Power generation device

Abstract

To provide a power generation device that can effectively generate power even during traveling of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A power generation device 11 is a device that is provided in a vehicle 10 and generates electricity by utilizing a temperature difference. The power generation device 11 includes a space part 13, a power generation part 14, and an opening / closing part 15. The space part 13 is a space formed between a vehicle cabin 12 and the outside of the vehicle. The power generation part 14 is disposed between the vehicle cabin 12 and the space part 13, and is an apparatus that generates electricity by utilizing a temperature difference between the vehicle cabin 12 and the space part 13. The opening / closing part 15 is a portion that closes the space part 13 by becoming in a closed state and communicates between the outside of the vehicle and the space part 13 by becoming in an open state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a power generation device provided in a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, electric vehicles using a battery as a driving source have appeared. In such electric vehicles, the vehicle is driven by a motor driven by electric power generated from the battery. Furthermore, in such electric vehicles, the on-board electrical equipment and the vehicle interior air conditioner are also driven by electric power generated from the battery.

[0003] However, the battery of an electric vehicle only has a certain capacity. Therefore, if a situation that consumes a lot of power continues, such as long-distance driving or long-term use of the vehicle's air conditioner, the battery level decreases rapidly and charging becomes necessary. In addition, it takes several hours to charge an electric vehicle, and there are not enough charging facilities.

[0004] Furthermore, in electric vehicles, power is consumed for navigation systems, charging smartphones, etc. These operations reduce the remaining battery power, and may result in a power shortage while driving.

[0005] Therefore, inventions have been proposed to improve the power situation in electric vehicles.

[0006] In Patent Document 1, solar cells mounted on a vehicle are covered with a translucent cover to form an air flow path. Furthermore, in Patent Document 1, an air intake is created with the roof and rear panel, and a switching means is provided that uses a flap to connect the inside and outside of the vehicle. This makes it possible to suppress the temperature rise of the solar cells when the outside air temperature is low.

[0007] Patent Document 2 describes the generation of electricity in a vehicle by the Seebeck effect. Specifically, in Patent Document 2, a conductive member penetrates the roof of the vehicle and is located in a high-temperature area outside the vehicle cabin and a low-temperature area inside. Furthermore, the temperature of the roof rises due to exposure to sunlight at the power generation section, and the interior and exterior of the vehicle are insulated by the insulating material. As a result, a temperature difference occurs, and a potential difference is generated by the Seebeck effect. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 04-356213 [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-215797 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, the inventions described in the above-mentioned patent documents leave room for improvement in terms of efficient and stable power generation.

[0010] Specifically, in the inventions described in the above-mentioned patent documents, power is generated using solar power generation or the Seebeck effect, but the power generation unit that generates power is attached to an exposed part of the vehicle body, such as the roof. Therefore, there is a risk that the power generation efficiency of the power generation unit may decrease due to external factors. For example, there is a risk that the power generation efficiency may decrease due to the influence of wind while the vehicle is traveling.

[0011] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a power generation device that can generate power effectively even while the vehicle is running. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] A power generation device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a power generation device that is installed in a vehicle and generates electricity by utilizing a temperature difference, and is characterized by comprising: a spatial portion that is a space formed between the vehicle interior and the outside of the vehicle; a power generation unit that is arranged between the vehicle interior and the spatial portion and generates electricity by utilizing the temperature difference between the vehicle interior and the spatial portion; and an opening / closing unit that closes the spatial portion when in a closed state and connects the outside of the vehicle to the spatial portion when in an open state. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the power generating device of the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to generate electricity by utilizing the temperature difference between the vehicle interior and the outside of the vehicle, and by using the generated electricity in the vehicle, it is possible to extend the continuous driving distance of the vehicle, for example. Also, by opening or closing the opening / closing part, it is possible to increase the temperature difference between the space in which the power generating part is disposed and the vehicle interior, and the power generating part can generate electricity more effectively. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a vehicle equipped with a power generation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view partially showing a vehicle equipped with a power generation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is a block diagram showing a connection configuration of a power generation device and a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] 5A to 5C are cross-sectional views showing the operation of a power generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] 5A to 5C are cross-sectional views showing the operation of a power generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1 is a graph showing an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a temperature change of a dark color roof and a vehicle interior. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, a power generating device 11 and a vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, in the following description, the same members are basically given the same reference numerals, and repeated description will be omitted.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a vehicle 10 equipped with a power generation device 11.

