System and method

Abstract

To provide a system that supplies independent power.SOLUTION: A system comprises a first conductive part and a second conductive part, a medium, and a functional part. The first conductive part and the functional part are connected with each other. The second conductive part and the functional part are connected with each other. The first conductive part and the medium are in contact with each other. The second conductive part and the medium are in contact with each other. The first conductive part and the second conductive part are not in contact with each other. The medium is formed of concrete or mortar. The composition of the medium in contact with the first conductive part is different from the composition of the medium in contact with the second conductive part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for providing an independent power supply. [Background technology]

[0002] There are devices (i.e., batteries) that use two different metals as electrodes and are immersed in an electrolyte, causing an oxidation or reduction reaction at each electrode, creating a path for electrons to flow, such as a Voltaic cell or Daniell cell.

[0003] The liquid used as the electrolyte in the battery has the potential to have adverse effects on the human body and the environment, such as the risk of chemical burns, the risk of fire or explosion, or the generation of toxic gases, making it extremely difficult to handle the electrolyte. In addition, when commercializing the product, care must be taken to prevent leakage, which increases costs.

[0004] In recent years, energy harvesting technology, which converts minute energies such as visible light, heat, radio waves, or the decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms into electricity, has attracted attention, and research is being conducted to utilize energy harvesting technology to put independent power sources into practical use.

[0005] There is also a known system that generates electricity using nearby materials such as soil and water as a medium (see Patent Document 1). With this system, electricity can be obtained by bringing a conductive part into contact with a medium such as soil or water.

[0006] Furthermore, concrete and mortar are used in many places as building materials. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2021 / 045236 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a system that provides an independent power supply. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to the present invention, the above object is achieved by: [1] A system comprising a first conductive part, a second conductive part, a medium, and a functional part, the first conductive part and the functional part being connected, the second conductive part and the functional part being connected, the first conductive part being in contact with the medium, the second conductive part being in contact with the medium, the first conductive part and the second conductive part being in non-contact with each other, the medium being made of concrete or mortar, and the composition of the medium in contact with the first conductive part being different from the composition of the medium in contact with the second conductive part; [2] The system according to [1], wherein the medium in contact with the first conductive part and / or the medium in contact with the second conductive part contains a filler; [3] The system according to [2] above, wherein the medium in contact with the first conductive part and the medium in contact with the second conductive part contain a filler, and the content and / or type of the filler contained in the medium in contact with the first conductive part is different from the content and / or type of the filler contained in the medium in contact with the second conductive part; [4] The system according to [2] or [3] above, wherein the filler comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of zinc, magnesium, iron, ferrous oxide, and ferric oxide; [5] The system according to any one of [2] to [4] above, wherein the content of the filler in the medium is 0.2 vol% to 10.0 vol%; [6] The system according to any one of the above [1] to [5], wherein the first conductive part and the second conductive part are made of the same material; [7] A method for generating electricity in an apparatus comprising a first conductive part, a second conductive part, and a functional part, the first conductive part and the functional part being connected, the second conductive part and the functional part being connected, and the first conductive part and the second conductive part being not in contact with each other, by bringing the first conductive part and the second conductive part into contact with a medium, the medium being made of concrete or mortar, and the composition of the medium in contact with the first conductive part being different from the composition of the medium in contact with the second conductive part; This can be achieved by: Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a system that supplies an independent power source. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an output voltage conversion unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Diagram 3] 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining the shape of a conductive portion of an example according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a system configuration of a reference example according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description of the effects of the embodiment of the present invention is one aspect of the effects of the embodiment of the present invention, and is not limited to the description herein.

[0013] (System Configuration) Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1(A) to (D), the system according to the embodiment of the present invention is composed of a first conductive part 1, a second conductive part 2, a functional part 3, and a medium 4 (4a and 4b). The first conductive part 1 and the functional part 3, and the functional part 3 and the second conductive part 2 are electrically connected to each other. "Electrically connected" means that they are connected so as to be electrically conductive, for example, by a conductive wire or the like.

[0014] A part or all of the first conductive part 1 is in contact with the medium 4a. Also, a part or all of the second conductive part 2 is in contact with the medium 4b. The first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not in contact with each other. "Not in contact" refers to a state in which the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not in direct contact with each other. Also, the composition of the medium 4a in contact with the first conductive part 1 is different from the composition of the medium 4b in contact with the second conductive part 2.

[0015] The medium 4 is made of concrete or mortar (hereinafter also referred to as "concrete, etc."). "Made of concrete, etc." means that it is made of concrete, etc., and it is sufficient that it contains concrete, etc. The medium 4 may contain a material other than concrete, etc. (hereinafter also referred to as "filler"), or it may not contain a material other than concrete, etc. For example, the filler and concrete, etc. may be mixed unevenly in the medium 4, or the filler and concrete, etc. may be mixed uniformly and integrated.

[0016] Concrete contains cement, fine aggregate such as sand, and coarse aggregate such as gravel, and is obtained by mixing the cement, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate with water and hardening the mixture. Mortar contains cement, fine aggregate such as sand, and is obtained by mixing the cement and fine aggregate with water and hardening the mixture.

[0017] The cement is not particularly limited, and portland cement, blast furnace cement, silica cement, fly ash cement, and alumina cement can be used.

[0018] The amounts of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate mixed in concrete are not particularly limited, and may be any amounts generally used in concrete. For example, when the total of cement, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate is taken as 100% by mass, the ratio of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate is preferably 50% by mass or more, and more preferably 60% by mass or more. Also, when the total of cement, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate is taken as 100% by mass, the ratio of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate is preferably 95% by mass or less, and more preferably 90% by mass or less.

[0019] The amount of fine aggregate mixed in the mortar is not particularly limited, and may be a general amount for mortar. For example, when the total of the cement and the fine aggregate is 100% by mass, the proportion of the fine aggregate is preferably 50% by mass or more, and more preferably 60% by mass or more. Also, for example, when the total of the cement and the fine aggregate is 100% by mass, the proportion of the fine aggregate is preferably 90% by mass or less, and more preferably 80% by mass or less.

[0020] The amount of water used in preparing concrete or mortar can be appropriately set according to the use of the concrete or mortar, i.e., the desired fluidity of the concrete or mortar. For example, the proportion of water when the cement is taken as 100% by mass is preferably 30% by mass or more, and more preferably 40% by mass or more. Also, for example, the proportion of water when the cement is taken as 100% by mass is preferably 70% by mass or less, and more preferably 60% by mass or less.

