploration to the vast deep sea plain and trench area become possible.
[0017] In addition, the utility model discloses the heat management mode of internal heat insulation, external heat exchange, through setting up the heat insulation board heat insulation wrapping treatment on the axial both sides of heat source and thermoelectric conversion module, on the one hand, the decay heat is concentrated to the heat end transmission of thermoelectric conversion module, on the other hand, through the heat insulation board, heat source and thermoelectric conversion module are effectively limited, ensure the close fitting effect of heat source and thermoelectric conversion module, and simultaneously, the bionic fin is additionally arranged outside the front shell, and a plurality of mutually spaced heat dissipation strips are formed on the fin, on the one hand, under the premise of not additional increase flow resistance, the contact area (heat exchange area) of fin and external seawater is increased, and efficient heat exchange is carried out, thereby establishing the stable temperature difference of the cold and hot ends of thermoelectric conversion module, realizing high -efficient power generation, on the other hand, through the fin, the hardness and intensity of the front shell body are effectively increased, and the bending or other damage phenomenon of the front shell under the deep sea extreme high pressure environment is avoided.
[0018] In addition, the utility model discloses the modular design, and heat source, thermoelectric conversion module, heat protection, heat dissipation system and other electronic components are integrated in a streamline cavity, and the overall volume of device is smaller, not only can save space, reduce the overall weight of system, make the space utilization maximization, and its hydrodynamics appearance helps to reduce the navigation resistance of detector body, reduces unnecessary energy consumption. ACCURACY OF DRAWINGS
[0019] Figure 1 It is the overall structure schematic diagram of the utility model;
[0020] Figure 2 It is the lateral sectional view of the utility model;
[0021] Figure 3 It is the structure schematic diagram of the tail shell in the utility model and removes the heat insulation board in the tail shell;
[0022] Figure 4 It is the front view of the tail shell in the utility model and removes the heat insulation board in the tail shell;
[0023] Figure 5 It is the structure schematic diagram of the tail shell in the utility model;
[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the thermoelectric generator installed around the heat source in this utility model.
[0025] The attached figures are labeled as follows:
[0026] 1. Detector body; 11. Main shell; 111. Mechanical gripper; 12. Tail shell; 121. Front cavity; 1211. Heat source; 1212. Thermoelectric generator; 1213. Heat insulation plate; 122. Rear cavity; 123. Fins; 1231. Heat sink; 13. Aerogel; 2. Propeller. Detailed Implementation
[0027] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present application.
[0028] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.
[0029] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application 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, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.
[0030] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.
[0031] For easier understanding, please refer to Figures 1 to 6This embodiment provides a long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device, including a probe body 1 with a streamlined structure and a propeller 2 installed at the outer end of the rear cavity 122 on the probe body 1. The probe body 1 includes a main shell 11 and a tail shell 12 sealed together by welding. Both are hollow cavity structures. The main shell 11 is equipped with a controller (not shown in the figure). The controller specifically includes sensors, signal transmitters, and other related electronic components required for unmanned cruising and exploration operations in the deep-sea environment. The tail shell 12 includes a front shell 12 and a tail shell 12. The front cavity 121 is equipped with a radioactive isotope heat source 1211 and a thermoelectric conversion module, while the rear cavity 122 is equipped with a storage module (not shown in the attached figure). The controller and the thermoelectric conversion module are electrically connected to the storage module. The radioactive isotope heat source 1211 is a stable heat source 1211 generated by the decay of a radioactive isotope (such as plutonium-238) and is used to continuously release heat to the thermoelectric conversion module. The thermoelectric conversion module realizes the direct conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy through the Seebeck effect. The storage module is used to store the electrical energy converted by the thermoelectric conversion module. The thermoelectric conversion module has an overall ring structure and is installed between the heat source 1211 and the circumferential gap of the thermoelectric conversion module. Specifically, the cold end of the thermoelectric conversion module is attached to and covers the inner wall of the front cavity 121 in the circumferential direction, and the hot end is attached to and covers the outer side of the heat source 1211 in the circumferential direction. That is, the low temperature seawater outside the detector body 1 is used as the cold source to continuously establish a temperature difference on the two contact surfaces of the thermoelectric conversion module, thereby realizing thermoelectric power generation and providing power for the operation of the long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device.