[0017] The vehicle 10 is, for example, an engine vehicle, an EV (Electric Vehicle), an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), etc. The power generation device 11 according to this embodiment effectively generates power using a power generation unit 14 described below, and therefore can provide an effect such as extending the continuous driving distance of the vehicle 10, even in the vehicle 10 that does not have an engine.

[0018] The power generation device 11 is provided in the body 22 of the vehicle 10, and generates power by utilizing the temperature difference between the vehicle interior 12 and the outside of the vehicle. Details of the power generation device 11 will be described later with reference to FIG. 2 and the like. The power generated by the power generation device 11 is charged, for example, to a battery (not shown). Alternatively, the power generated by the power generation device 11 may be used to operate equipment (not shown), such as a vehicle interior air conditioner.

[0019] The vehicle air conditioner 25 is a device that conditions the vehicle interior 12. The vehicle air conditioner 25 conditions the vehicle interior 12 by, for example, a vapor compression refrigeration cycle. The vehicle air conditioner 25 cools the vehicle interior 12 when the room temperature of the vehicle interior 12 is high. On the other hand, the vehicle air conditioner 25 heats the vehicle interior 12 when the room temperature of the vehicle interior 12 is low. As will be described later, the power generation device 11 of this embodiment generates power by using the temperature difference between the vehicle interior 12, which is conditioned by the vehicle air conditioner 25, and the outside of the vehicle. Therefore, even when the vehicle air conditioner 25, which consumes a lot of energy, is operating, it is possible to reduce battery consumption.

[0020] The exterior temperature sensor 17 and the interior temperature sensor 23 are sensors provided in the vehicle 10. The exterior temperature sensor 17 is disposed in a portion of the vehicle 10 that is not exposed to sunlight, for example, at or near a bumper opening of the vehicle body 22, and measures the temperature outside the vehicle. The interior temperature sensor 23 is disposed in the passenger compartment 12 and measures the temperature of the passenger compartment 12.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the vehicle 10 where the power generation device 11 is disposed.

[0022] The power generating device 11 is a device that generates power by using a temperature difference. The power generating device 11 includes a space portion 13, a power generating portion 14, and an opening / closing portion 15.

[0023] The space 13 is a space formed between the vehicle interior 12 and the outside of the vehicle. Specifically, the space 13 is disposed between the roof 21 and the vehicle interior 12. The space 13 is a flat space formed between the roof 21 and a space-forming member 24 disposed below the roof 21. The upper surface of the space 13 is formed by the lower surface of the roof 21. Meanwhile, the lower surface of the space 13 is formed by the upper surface of the space-forming member 24 described below. With this configuration, as described below, the temperature difference between the space 13 and the vehicle interior 12 can be utilized to generate electricity through the Seebeck effect.

[0024] The space component 24 is a plate-like member having a substantially tray shape, and is disposed below the roof 21. Since the space component 24 is disposed between the power generation unit 14 and the vehicle interior 12, which exchange heat, a material with excellent thermal conductivity is preferable. Metal, ceramic, synthetic resin, etc. can be used as a material for the space component 24. The lower surface of the space component 24 is exposed to the vehicle interior 12. Alternatively, the lower surface of the space component 24 is covered by a decorative plate material (not shown) that forms the ceiling of the vehicle interior 12.