[0021] The content of concrete and the like contained in the medium 4 is preferably 90% by volume or more, more preferably 97% by volume or more, and even more preferably 95% by volume or more. The volume of concrete refers to the total volume of cement, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate, and the volume of mortar refers to the total volume of cement and fine aggregate. The volume is the mass of the material divided by its specific gravity.

[0022] "The content of concrete, etc. contained in medium 4" refers to the volume % of concrete, etc. relative to the volume of any one of media 4 that contains that concrete, etc. For example, if medium 4a does not contain filler and medium 4b contains filler, the content of concrete, etc. contained in medium 4a is 100 volume %, and the content of concrete, etc. contained in medium 4b refers to the volume % of concrete, etc. contained in medium 4b relative to the volume of medium 4b.

[0023] When medium 4 contains a filler, the volume of medium 4 refers to the sum of the volume of concrete, etc. and the volume of the filler. The amount of concrete, etc. contained in medium 4 can be expressed as a percentage of the volume of concrete, etc. to the volume of medium 4 ((volume of concrete, etc.) / (volume of medium 4)×100).

[0024] When the medium 4 at least partially contains concrete or the like, a part or all of the first conductive part 1 may be in contact with the concrete or the like in the medium 4, or may not be in contact with the concrete or the like in the medium 4. In addition, when the medium 4 at least partially contains concrete or the like, a part or all of the second conductive part 2 may be in contact with the concrete or the like in the medium 4, or may not be in contact with the concrete or the like in the medium 4.

[0025] As described above, the composition of medium 4a in contact with first conductive part 1 is different from the composition of medium 4b in contact with second conductive part 2. "Different compositions" refers to different types and contents of materials contained. For example, when the manufacturers and types of concrete, etc. used for medium 4a and medium 4b are different, the types and amounts of cement, fine aggregate, such as sand, and / or coarse aggregate, such as gravel, contained in the concrete, etc. are different, and therefore medium 4a and medium 4b have different compositions.

[0026] Alternatively, for example, when one of medium 4a and medium 4b does not contain a filler and the other medium 4 contains a filler, or when medium 4a and medium 4b both contain a filler but the amount and / or type of filler contained in medium 4a and medium 4b differ from each other, the compositions of medium 4a and medium 4b will be different.

[0027] By including a filler in the medium 4, it becomes easy to make the composition of the medium 4a and the medium 4b different. In addition, since the voltage output by the system changes depending on how the composition of the medium 4a and the medium 4b differs, it becomes possible to adjust the power generation of the system by adjusting the content and type of the filler included in the medium 4.

[0028] The content of the filler in the medium 4 is preferably 0.2 vol% or more, more preferably 1.0 vol% or more, and even more preferably 1.5 vol% or more. The content of the filler in the medium 4 is preferably 10.0 vol% or less, more preferably 7.0 vol% or less, and even more preferably 5.0 vol% or less.

[0029] The "content of the filler contained in the medium 4" refers to the volume % of the filler relative to the volume of any of the media 4 that contains the filler. For example, if the medium 4a does not contain a filler and the medium 4b contains a filler, the content of the filler contained in the medium 4a is 0 volume %, and the content of the filler contained in the medium 4b refers to the volume % of the filler relative to the volume of the medium 4b. Also, if the medium 4a and the medium 4b contain a filler, the content of the filler contained in the medium 4a refers to the volume % of the filler relative to the volume of the medium 4a, and the content of the filler contained in the medium 4b refers to the volume % of the filler relative to the volume of the medium 4b.

[0030] The content of the filler in the medium 4 can be expressed as a percentage of the volume of the filler relative to the volume of the medium 4 ((volume of the filler) / (volume of the medium 4)×100). Note that the volume of the medium 4 refers to the total volume of the concrete or the like and the volume of the filler.

[0031] When the content of the filler contained in the medium 4 is within the above range, the strength of the concrete or the like constituting the medium 4 is not impaired, and it becomes possible to generate electricity efficiently.

[0032] The filler contained in the medium 4 is not particularly limited as long as it has a composition and characteristics different from those of cement, fine aggregates such as sand, and coarse aggregates such as gravel contained in concrete, and may be either an organic filler or an inorganic filler.

[0033] The filler contained in the medium 4 may be conductive. For example, the filler contained in the medium 4 may be a metal, a conductive polymer, carbon, or the like. The metal used for the filler contained in the medium 4 may be appropriately selected from, for example, silver, copper, gold, aluminum, magnesium, iron, zinc, nickel, platinum, tin, titanium, stainless steel, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, ferrous oxide, ferric oxide, or oxides of the other metals mentioned above. From the viewpoint of being easily available and capable of generating power efficiently, the filler contained in the medium 4 preferably contains one or more selected from the group consisting of zinc, magnesium, iron, ferrous oxide, and ferric oxide.

[0034] The shape of the filler contained in the medium 4 is not particularly limited and can be appropriately designed. The shape of the filler contained in the medium 4 may be, for example, powder, granule, spherical, flat, scaly, fibrous, mesh, or the like.

[0035] The particle size of the filler is preferably 0.6 μm or more, more preferably 1.0 μm or more, and even more preferably 5.0 μm or more. The particle size of the filler is preferably 10 μm or less, more preferably 9.0 μm or less, and even more preferably 8.0 μm or less.

[0036] In the system according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately design the number, arrangement, and connection mode of the first conductive part 1, the second conductive part 2, the functional part 3, and the medium 4. Below, examples of the number, arrangement, and connection mode of the first conductive part 1, the second conductive part 2, the functional part 3, and the medium 4 will be described.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 1(A), a system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include one first conductive part 1, one second conductive part 2, one functional part 3, and one medium 4 (4a and 4b). The first conductive part 1 and the functional part 3, and the functional part 3 and the second conductive part 2 are electrically connected to each other. Furthermore, a part or all of the first conductive part 1 is in contact with the medium 4a. Furthermore, a part or all of the second conductive part 2 is in contact with the medium 4b. The first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not in contact with each other.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 1(A), a medium 4a that the first conductive part 1 contacts and a medium 4b that the second conductive part 2 contacts may be in contact with each other. Also, as shown in Fig. 1(A), the medium 4 may be housed in a container. Hereinafter, the material of the container or the like that houses the medium 4 is not particularly limited. For example, a wooden container, an acrylic container, or the like may be used.