[0032] The heat source 1211 is encapsulated in a regular hexagonal prism shell, corresponding to a hollow regular hexagonal prism structure in the front cavity 121. The heat source 1211 and the front cavity 121 are coaxial, and their planes are arranged parallel to each other. The thermoelectric conversion module includes six thermoelectric generators 1212, which are respectively arranged circumferentially on the heat source 1211, that is, the six thermoelectric generators 1212 are respectively arranged between a certain outer circumferential side of the heat source 1211 and a certain inner side of the front cavity 121. Specifically, the thermoelectric generator 1212 is a circuit formed by alternating P / N semiconductors connected by copper sheets. The cold end of the thermoelectric generator 1212 is attached to one inner surface of the front cavity 121, and the hot end is attached to one outer circumferential surface of the heat source 1211. Both the cold and hot end contact surfaces are insulated and thermally conductive using alumina ceramic plates. Heat is transferred outward through the thermoelectric generator 1212. The temperature difference between the two ends of the thermoelectric generator 1212 creates a potential difference in the P / N semiconductors, thereby generating electricity. The regular hexagonal prism structure is the optimal uniform perimeter geometry that can seamlessly tile a plane. This means that the maximum effective heating area can be achieved within a limited plane. This structure helps to form a uniform and efficient radiative heating channel. Under the same projected area, compared with a cube or cylinder structure, the regular hexagonal prism structure can provide a larger heat transfer surface area, reduce thermal resistance, and thus significantly improve heating efficiency. This helps to maintain a higher temperature difference for the thermoelectric conversion module, which is key to power generation efficiency. Furthermore, the hexagonal prism structure exhibits uniform stress distribution and extremely high specific strength and stiffness, enabling it to better withstand the severe vibrations, potential mechanical shocks, and stresses experienced by the detector body 1 during launch and service, as well as the extreme environments of the deep sea. This ensures that the thermoelectric conversion module and the heat source 1211 remain in close contact at all times. Moreover, the hexagonal prism structure facilitates the orderly installation of rectangular thermoelectric generators 1212, helping to establish a more uniform temperature field on the surface of the heat source 1211. This avoids localized overheating or undercooling, and the uniform temperature field ensures that all thermoelectric generators 1212 operate under optimal and consistent conditions, resulting in more stable overall power output and reducing the risk of thermoelectric material performance degradation or damage due to localized high temperatures.
[0033] Each outer wall of the front cavity 121 is fixed with a biomimetic fin 123. The fins 123 extend vertically outward (away from the detector body 1) and backward (backward from the propeller 2), that is, the extension direction of the fins 123 is perpendicular to the corresponding wall of the front cavity 121. The fins 123 include multiple heat dissipation strips 1231. In this embodiment, there are three heat dissipation strips 1231, which are spaced apart from each other in the direction perpendicular to the wall of the corresponding front cavity 121. The heat dissipation strips 1231 can ensure that the contact area (heat exchange area) between the fins 123 and the external seawater is increased without increasing the flow resistance when the long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device moves, thereby achieving efficient heat exchange between the fins 123 and the front cavity 121 and the external seawater.