[0025] The roof 21 is a portion located at the top of the vehicle 10, and is a portion that is generally flat. Therefore, the roof 21 can secure a wide portion that becomes hot by receiving solar radiation, and is a portion suitable for generating power, which will be described later. The color of the roof 21 is preferably a dark or deep color that has a high solar absorption rate, such as black. By adopting a dark or deep color as the color of the upper surface of the roof 21, the temperature of the roof 21 can be increased by irradiating the upper surface of the roof 21 with sunlight on a fine day. At this time, the space 13 is also made to have a temperature similar to that of the roof 21. Therefore, the temperature difference between the space 13 and the passenger compartment 12 can be increased, and the amount of power generated by the power generation device 11 can be increased.

[0026] The power generating unit 14 is disposed between the vehicle interior 12 and the space 13, and generates electricity by utilizing the temperature difference between the vehicle interior 12 and the space 13. The upper surface of the power generating unit 14 is exposed to the space 13. The lower surface of the power generating unit 14 is thermally coupled to the vehicle interior 12 via the bottom surface of the space component 24 or the like. A thermoelectric generating element using the Seebeck effect that converts heat into electricity can be used as the power generating unit 14. When a temperature difference occurs between the upper and lower surfaces of this thermoelectric generating element, a voltage is generated from the thermoelectric conversion material, which generates electricity. The power generating unit 14 is in close contact with the bottom surface of the component that constitutes the space 13, i.e., the upper surface of the space component 24. The electricity generated by the power generating unit 14 is supplied to, for example, a battery or electrical equipment not shown here.

[0027] The opening / closing unit 15 is a part that closes the space 13 when in a closed state and communicates the outside of the vehicle with the space 13 when in an open state. The opening / closing unit 15 has a first opening / closing unit 151 disposed on the front side of the vehicle and a second opening / closing unit 152 disposed on the rear side of the vehicle.

[0028] The first opening / closing section 151 is a member that is continuous with the roof 21 at the front end side of the space 13. The first opening / closing section 151 is a long and narrow plate-like member having a longitudinal direction along the width direction of the vehicle 10. The length of the first opening / closing section 151 along the vehicle width direction is approximately equal to that of the space 13 or the power generation section 14. The opening and closing operation of the first opening / closing section 151 may be by rotation or by sliding. Here, the first opening / closing section 151 opens and closes by a rotation operation. That is, the front end of the first opening / closing section 151 is connected to the vehicle body 22 so as to be able to rotate, and the rotation is driven by the first motor 26. In other words, the first opening / closing section 151 is a portion that opens and closes an opening of the roof 21 formed at the front end portion of the space 13.

[0029] The second opening / closing section 152 is a member that is continuous with the roof 21 at the rear end side of the space 13. The second opening / closing section 152 is a long and narrow plate-like member having a longitudinal direction along the width direction of the vehicle 10. The length of the second opening / closing section 152 along the vehicle width direction is approximately equal to that of the space 13 or the power generation section 14. The opening and closing operation of the second opening / closing section 152 may be by rotation or by sliding. Here, the second opening / closing section 152 opens and closes by a rotation operation. That is, the rear end of the second opening / closing section 152 is connected to the vehicle body 22 so as to be rotatable, and the rotation is driven by the second motor 27. In other words, the second opening / closing section 152 is a portion that opens and closes an opening of the roof 21 formed in the rear end portion of the space 13.

[0030] The space temperature sensor 16 is a sensor that measures the temperature of the air inside the space 13 .

[0031] Power can be generated by the power generation device 11 having such a configuration. For example, when the roof 21 is exposed to sunlight in the summer, the upper surface of the roof 21 becomes hot, about 100°C. Therefore, the internal temperature of the space 13 also becomes about the same temperature. On the other hand, the temperature of the passenger compartment 12 is lower than the temperature of the upper surface of the roof 21. In particular, when the passenger compartment 12 is cooled by the above-mentioned vehicle air conditioning device 25, the indoor temperature of the passenger compartment 12 is, for example, about 25°C. In this case, there is a temperature difference of about 75°C between the upper surface of the power generation unit 14 and the lower surface of the power generation unit 14. Therefore, the power generation unit 14 can effectively generate power by the Seebeck effect in accordance with this temperature difference.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a connection configuration between the power generation device 11 and the vehicle 10. As shown in FIG.