[0039] When the conductive part has a cylindrical or prismatic shape, the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are preferably arranged so that the length directions of the conductive parts are substantially parallel to each other.When the conductive part has a sheet shape, the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are preferably arranged so that the planes of the conductive parts are substantially parallel to each other.

[0040] In the system shown in FIG. 1(A), the distance between the position where the first conductive part 1 contacts the medium 4 and the position where the second conductive part 2 contacts the medium 4, i.e., the distance between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2, is preferably 1 cm or more apart, more preferably 10 cm or more apart, even more preferably 100 cm or more apart, and particularly preferably 1000 cm (10 m) or more apart.

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1(B), the system according to the embodiment of the present invention may include one first conductive part 1, one second conductive part 2, one functional part 3, and one medium 4 (4a and 4b). The first conductive part 1 and the functional part 3, and the functional part 3 and the second conductive part 2 are electrically connected to each other. Furthermore, a part or all of the first conductive part 1 is in contact with the medium 4a. Furthermore, a part or all of the second conductive part 2 is in contact with the medium 4b. The first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not in contact with each other.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 1(B), medium 4a with which first conductive portion 1 comes into contact and medium 4b with which second conductive portion 2 comes into contact may be separated. In Fig. 1(B), medium 4a and medium 4b are contained in different containers and are not in contact with each other.

[0043] When the conductive part has a cylindrical or prismatic shape, the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are preferably arranged so that the length directions of the conductive parts are substantially parallel to each other.When the conductive part has a sheet shape, the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are preferably arranged so that the planes of the conductive parts are substantially parallel to each other.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 1(C), the system according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of first conductive portions 1 and second conductive portions 2. Also, as shown in Fig. 1(C), a plurality of pairs of first conductive portions 1 and second conductive portions 2 (hereinafter referred to as "pairs of conductive portions") may be connected in series.

[0045] In FIG. 1C, the system includes n first conductive portions 1 (11, 12, . . . , 1 n ) and n second conductive parts 2 (21, 22, . . . , 2 n ), one functional unit 3, and n media 4 (4a1, 4b1, 4a2, 4b2, . . . , 4a n , 4b n ), where n is any integer equal to or greater than 2.

[0046] In FIG. 1C, the second conductive portion 2 k and the first conductive part 1 k+1 and are electrically connected, so that pairs of adjacent conductive parts are connected in series. Hereinafter, a pair of conductive parts connected in series will be referred to as a "pair of conductive parts connected in series." In addition, k represents an integer equal to or greater than 1 and less than n. In FIG. 1(C), the first conductive part 11 and the functional part 3, and the second conductive part 2, which are at the ends of the pair of conductive parts connected in series, are n and the functional unit 3 are electrically connected to each other.

[0047] The greater the number of pairs of conductive parts connected in series, the higher the voltage applied to the functional part 3 .

[0048] In addition, in FIG. 1C, the first conductive portion 1 (11, 12, . . . , 1 n ) is partly or entirely made of the medium 4a (4a1, 4a2, . . . , 4a n ) of each pair of conductive parts. n ) is partly or entirely made of medium 4b (4b1, 4b2, ..., 4b n ) The first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 of each conductive portion pair are not in contact with each other. "Not in contact" refers to, for example, a state in which the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 are not in direct contact with each other.

[0049] In FIG. 1C, as in FIG. 1A, the first conductive portion 1 is in contact with a medium 4a (4a1, 4a2, . . . , 4a n ) and the second conductive portion 2 are in contact with the medium 4b (4b1, 4b2, . . . , 4b n ) are in contact with each other. k and medium 4b k are in contact with each other. k and medium 4b k are contained in the same container.

[0050] The medium 4a with which the first conductive portion 1 contacts and the medium 4b with which the second conductive portion 2 contacts each have different compositions. The combination of compositions of the medium 4 with which each pair of conductive portions contacts may be the same as or different from the combination of compositions of the medium 4 with which the other pair of conductive portions contacts.

[0051] In FIG. 1C, the medium 4 with which each pair of conductive parts is in contact is separated from the medium 4 with which other pairs of conductive parts are in contact. k and medium 4b k is medium 4a k+1 and medium 4b k+1 The medium 4a is separate from the medium 4a and is not in contact with the medium 4a. k and medium 4b k 4a k+1 and medium 4b k+1 are housed in different containers.

[0052] When each conductive part has a cylindrical or prismatic shape, the pair of conductive parts is preferably arranged so that the length directions of the conductive parts are substantially parallel to each other.When each conductive part has a sheet shape, the pair of conductive parts is preferably arranged so that the planes of the conductive parts are substantially parallel to each other.

[0053] The preferable shortest distance between the pair of conductive parts varies depending on the medium 4 that exists between the conductive parts.

[0054] Although not shown, in a system in which a plurality of pairs of conductive parts are connected in series, as shown in FIG. 1B, the first conductive part 1 comes into contact with the medium 4a (4a1, 4a2, . . . , 4a n ) and the second conductive portion 2 are in contact with the medium 4b (4b1, 4b2, . . . , 4b n ) may be separate. For example, medium 4a k and medium 4b k may be contained in different containers.

[0055] Although not shown, the medium 4 with which each pair of conductive parts is in contact may be in contact with the medium 4 with which another pair of conductive parts is in contact. For example, the first conductive part 1 is in contact with the medium 4a (4a1, 4a2, . . . , 4a n ) may be in contact with each other. Also, for example, the medium 4b (4b1, 4b2, . . . , 4b n ) may be in contact with each other. Alternatively, the first conductive portion 1 may be in contact with the medium 4a (4a1, 4a2, . . . , 4a n ) are in contact with the second conductive portion 2, and the second conductive portion 2 is in contact with the medium 4b (4b1, 4b2, . . . , 4b n ) are in contact with each other, and the first conductive portion 1 is in contact with a medium 4a (4a1, 4a2, . . . , 4a n ) and the second conductive portion 2 are in contact with the medium 4b (4b1, 4b2, . . . , 4b n ) may be in contact with each other.

[0056] As shown in Fig. 1(D), the system according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of first conductive portions 1 and second conductive portions 2. Also, as shown in Fig. 1(D), a plurality of pairs of the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 may be connected in parallel.