[0034] Two heat insulation plates 1213 are fixedly installed inside the front cavity 121. The heat insulation plates 1213 are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction. One heat insulation plate 1213 divides the detector body 1 into a main shell 11 and a tail shell 12, and the other heat insulation plate 1213 divides the tail shell 12 into a front cavity 121 and a rear cavity 122. Specifically, the heat insulation plate 1213 is made of thermal insulation material and has a regular hexagonal prism structure corresponding to the heat source 1211 and the front cavity 121. The top or bottom surface of the two heat insulation plates 1213 is tightly attached to the heat source 1211 and the thermoelectric generator 1212 in the axial direction, respectively. The circumferential surfaces of the two heat insulation plates 1213 are tightly attached to the inner wall of the front cavity 121 in the circumferential direction, thereby wrapping the heat source 1211 in the middle and the six thermoelectric generators 1212 in the periphery inside the front cavity 121 through the two heat insulation plates 1213. The overall structure is compact.
[0035] A mechanical gripper 111 is provided on the outer bottom of the main shell 11. In the initial state, the mechanical gripper 111 is in a retracted state to reduce navigation resistance. The mechanical gripper 111 is driven by the controller to move and then grab the marine biological samples needed in the deep sea, thereby improving the functionality of the long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device. Alternatively, when the long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device is collecting marine hydrological data in a specific area, or when other situations require the long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device to temporarily park in the current area, the mechanical gripper 111 is driven by the controller to clamp onto an object (such as a seabed rock) placed in the deep sea, so that the long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device is attached to the stationary object, thereby stopping the continuous drive of the propeller 2, further saving energy consumption, and thus improving the endurance of the long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device.
[0036] Aerogel 13 is provided on the inner walls of the main shell 11 and the rear cavity 122. The excellent thermal insulation performance of the aerogel 13 provides thermal insulation for the controller fixedly installed inside the main shell 11 and the storage module in the rear cavity 122, so as to avoid the normal operation of the internal electronic components due to the low temperature of the outside seawater, reduce the risk of failure, and improve the overall reliability of the device.
[0037] Although the present invention has been described using the above preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any changes and modifications made by those skilled in the art to the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device, comprising an explorer body (1) and a propeller (2) arranged at the tail of the explorer body (1), characterized in that, The probe body (1) is streamlined structure, including main shell (11) and tail shell (12) which are all cavity structure, the controller is arranged in the main shell (11), the tail shell (12) includes front cavity (121) and rear cavity (122), the propeller (2) is arranged at the outer end of the rear cavity (122), the heat source (1211) for continuously emitting heat and the thermoelectric conversion module for converting heat energy into electric energy are arranged in the front cavity (121), the storage module for storing electric energy is arranged in the rear cavity (122), the controller and the thermoelectric conversion module are electrically connected with the storage module, the cold end of the thermoelectric conversion module is attached to the circumferential inner wall of the front cavity (121), and the hot end is attached to the circumferential outer wall of the heat source (1211).
2. The long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat source (1211) is a radioactive isotope heat source.
3. The long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The heat source (1211) is a hexagonal prism structure, and the corresponding front cavity (121) is a hollow hexagonal prism structure, and the thermoelectric conversion module includes six thermoelectric power generation sheets (1212) arranged between the circumferential outer wall of the heat source (1211) and the inner wall of the front cavity (121).
4. The long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outer wall surface of the front cavity (121) is provided with fins (123) extending in the axial direction, and the fins (123) are perpendicular to the corresponding front cavity (121) wall surface.
5. The long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fins (123) include a plurality of heat dissipation strips (1231) arranged at intervals in the perpendicular direction of the corresponding front cavity (121) wall surface.
6. The long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device according to claim 3, characterized in that, Two heat insulation plates (1213) are arranged in the front cavity (121), and the two heat insulation plates (1213) are arranged at intervals in the axial direction, and the two heat insulation plates (1213) are wrapped on the axial two sides of the thermoelectric conversion module and the heat source (1211) respectively.
7. The long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The heat insulation plate (1213) is a hexagonal prism structure corresponding to the heat source (1211) and the front cavity (121).
8. The long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer bottom of the main shell (11) is provided with a mechanical gripper (111).
9. The long-endurance deep-sea unmanned exploration device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The inner wall of the main shell (11) and the rear cavity (122) is provided with aerogel (13).