[0033] The arithmetic control unit 18 is composed of a semiconductor element such as a CPU (Central processing unit). The arithmetic control unit 18 may include a semiconductor storage device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read only memory) as a storage unit. Such a storage unit stores programs, parameters, etc. The arithmetic control unit 18 executes functions and methods described below based on the programs, parameters, etc. read from the storage unit. In this embodiment, the arithmetic control unit 18 controls the rotational operations of the first motor 26 and the second motor 27 to open and close the first opening / closing unit 151 and the second opening / closing unit 152 based on the outputs of the temperature sensors, etc.

[0034] The input terminal of the arithmetic and control unit 18 is connected to the space temperature sensor 16, the outside temperature sensor 17, the travel detection sensor 19 and the inside temperature sensor 23.

[0035] The space temperature sensor 16 is as shown and described in FIG. 2, and transmits information indicating the indoor temperature of the space 13 to the calculation control unit 18.

[0036] The outside vehicle temperature sensor 17 is as shown and described with reference to FIG. 1, and transmits information indicating the temperature inside the vehicle to the calculation control unit 18.

[0037] The travel detection sensor 19 is a sensor that detects whether the vehicle 10 is traveling and the vehicle speed when traveling. The travel detection sensor 19 detects the vehicle speed and the like of the vehicle 10 based on the rotation speed of the tires or positioning information, and transmits the relevant information to the calculation control unit 18.

[0038] The vehicle interior temperature sensor 23 detects the temperature inside the vehicle interior 12 and transmits related information to the arithmetic and control unit 18 .

[0039] A first motor 26 and a second motor 27 are connected to the output terminal of the arithmetic control unit 18.

[0040] The first motor 26 is, as shown in FIG. 2, an actuator that drives the rotation of the first opening / closing unit 151 based on a control signal input from the arithmetic and control unit 18.

[0041] The second motor 27 is as shown in FIG. 2, and is an actuator that drives the rotation of the second opening / closing unit 152 based on a control signal input from the arithmetic and control unit 18.

[0042] 4A and 4B, the opening and closing states of first opening and closing section 151 and second opening and closing section 152 will be described. In Fig. 4A and 4B, the flow of running wind 20 generated by the running of vehicle 10 is indicated by arrows.

[0043] 4A is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the power generation device 11 when the opening / closing unit 15 is in a closed state. Here, the first opening / closing unit 151 and the second opening / closing unit 152 are closed based on an instruction from the above-mentioned calculation control unit 18. In this case, the space 13 is in a closed state, and air is not introduced into the space 13 from outside the vehicle, even when the vehicle 10 is stopped or when the vehicle 10 is running. In other words, the running wind 20 generated by the vehicle 10 running is not introduced into the space 13, but flows rearward along the upper surface of the roof 21.

[0044] 4B is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the power generating device 11 when the opening / closing unit 15 is in an open state. Here, based on an instruction from the above-mentioned calculation control unit 18, the first motor 26 and the second motor 27 open the first opening / closing unit 151 and the second opening / closing unit 152, respectively. In this case, the space 13 is in an open state, and the front end and the rear end of the space 13 communicate with the outside of the vehicle through the first opening 28 and the second opening 29. Therefore, a part of the running wind 20 generated by the running of the vehicle 10 is introduced into the space 13 and flows inside the space 13.

[0045] The operation of the power generating device 11 in each state will be described with reference to the above-mentioned figures, divided into summer and winter.

[0046] In summer, when the indoor temperature of the space 13 detected by the space temperature sensor 16 is higher than the outside temperature detected by the outside temperature sensor 17, the calculation control unit 18 controls the first motor 26 and the second motor 27 to close the first opening / closing unit 151 and the second opening / closing unit 152 as shown in FIG. 4A. In this manner, the relatively low-temperature outside air is prevented from entering the space 13, and the temperature drop of the space 13 can be prevented. On the other hand, in summer, the vehicle interior 12 is cooled by the vehicle air conditioner 25. As described above, the temperature of the space 13 is about 100°C, and the temperature of the vehicle interior 12 is about 25°C. Therefore, a large temperature difference can be secured between the indoor temperature of the space 13 and the indoor temperature of the vehicle interior 12, and a large amount of power generation of the power generation unit 14 can be secured. This is common when the vehicle 10 is stopped and when it is running.