[0057] In FIG. 1D, the system includes m first conductive parts 1 (11, 12, . . . , 1 m ) and m second conductive parts 2 (21, 22, . . . , 2 m ), one functional unit 3, and one medium 4 (4a and 4b). Here, m represents any integer of 2 or more.

[0058] In FIG. 1D, the first conductive portion 1 of the pair of adjacent conductive portions j and the first conductive part 1 j+1 and the second conductive portion 2 j and the second conductive part 2 j+1and are electrically connected, so that pairs of adjacent conductive parts are connected in parallel. Hereinafter, a pair of conductive parts connected in parallel will be referred to as a "pair of conductive parts connected in parallel." Here, j represents an integer equal to or greater than 1 and less than m. In addition, the first conductive part 1 and functional part 3 connected in parallel, and the second conductive part 2 and functional part 3 connected in parallel are each electrically connected.

[0059] The greater the number of pairs of conductive parts connected in parallel, the greater the current supplied to the functional part 3. In other words, the greater the area in which the conductive parts contact the medium 4, the greater the current supplied to the functional part 3.

[0060] The first conductive parts 1 and the second conductive parts 2 may be connected in parallel without being paired. In other words, the first conductive parts 1 and the second conductive parts 2 may be connected to each other with a different number of first conductive parts 1 and second conductive parts 2. For example, three first conductive parts 1 and two second conductive parts 2 may be connected in parallel.

[0061] Even when the numbers of first conductive sections 1 and second conductive sections 2 are different, the greater the number of conductive sections connected in parallel, the greater the current supplied to the functional section 3. In other words, the greater the area in which the conductive section contacts the medium 4, the greater the current supplied to the functional section 3.

[0062] In addition, in FIG. 1(D), the first conductive portion 1 (11, 12, . . . , 1 m ) are in contact with the medium 4a. m ) is in contact with the medium 4b. The first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not in contact with each other. "Non-contact" refers to, for example, a state in which the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not in direct contact with each other.

[0063] When each conductive part has a cylindrical or prismatic shape, the pair of conductive parts is preferably arranged so that the length directions of the conductive parts are substantially parallel to each other.When each conductive part has a sheet shape, the pair of conductive parts is preferably arranged so that the planes of the conductive parts are substantially parallel to each other.

[0064] The shortest distance between the pair of conductive parts (first conductive part 1 j and the second conductive part 2 j or the distance between the first conductive part 1 m and the second conductive part 2 m The distance between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 is preferably 15 cm or less, more preferably 10 cm or less, and even more preferably 5 cm or less. The shorter the distance between the pair of conductive parts, the more the drop in the voltage output from the system can be suppressed. j and the second conductive part 2 j In order to prevent accidental contact, the shortest distance between the pair of conductive parts is preferably 0.1 cm or more, more preferably 0.3 cm or more, and even more preferably 1.0 cm or more.

[0065] 1(D), as in FIG. 1(A), medium 4a, which is in contact with first conductive portion 1, is in contact with medium 4b, which is in contact with second conductive portion 2. Furthermore, medium 4a and medium 4b are contained in the same container.

[0066] Although not shown, even in a system in which a plurality of pairs of conductive parts are connected in parallel, the medium 4a that contacts the first conductive part 1 and the medium 4b that contacts the second conductive part 2 may be separate, as shown in Fig. 1(B). For example, the medium 4a and the medium 4b may each be contained in a different container.

[0067] Although not shown, the medium 4 with which each pair of conductive parts is in contact may be separated from the medium 4 with which other pairs of conductive parts are in contact. For example, the first conductive part 1 j Contact medium 4a j and second conductive part 2 j Contact medium 4b j are in contact with each other, and the medium 4a j and medium 4b j The first conductive part 1 j+1 Contact medium 4a j+1 and second conductive part 2 j+1 Contact medium 4b j+1 In this case, the medium 4a may be separated from the medium 4a.j and medium 4b j are contained in the same container, and medium 4a j and medium 4b j and medium 4a j+1 and medium 4b j+1 may be contained in different containers.

[0068] Alternatively, for example, medium 4a j and medium 4b j are separate, and medium 4a j is medium 4a j+1 Separated from Medium 4b j is medium 4b j+1 In this case, the medium 4a may be separated from the medium 4a. j , medium 4a j+1 , medium 4b j , and Medium 4b j+1 may be contained in different containers.

[0069] The medium 4a with which the first conductive portion 1 contacts and the medium 4b with which the second conductive portion 2 contacts each have different compositions. The combination of compositions of the medium 4 with which each pair of conductive portions contacts may be the same as or different from the combination of compositions of the medium 4 with which the other pair of conductive portions contacts.

[0070] Furthermore, in the system according to the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of conductive parts connected in parallel as described above may be connected in series. Hereinafter, in a system in which parallel and series connections are mixed, a plurality of conductive parts connected in parallel is referred to as a parallel unit. Regarding the manner in which parallel units are connected in series, the descriptions in Figs. 1(C) and (D) may be adopted to the extent necessary. The greater the number of parallel units connected in series, the higher the voltage applied to the functional unit 3.

[0071] The number of conductive parts connected in parallel in the parallel unit is not particularly limited and can be designed as appropriate. For example, the number of conductive parts connected in parallel in the parallel unit may be 6, 8, or 20.

[0072] Furthermore, the number of parallel units connected in series is not particularly limited and can be designed as appropriate. For example, the number of parallel units connected in series may be 3, 10, or 50.

[0073] The first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 of the system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0074] Both the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are preferably conductive. Here, examples of materials for the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 include metals, conductive polymers, and carbon. The shapes of the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not particularly limited. The shapes of the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 may be rectangular parallelepiped, cylindrical (rod-shaped), pyramidal, conical, plate-shaped, string-shaped, or net-shaped, and are not limited to any particular shape.

[0075] When the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 have a net-like shape, the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 may be used without being deformed, or may be deformed to have a predetermined shape. For example, the net-like first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 may be used in a substantially planar shape spread out substantially straight, in a curved shape spread out to have a curved surface, in a folded shape, in a twisted shape, or in a shape that combines one or more of these shapes.

[0076] The metal used for the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 can be appropriately selected from, for example, silver, copper, gold, aluminum, magnesium, zinc, nickel, platinum, tin, titanium, stainless steel, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, or oxides of the above-mentioned metals. A predetermined metal may be coated with a metal different from the predetermined metal or a material having other conductivity.

[0077] The first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 may be made of different materials or the same material.

[0078] When the polarization resistance of at least one of the first conductive section 1 and the second conductive section 2 is measured by an AC impedance method, the measured value is preferably 100Ω or more.

[0079] Here, for example, the conductive part that is the starting point of the current can be defined as the first conductive part 1, and the conductive part that is the end point can be defined as the second conductive part 2. Which conductive part functions as the first conductive part 1 is determined by the material of the conductive part or the environment surrounding the conductive part (e.g., temperature, humidity, air pressure, pH, etc.). A chemical reaction takes place at the interface between the first conductive part 1 or the second conductive part 2 and the medium 4, generating free electrons in the conductive part.

[0080] For example, when different metals are used for the first conductive section 1 and the second conductive section 2, the one using the metal with a lower standard electrode potential becomes the first conductive section 1, and the one using the metal with a higher standard electrode potential becomes the second conductive section 2. In this case, electrons move from the second conductive section 2 to the functional section 3, and electrons move from the functional section 3 to the first conductive section 1. That is, a current flows from the first conductive section 1 side to the second conductive section 2 side via the functional section 3. For example, in the second conductive section 2, the metal constituting the conductive section dissolves as cations into the medium 4, generating free electrons, and in the first conductive section 1, the cations in the water of the medium 4 react with the electrons to be electrically neutralized.

[0081] The level of standard electrode potential is determined by comparing the relative values ​​(relative values) of the standard electrode potentials of substances, not by comparing the absolute values ​​of the standard electrode potentials. For example, when comparing substance A with a standard electrode potential of -5 V and substance B with a standard electrode potential of +2 V, the standard electrode potential of substance A is low and the standard electrode potential of substance B is high.

[0082] On the other hand, even if the same metal is used for the conductive parts, if the conditions of the surrounding environment of the conductive parts, such as temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, pH, type of medium 4, and area of ​​contact between medium 4 and the conductive parts, are different between the two conductive parts, one of the conductive parts functions as the first conductive part 1 and the other conductive part functions as the second conductive part 2, and a current flows. For example, even if the medium 4 with which one conductive part is in contact and the medium 4 with which the other conductive part is in contact are the same, if the areas of contact between medium 4 and the conductive parts are different, one conductive part functions as the first conductive part 1 and the other conductive part functions as the second conductive part 2. Therefore, if the conditions of the surrounding temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, pH, type of medium 4, and area of ​​contact between medium 4 and the conductive parts change around the two conductive parts, the first conductive part 1 may function as the second conductive part 2, and the second conductive part 2 may function as the first conductive part 1.

[0083] When the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are made of different materials, examples of the material used for the conductive part with the lower standard electrode potential include zinc, lead, cadmium, magnesium, carbon-based materials, conductive polymers (polythiophene, polyaniline, polypyrrole, polyacetylene, polyphenylene vinylene, PEDOT, etc.), metals (lithium, tin, aluminum, zirconium, titanium, etc.) and their alloys, metal oxides (titanium oxide, lithium-titanium oxide, silicon oxide, etc.). The standard electrode potential of the material used for the conductive part with the lower standard electrode potential is preferably -200 mV or less, more preferably -500 mV or less, and even more preferably -700 mV or less. The standard electrode potential of the material used for the conductive part with the lower standard electrode potential is preferably -3.5 V or more, more preferably -2.5 V or more, and even more preferably -1.5 V or more.

[0084] When the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are made of different materials, examples of the material used for the conductive part having the higher standard electrode potential include manganese oxide, silver oxide, oxygen, ozone, lead oxide, nickel oxide, nickel hydroxide, nickel oxyhydroxide, copper oxide, chromium oxide, iron oxide, alkali metals or alkaline earth metals and other metals (cobalt, nickel, manganese, iron, magnesium, aluminum, etc.), and carbon-based materials. The standard electrode potential of the material used for the conductive part having the higher standard electrode potential is preferably -300 mV or more, more preferably 0 mV or more, and even more preferably +500 mV or more. The standard electrode potential of the material used for the conductive part having the higher standard electrode potential is preferably 3.5 V or less, more preferably 2.5 V or less, and even more preferably 1.5 V or less.

[0085] When the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are made of the same material, the above-mentioned examples of the material used for the conductive part with the lower standard electrode potential and the material used for the conductive part with the higher standard electrode potential can be used for the conductive parts.

[0086] The difference in standard electrode potential between the conductive portions is preferably 200 mV or more, more preferably 500 mV or more, and even more preferably 700 mV or more.

[0087] The electromotive force generated from the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 is preferably 0.9 V or less, more preferably 0.35 V or less, and even more preferably 0.25 V or less. In addition, the electromotive force generated from the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 is preferably 5 mV or more.

[0088] The functional unit 3 of the system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0089] The functional unit 3 refers to, for example, a unit that executes a predetermined function by passing electricity through it. The functional unit 3 may include a power consumption unit that consumes power to perform a predetermined function, a power storage unit that stores electricity generated in the conductive unit, an output voltage conversion unit that converts the output voltage such as a step-up circuit or a step-down circuit, a control unit such as a microcomputer that controls the circuit, and a communication unit that can wirelessly communicate with other devices. As the power consumption unit, for example, any of a light source such as an incandescent light bulb or a light-emitting diode, a heating element that generates heat, a sound generating unit that generates sound, or a transmitter that generates a signal can be adopted. The power storage unit may be included in the step-up circuit or the step-down circuit. The control unit such as a microcomputer can control the circuit to release the electricity stored in the power storage unit under predetermined conditions. The released electricity is consumed by the power consumption unit. In addition, the control unit such as a microcomputer also consumes a small amount of power, so that the stored electricity can be controlled to be released while securing the power required to start the control unit.

[0090] The functional unit 3 may include any one of a power consumption unit, a power storage unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit, and may be configured by combining any two or more of a power consumption unit, a power storage unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit. The functional unit 3 may be configured by integrally configuring any two or more of a power consumption unit, a power storage unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit, or may be configured by electrically connecting any one of a power consumption unit, a power storage unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit separately.