[0047] On the other hand, in the summer, when the indoor temperature of the space 13 detected by the space temperature sensor 16 is lower than the outside temperature detected by the outside temperature sensor 17, the calculation control unit 18 controls the first motor 26 and the second motor 27 to open the first opening / closing unit 151 and the second opening / closing unit 152 as shown in FIG. 4B. In this manner, relatively high-temperature outside air flows from the opening / closing unit 15 into the space 13, thereby increasing the indoor temperature of the space 13. On the other hand, in the summer, the vehicle interior 12 is cooled by the vehicle-mounted air conditioner 25. As a result, a large temperature difference can be secured between the indoor temperature of the space 13 and the indoor temperature of the vehicle interior 12, and a large amount of power generation can be secured by the power generation unit 14. This is common even when the vehicle 10 is stopped and when it is running. In particular, when the vehicle 10 is running, high-temperature outside air is introduced into the space 13 from the first opening 28 formed by the first opening / closing unit 151 being in the open state. Furthermore, the air that has heated the power generation unit 14 is released to the outside of the vehicle through the second opening 29 that is formed when the second opening / closing unit 152 is in the open state. This allows the inside of the space 13 to be kept at a high temperature, thereby ensuring a large amount of power generation by the power generation unit 14. At this time, the first opening / closing unit 151 and the second opening / closing unit 152 effectively guide the running wind 20, thereby allowing the running wind 20 to circulate smoothly. This allows the inside of the space 13 to be heated to a high temperature more effectively.

[0048] In addition, in winter, as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle interior 12 is heated by the vehicle air conditioner 25. Therefore, the vehicle interior 12 is hotter than the outside of the vehicle. As an example, the interior temperature of the vehicle interior 12 is about 25° C., and the outside temperature is about 5° C. Thus, referring to FIG. 2, the space 13 is colder than the vehicle interior 12. Therefore, the upper surface of the power generation unit 14 is colder than the lower surface of the power generation unit 14, and power generation is performed by the Seebeck effect. Thus, the power generation unit 14 can generate power by using the temperature difference, both when the vehicle is stopped in winter and when the vehicle is running in winter. In this case, the first opening / closing unit 151 and the second opening / closing unit 152 may be in an open state or a closed state.

[0049] Here, in winter, when sunlight is irradiated onto the upper surface of the roof 21, the roof 21 is heated, and the temperature inside the space 13 rises. That is, the temperature of the space 13 becomes higher than the outside air temperature. When this happens, the temperature difference between the space 13 and the vehicle interior 12 becomes smaller, and the output of the power generation unit 14 is considered to be lowered. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 4B, the calculation control unit 18 controls the first motor 26 and the second motor 27 to open the first opening / closing unit 151 and the second opening / closing unit 152. Furthermore, the calculation control unit 18 can open the first opening / closing unit 151 and the second opening / closing unit 152 in winter, regardless of the output of each of the above-mentioned sensors.

[0050] In this way, the first opening / closing section 151 and the second opening / closing section 152 are opened, and the space section 13 communicates with the outside of the vehicle through the first opening 28 and the second opening 29. Therefore, the air heated inside the space section 13 is released to the outside through the first opening 28 and the second opening 29. Accordingly, low-temperature outside air is introduced into the space section 13 through the first opening 28 and the second opening 29. As a result, the internal temperature of the space section 13 decreases, and the temperature difference between the space section 13 and the vehicle interior 12 increases. Therefore, the amount of power generated by the power generation section 14 can be increased.

[0051] At this time, if the vehicle 10 is moving, the traveling wind 20 is introduced into the space 13 from the first opening 28, and the traveling wind 20 that has cooled the space 13 is blown out of the vehicle from the second opening 29. This allows the space 13 to be cooled more effectively, and the temperature difference between the space 13 and the vehicle interior 12 becomes even greater. This allows the amount of power generated by the power generation unit 14 to be further increased.

[0052] 5 is a graph showing the temperature changes of the roof 21 and the passenger compartment 12 while the vehicle is running in summer. In this graph, the horizontal axis indicates the running time of the vehicle 10, and the vertical axis indicates the temperature. The temperature of the roof 21 is shown by a solid line, and the interior temperature of the passenger compartment 12 is shown by a dashed line. Furthermore, the speed of the vehicle 10 is 40 km / h from the start until 40 minutes, and 100 km / h from 40 minutes to 60 minutes, after which the vehicle is stopped and idling.

[0053] The temperature inside the passenger compartment 12 is initially about 50°C, but is stabilized at about 20°C by cooling using the vehicle air conditioner 25.

[0054] Meanwhile, the temperature of the top surface of the roof 21 is approximately 100°C when the vehicle 10 first starts traveling. Furthermore, while the vehicle 10 is traveling at a speed of 40 km / h, the temperature of the top surface of the roof 21 gradually drops and stabilizes at approximately 60°C. Furthermore, when the speed of the vehicle 10 reaches 100 km / h, the temperature of the top surface of the roof 21 drops further and stabilizes at approximately 45°C. Meanwhile, when the vehicle 10 comes to a stop, the temperature of the top surface of the roof 21 rises again and returns to the original temperature of approximately 100°C.

[0055] The reason why the temperature of the roof 21 drops when the vehicle 10 is traveling is because the roof 21 is cooled by the traveling wind 20. Also, the reason why the temperature of the roof 21 drops further as the vehicle speed increases is because the degree to which the roof 21 is cooled by the traveling wind 20, which has become even faster, increases with increasing vehicle speed.

[0056] Here, when the roof 21 is cooled by the traveling wind 20, the temperature difference between the roof 21 and the vehicle interior 12 is reduced, and it is considered that the amount of power generated by the power generating unit 14 described above is reduced. In this embodiment, in order to ensure a large amount of power generation, it is preferable that the temperature difference between the roof 21 and the vehicle interior 12 is increased. Therefore, in this embodiment, referring to FIG. 4A, if the indoor temperature of the space 13 measured by the space temperature sensor 16 is higher than the temperature outside the vehicle, the first opening / closing unit 151 and the second opening / closing unit 152 are closed. In this way, it is possible to suppress the space 13 and the power generating unit 14 from being cooled by the traveling wind 20, ensure a large temperature difference between the space 13 and the vehicle interior 12, and increase the amount of power generation by the power generating unit 14. On the other hand, referring to FIG. 4B, if the indoor temperature of the space 13 measured by the space temperature sensor 16 is lower than the temperature outside the vehicle, the first opening / closing unit 151 and the second opening / closing unit 152 are opened. In this manner, relatively high-temperature outside air can be introduced into the space 13, ensuring a large temperature difference between the space 13 and the vehicle interior 12, and increasing the amount of power generated by the power generation unit 14.

[0057] The technical ideas that can be understood from the above-described embodiment will be described below together with their effects.

[0058] The power generating device of the present invention is a power generating device provided in a vehicle and generates power by utilizing a temperature difference, and is characterized by comprising: a space portion that is a space formed between the vehicle interior and the outside of the vehicle; a power generating unit that is disposed between the vehicle interior and the space portion and generates power by utilizing the temperature difference between the vehicle interior and the space portion; and an opening / closing unit that closes the space portion when in a closed state and communicates the outside of the vehicle with the space portion when in an open state. According to the power generating device of the present invention, power can be generated by utilizing the temperature difference between the vehicle interior and the outside of the vehicle, and the generated electricity can be used in the vehicle to extend the continuous driving distance of the vehicle, for example. In addition, by opening or closing the opening / closing unit, the temperature difference between the space portion and the vehicle interior can be increased, allowing the power generating unit to generate power more effectively.