[0091] There is no particular limit to the value of the input impedance in the functional unit 3, but when the input impedance is 1 kΩ or more, the input impedance in the functional unit 3 may have a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic (IV characteristic). A nonlinear current-voltage characteristic refers to, for example, a case where, in a voltage change when a current is applied to the functional unit 3, the voltage value increases as the current value increases, but the increase in the voltage value required to increase the current value increases as the current value increases, and the voltage is not proportional to the current. In other words, the current value increases as the voltage value applied to the functional unit 3 increases, but the degree to which the current value increases decreases as the voltage value increases, and the current value is not proportional to the voltage value.

[0092] On the other hand, when the input impedance of the functional unit 3 is less than 1 kΩ, the input impedance of the functional unit 3 may have a linear current-voltage characteristic (IV characteristic). The linear current-voltage characteristic refers to, for example, a case in which, in a voltage change when a current is applied to the functional unit 3, the voltage value increases as the current value increases, and the voltage is proportional to the current.

[0093] The functional unit 3 preferably has a function of converting the output impedance. This makes it possible to control the effect on the input signal of the functional unit 3. The functional unit 3 may also have a power storage unit and store the charge supplied from the first conductive unit 1 and / or the second conductive unit 2. The control unit can perform control so as to release the stored charge in a shorter time than the time required to store the charge.

[0094] The lower limit of the operating voltage of the functional unit 3 is preferably 0.9 V or less, more preferably 0.35 V or less, and even more preferably 20 mV or less.

[0095] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an output voltage conversion unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2(A) is a circuit diagram of a boost circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. The boost circuit or the step-down circuit is an example of a functional unit 3, and includes a power storage unit.

[0096] As shown in the figure, an inductor L, a diode D, a transistor Tr, and a capacitor C are electrically connected. For example, an input terminal A1 is connected to a first conductive section 1, and an input terminal A2 is connected to a second conductive section 2. An output terminal B1 and an output terminal B2 are connected to a power consumption section, a control section, and the like. The control section may be connected between the boost circuit and the first conductive section 1 and the second conductive section 2 so as to be in parallel with the boost circuit. When the transistor Tr is ON, the input voltage V IN When the input voltage V is applied, energy is stored in the inductor L. IN is the potential difference between the connection points P1 and P2. When the transistor Tr is OFF, the input voltage V IN The energy stored in inductor L is added to the electrical energy derived from the input voltage V IN The output voltage V OUT The boost circuit operates on the input voltage V IN The input voltage V of the boost circuit is assumed to be lower than a predetermined voltage, and the boost control may not be performed at a voltage higher than the predetermined voltage. IN is preferably 5 mV or more. The ON / OFF of the transistor Tr is controlled by a control unit.

[0097] 2(B) is a circuit diagram of a step-down circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a transistor Tr, an inductor L, a diode D, and a capacitor C are electrically connected. For example, an input terminal A1 is connected to a first conductive unit 1, and an input terminal A2 is connected to a second conductive unit 2. An output terminal B1 and an output terminal B2 are connected to a power consumption unit, a control unit, and the like. Note that the control unit may be connected between the step-down circuit and the first conductive unit 1 and the second conductive unit 2 so as to be in parallel with the step-down circuit.

[0098] When the transistor Tr is ON, electrical energy is stored in the inductor L. The input voltage VIN is the connection point P 11 and connection point P 12 is the potential difference between the output voltage V OUT is the connection point P 13 and connection point P 14 In this case, the input voltage V IN is the output voltage V OUT When the transistor Tr is turned off, the connection point P 15 The potential at the connection point P 14 Since the potential of the output voltage V OUT The step-down circuit operates by reducing the input voltage V IN is higher than a predetermined voltage, and the step-down control may not be performed at a voltage lower than the predetermined voltage. The ON / OFF of the transistor Tr is controlled by the control unit.

[0099] A system according to an embodiment of the present invention can be constructed, for example, by bringing the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 into contact with a medium 4 in an apparatus comprising a first conductive part 1, a second conductive part 2, and a functional part 3, in which the first conductive part 1 and the functional part 3, and the functional part 3 and the second conductive part 2 are electrically connected to each other, and the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not in contact with each other.

[0100] The system according to the embodiment of the present invention generates electricity by bringing the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 into contact with the medium 4. Moreover, in the system according to the embodiment of the present invention, the functional part 3 functions using the electric power generated by bringing the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 into contact with the medium 4.

[0101] In this way, the system comprises a first conductive part and a second conductive part, a medium, and a functional part, the first conductive part and the functional part are connected, the second conductive part and the functional part are connected, the first conductive part is in contact with the medium, the second conductive part is in contact with the medium, the first conductive part and the second conductive part are not in contact with each other, the medium is made of concrete or mortar, and the composition of the medium in contact with the first conductive part is different from the composition of the medium in contact with the second conductive part, thereby making it possible to supply an independent power source that generates electricity using a medium containing concrete or mortar. EXAMPLES

[0102] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to Examples and Reference Examples, but the present invention is not limited to these Examples and Reference Examples.

[0103] 3A and 3B are diagrams for explaining the shape of a conductive part of an example according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 3A is an image taken from the side of the conductive part, and Fig. 3B is an image taken from the front of the conductive part.

[0104] Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a system of a reference example according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4(A) is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a system of a reference example 1, and Fig. 4(B) is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a system of a reference example 2.

[0105] Example 1 The test was performed at room temperature and pressure. In Fig. 1(C), in order to construct a system in which two pairs of conductive parts are connected in series, i.e., a system including two first conductive parts 1 (11 and 12), two second conductive parts 2 (21 and 22), one functional part 3, and two media 4 (4a1, 4b1, 4a2, and 4b2), a zinc-plated net-like member (50 cm long and 5 cm wide) was used as the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2.

[0106] The net-like members used for the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 were produced by weaving zinc-plated wires having a diameter of 1 mm into a lattice shape measuring 5 mm in length and 5 mm in width.

[0107] The net-like member thus produced was folded seven times from the bottom end, each 5 cm wide, to form an accordion-like shape. Figures 3(A) and (B) are a side view and a front view, respectively, of the net-like member folded into an accordion-like shape with the folded side facing forward. In Figures 3(A) and (B), the part marked a corresponds to the part folded into an accordion-like shape, and its width (length) was 5 cm. In Figures 3(A) and (B), the part marked b corresponds to the part that was not folded, and its width (length) was 11 cm.

[0108] As shown in Figures 3(A) and (B), the net-like member extended upward in a straight, nearly flat shape for 6 cm from the top end without overlapping with the bellows-shaped folded parts. Also, as shown in Figure 3(A), the folded parts did not touch each other, and were spaced about 5 mm apart.

[0109] A total of four zinc-plated net-like members having the same shape as above were created to be used as two first conductive parts 1 (11 and 12) and two second conductive parts 2 (21 and 22).

[0110] As the medium 4a (4a1 and 4a2), a mixture of 83.3 parts by mass of a mortar admixture (Toyo Materan Co., Ltd., quick-drying pourable mortar (gray)) and 16.7 parts by mass of tap water (hereinafter referred to as "mortar"). As the medium 4b (4b1 and 4b2), a mixture of 10 ml of powdered zinc and 500 ml of mortar (hereinafter referred to as "zinc-containing mortar") was used. The average particle size of the powdered zinc was 7.5 μm. The volume of the mortar admixture (including cement and fine aggregate) in the 500 ml of mortar was 476 ml, and the zinc content in the medium 4b was about 2.1 vol%.

[0111] First, an acrylic partition 10 cm long, 10 cm wide, and 2 mm thick was placed in an acrylic container with an inner diameter of 10 cm long, 10 cm wide, and 10 cm deep, so that two spaces 10 cm long, approximately 5 cm wide, and 10 cm deep were created. Mortar was filled as the medium 4a1 to a height of 6 cm in one of the spaces 10 cm long, approximately 5 cm wide, and 10 cm deep, and one first conductive part 11 folded in a bellows shape as described above was embedded so that the bellows-shaped part of the first conductive part 11 was hidden in the mortar and the approximately planar part of the first conductive part 11 was exposed 5 cm above the mortar, and the mortar was hardened by drying for 2 hours. The first conductive part 11 was placed so that the bellows-shaped part faced the acrylic partition. In addition, the approximately planar part of the first conductive part 11 was perpendicular to the horizontal plane and parallel to the wall surface of the acrylic container. After the mortar hardened, the acrylic partition was removed.

[0112] Next, the space in the acrylic container that was not filled with mortar was filled with zinc-containing mortar as the medium 4b1 to a height of 6 cm, and one second conductive part 21 folded in an accordion shape as described above was embedded so that the accordion-shaped part of the second conductive part 21 was hidden in the zinc-containing mortar and the approximately planar part of the second conductive part 21 was exposed 5 cm above the zinc-containing mortar, and the zinc-containing mortar was hardened by drying for 2 hours. The second conductive part 21 was arranged so that the accordion-shaped part faced the first conductive part 11. In addition, the approximately planar part of the second conductive part 21 was perpendicular to the horizontal plane and parallel to the wall surface of the acrylic container. In other words, the straight spreading parts of the first conductive part 11 and the second conductive part 21 faced each other and were parallel to each other.

[0113] The first conductive portion 11 and the second conductive portion 21 were not in contact with each other both inside the medium 4 and on the top of the medium 4. The shortest distance between the substantially planar portions of the first conductive portion 11 and the second conductive portion 21 was 8 cm. Another unit similar to the unit (hereinafter referred to as "unit 1") thus produced, consisting of one first conductive portion 11, one second conductive portion 21, and one medium 4 (4a1 and 4b1), was produced. Hereinafter, the second unit will be referred to as "unit 2". The second unit consists of one first conductive portion 12, one second conductive portion 22, and one medium 4 (4a2 and 4b2).

[0114] Unit 1 and unit 2 were connected in series as shown in Fig. 1(C) In other words, the first conductive portion 11 and the second conductive portion 21, the second conductive portion 21 and the first conductive portion 12, the first conductive portion 12 and the second conductive portion 22, the first conductive portion 11 and the functional portion 3, and the second conductive portion 22 and the functional portion 3 were each connected with a copper conductor.

[0115] The functional unit 3 was equipped with a power consumption unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit. The input impedance was 1 kΩ or more, and the unit had a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic. The power consumption unit was an LED light bulb that lights up when a current of 2 mA or more flows. The output voltage conversion unit was a boost circuit as shown in Figure 2(A).

[0116] The first conductive part 11 was connected to the input terminal A1 of the boost circuit of the output voltage conversion part, and the output terminal B1 of the boost circuit was connected to the LED bulb. Furthermore, the second conductive part 22 was connected to the input terminal A2 of the boost circuit, and the output terminal B2 of the boost circuit was connected to the terminal opposite to the terminal connected to the output terminal B1 of the LED bulb.

[0117] In the system constructed in this manner, the voltage between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 was measured, and the measured voltage was 289 mV. For the measurement, an Agilent Technologies 34401A multimeter (hereinafter referred to as the "meter") was used. In the constructed system, the LED bulb repeatedly blinked every 10 to 30 seconds. In other words, it was confirmed that electricity was generated from the first conductive part 1 and / or the second conductive part 2.

[0118] Next, in the constructed system, the functional unit 3 was removed and a measuring instrument was connected instead. That is, the first conductive unit 11 and the measuring instrument, and the second conductive unit 22 and the measuring instrument were connected with copper conductors, respectively. When the voltage between the first conductive unit 1 and the second conductive unit 2 was measured in this state, the measured voltage was 315 mV.

[0119] (Reference example 1) The test was performed at room temperature and normal pressure. In order to construct a system in which the medium 4 is continuously and integrally constructed and the composition of the medium 4 in contact with the first conductive part 1 is the same as the composition of the medium 4 in contact with the second conductive part 2, i.e., a system including the first conductive part 1, the second conductive part 2, the functional part 3, and the medium 4, as shown in Fig. 4(A), a rod-shaped carbon member (diameter 8 mm, length 30 cm) was used as the first conductive part 1, and a rod-shaped magnesium member (diameter 8 mm, length 30 cm) was used as the second conductive part 2.

[0120] Mortar was used as the medium 4. A plastic container with an inner diameter of 11 cm and a depth of 13 cm was filled with mortar to a height of 10 cm, and the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 were embedded to a depth of 9.5 cm and dried for 2 hours to harden the mortar. The first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 were arranged in the container such that their length directions were parallel to each other and perpendicular to the horizontal plane, with a minimum distance of 5 cm.