[0059] In the power generating device of the present invention, the space is formed between the roof and the vehicle interior. According to the power generating device of the present invention, the temperature difference between the space and the vehicle interior increases due to sunlight irradiating the roof, and the amount of power generated by the power generating unit can be increased.

[0060] The power generating device of the present invention further includes a space temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the space, an outside temperature sensor that measures the temperature outside the vehicle, and a calculation control unit, and the calculation control unit opens the opening / closing unit if the temperature of the space measured by the space temperature sensor is lower than the temperature outside the vehicle when the power generating unit is generating power by utilizing the temperature difference caused when the vehicle interior is at a lower temperature than the outside of the vehicle. According to the power generating device of the present invention, high-temperature air can be introduced into the space from outside the vehicle, increasing the temperature difference between the space and the vehicle interior, and increasing the amount of power generated by the power generating unit.

[0061] The power generating device of the present invention further includes a calculation control unit, and the calculation control unit opens the opening / closing unit when the power generating unit generates power by utilizing the temperature difference caused by the vehicle interior being hotter than the outside of the vehicle. According to the power generating device of the present invention, by introducing relatively low-temperature outside air into the space, the air inside the space is prevented from being heated by sunlight, and the space can be kept at a lower temperature than the vehicle interior. This increases the amount of power generated by the power generating unit.

[0062] In the power generating device of the present invention, the opening / closing section includes a first opening / closing section disposed on the front side of the vehicle and a second opening / closing section disposed on the rear side of the vehicle. According to the power generating device of the present invention, by simultaneously opening the first opening / closing section and the second opening / closing section, high-temperature air can be taken into the space section from the first opening / closing section while the vehicle is traveling, and the air in the space section can be discharged outside the vehicle from the second opening / closing section. Therefore, the temperature difference between the space section and the vehicle interior can be increased while the vehicle is traveling, and the amount of power generated by the power generating section can be increased.

[0063] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, the above-described embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0064] 1, in this embodiment, the power generation device 11 is disposed on the roof 21, but the power generation device 11 may be disposed on another portion of the vehicle body 22. For example, the power generation device 11 may be disposed on the bonnet of the vehicle body 22, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 10 Vehicles 11 Power generation equipment 12 Cabin 13 Space section 14 Power Generation Division 15 Opening and closing section 151 First opening and closing section 152 Second opening and closing section 16 Space temperature sensor 17 Outside temperature sensor 18 Calculation and control unit 19 Travel detection sensor 20 Driving wind 21 Roof 22 Body 23 Vehicle interior temperature sensor 24 Space component parts 25 On-vehicle air conditioner 26 First Motor 27 Second Motor 28 First Opening 29 Second Opening

Claims

1. A power generation device that is installed in a vehicle and generates power, A space portion that is a space formed between the vehicle interior and the outside of the vehicle; a power generation unit disposed between the vehicle cabin and the space and configured to generate power by utilizing a temperature difference between the vehicle cabin and the space; an opening / closing section which closes the space when in a closed state and communicates the space with the outside of the vehicle when in an open state.

2. The power generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the space is formed between a roof and the vehicle interior.

3. A space temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the space; an outside temperature sensor for measuring a temperature outside the vehicle; A calculation control unit and a further The power generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the power generation unit is generating power by utilizing the temperature difference caused by the vehicle interior being at a lower temperature than the outside of the vehicle, if the temperature of the space measured by the space temperature sensor is lower than the temperature outside the vehicle measured by the outside temperature sensor, the calculation control unit opens the opening / closing unit.

4. Further comprising an arithmetic control unit, The power generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the calculation control unit opens the opening / closing unit when the power generation unit generates power by utilizing the temperature difference caused by the vehicle interior being hotter than the outside of the vehicle.

5. 2. The power generating device according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing section includes a first opening / closing section disposed on a front side of the vehicle, and a second opening / closing section disposed on a rear side of the vehicle.

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