[0121] The first conductive part 1 and the functional part 3, and the second conductive part 2 and the functional part 3 were each connected with a copper conductor. The functional part 3 had a power consumption part, an output voltage conversion part, and a control part. The input impedance was 1 kΩ or more, and the part had a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic. The power consumption part was an LED light bulb that lights up when a current of 2 mA or more flows. The output voltage conversion part used a boost circuit as shown in Figure 2(A).

[0122] The first conductive part 1 was connected to the input terminal A1 of the boost circuit of the output voltage conversion part, and the output terminal B1 of the boost circuit was connected to the LED bulb. Furthermore, the second conductive part 2 was connected to the input terminal A2 of the boost circuit, and the output terminal B2 of the boost circuit was connected to the terminal opposite to the terminal connected to the output terminal B1 of the LED bulb.

[0123] That is, as shown in FIG. 4(A), a system was constructed in which a first conductive part 1 made of carbon was in contact with a medium 4 made of mortar, and a second conductive part 2 made of magnesium was in contact with a medium 4 made of mortar.

[0124] In the constructed system, the LED bulb repeatedly blinked every 3 to 5 seconds. In other words, it was confirmed that electricity was being generated from the first conductive part 1 and / or the second conductive part 2.

[0125] (Reference example 2) The test was carried out at room temperature and normal pressure. As shown in Fig. 4(B), in order to construct a system in which a medium 4a made of concrete and a medium 4b made of soil are in contact with each other and a plurality of first conductive parts 1 and second conductive parts 2 are connected in parallel, a zinc-plated plate-like member (thickness 2 mm, length 80 mm, width 40 mm) embedded in a concrete building material (footstone with shuttlecock) was used as the first conductive part 1, and a zinc-plated rod-like member (diameter 8 mm, length 285 mm) was used as the second conductive part 2.

[0126] Concrete in contact with soil was used as the medium 4. First, as shown in Fig. 4(B), two second conductive parts 2 were buried at intervals of 10 cm in the soil on the ground in contact with the concrete building material to a depth of 18 cm. The second conductive parts 2 were arranged so that their length directions were parallel to each other and perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

[0127] The concrete part of the concrete building material in which the first conductive part 1 was embedded had a quadrangular pyramid shape, with the lower base being 17 cm square, the upper part being 9.5 cm square, and the height being 19 cm, and a wooden pillar was installed on the upper part of the concrete building material. The galvanized plate-like member used as the first conductive part 1 was installed on the upper part of the concrete part of the concrete building material and on the lower part of the side of the wooden pillar in order to reinforce the joint between the concrete building material and the wooden pillar. As shown in FIG. 4(B), two concrete building materials in which the first conductive part 1 was embedded were installed with an interval of 100 cm. The two first conductive parts 1 embedded in the two concrete building materials were parallel to each other in the length direction and perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

[0128] The two first conductive parts 1 and the two second conductive parts 2 were arranged so that their length directions were parallel to each other and perpendicular to the horizontal plane, with the shortest distance between them being 30 cm.

[0129] As shown in Fig. 4(B), two first conductive portions 1 were connected with a copper conductor, and two second conductive portions 2 were connected with a copper conductor. Then, as shown in Fig. 4(B), one first conductive portion 11 and functional portion 3, and one second conductive portion 21 and functional portion 3 were each connected with a copper conductor. In other words, a pair of the first conductive portion 11 and the second conductive portion 21 and a pair of the first conductive portion 12 and the second conductive portion 22 were connected in parallel.

[0130] The functional unit 3 was equipped with a power consumption unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit. The input impedance was 1 kΩ or more, and the unit had a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic. The power consumption unit was an LED light bulb that lights up when a current of 2 mA or more flows. The output voltage conversion unit was a boost circuit as shown in Figure 2(A).

[0131] One first conductive part 1 was connected to the input terminal A1 of the boost circuit of the output voltage conversion part, and the output terminal B1 of the boost circuit was connected to the LED bulb. Furthermore, one second conductive part 2 was connected to the input terminal A2 of the boost circuit, and the output terminal B2 of the boost circuit was connected to the terminal opposite to the terminal connected to the output terminal B1 of the LED bulb.

[0132] That is, as shown in Figure 4 (B), a system was constructed in which a zinc-plated first conductive part 1 is in contact with a medium 4a made of concrete, a zinc-plated second conductive part 2 is in contact with a medium 4b made of soil, and a medium 4a made of concrete is in contact with a medium 4b made of soil, with two pairs of first conductive part 1 and second conductive part 2 connected in parallel.

[0133] In the constructed system, the LED bulb repeatedly blinked every 3 to 7 seconds. In other words, it was confirmed that electricity was being generated from the first conductive part 1 and / or the second conductive part 2. [Explanation of symbols]

[0134] 1 First conductive part, 2 Second conductive part, 3 Functional part, 4 Medium

Claims

1. A first conductive portion and a second conductive portion; The media and Functional section and Equipped with the first conductive portion and the functional portion are connected to each other, the second conductive portion and the functional portion are connected to each other, The first conductive part is in contact with the medium, The second conductive part is in contact with the medium; the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion are not in contact with each other, The medium is made of concrete or mortar; A system in which the composition of the medium in contact with the first conductive part is different from the composition of the medium in contact with the second conductive part.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the medium in contact with the first conductive portion and / or the medium in contact with the second conductive portion contains a filler.

3. a medium in contact with the first conductive part and a medium in contact with the second conductive part each contain a filler; The content and / or type of filler contained in the medium in contact with the first conductive part is different from the content and / or type of filler contained in the medium in contact with the second conductive part; The system of claim 2.

4. The filler comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of zinc, magnesium, iron, ferrous oxide, and ferric oxide; 4. A system according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The content of the filler in the medium is 0.2% by volume to 10.0% by volume. A system according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. The first conductive portion and the second conductive portion are made of the same material. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A first conductive portion and a second conductive portion; Functional section and Equipped with the first conductive portion and the functional portion are connected to each other, the second conductive portion and the functional portion are connected to each other, In a device in which the first conductive part and the second conductive part are not in contact with each other, A method for generating electricity by contacting a first conductive part and a second conductive part with a medium, comprising the steps of: The medium is made of concrete or mortar; A method of generating electricity, wherein a composition of a medium in contact with a first conductive part differs from a composition of a medium in contact with a second conductive part.

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