Thermo-couple power generation unit, component and device

Abstract

To disclose a thermo-couple power generation unit, a component and a device.SOLUTION: A thermo-couple power generation unit 100 comprises: an insulation substrate 1; a negative electrode alloy part 2; a first insulation layer 3; a positive electrode alloy part 4; a second insulation layer 5; a negative electrode conductive extraction wire 6; and a positive electrode conductive extraction wire 7. In the negative electrode and positive electrode alloy parts, a plurality of negative electrode and positive electrode nano conducting wires 21, 41 formed by being etched by negative electrode and positive electrode alloy materials, respectively are arranged at an equal interval, single positive electrode and negative electrode nano conducting wires form a plurality of power generation units, the power generation units are arranged in series with each other, and both ends are electrically connected with the corresponding negative electrode and positive electrode conducting extraction wires, respectively. A plurality of power generation points are formed at an electric connection part of the positive electrode and negative electrode nano conducting wires between the power generation units. A thermo-couple power generation component is constituted of a plurality of layers of thermo-couple power generation units, the negative electrode and positive electrode conducting wires connected in series with one another. Moreover, the thermo-couple power generation device is constituted of a plurality of thermo-couple power generation components, the negative electrode and positive electrode conducting wires connected in parallel with one another.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention is in the field of thermoelectric power generation and relates to compact yet efficient thermocouple generating units, components and devices. [Background technology]

[0002] The development of modern industry and human economic activity is inseparable from energy, so energy consumption continues to increase. There are three main ways to use energy: heating, transportation, and electricity. People's lifestyles have led to a rise in electricity consumption that exceeds the overall energy consumption, rapidly consuming limited fossil fuel resources, and at the same time, emitting large amounts of carbon dioxide, which has a negative impact on the environment. At present, non-renewable energy accounts for the majority of the energy structure, and fossil fuels play a leading role in meeting energy demand. Therefore, the effective use of energy is an extremely important issue. There are solid-state thermoelectric generators and devices that use the thermocouple effect between metal or alloy conductors made of different materials to generate electricity using the temperature difference.

[0003] To reduce carbon dioxide emissions and develop new energy sources, power generation using waste heat is environmentally friendly and a promising direction for green energy in the future. A patent previously proposed by the inventor of the present invention (see Patent Document 1) is a solid-state thermoelectric generator and its device that generates power by utilizing the thermocouple effect between conductors made of metals or alloys of different materials, and has higher power generation efficiency, lower manufacturing costs, and a longer service life than conventional semiconductor thermoelectric devices. It can generate power without high temperatures and is recyclable.

[0004] However, the solid-state thermoelectric generation plate described in the aforementioned Patent Document 1 requires an increased number of power generation points to maximize power generation efficiency, and once the number of power generation points exceeds a certain number, the overall size becomes very large, causing a certain degree of inconvenience in industrial applications and reducing the desire to use it.

[0005] To address this problem, it is an improvement of the present invention to provide compact and efficient thermocouple generating units, components and devices. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Taiwan Patent Publication No. I334005, Solid-state thermoelectric conversion plate and its device Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT It is an object of the present invention to provide compact and efficient thermocouple generating units, components and devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems and achieve the objectives of the present invention, there are three technical means of the present invention, the first technical means is as follows: a thermocouple generating unit, the characteristics of which are as follows: a cathode alloy portion disposed on the insulating substrate, the cathode alloy portion being formed by etching a cathode alloy material and arranged at equal intervals; a first insulating layer disposed on the cathode alloy portion, the first insulating layer having contact points corresponding to ends of each cathode nanowire, the contact points being formed by etching; an anode alloy portion disposed on the first insulating layer, the anode alloy portion being formed by etching anode alloy material and including a plurality of anode nanowires arranged at equal intervals, at least one end of each anode nanowire being electrically connected to a cathode nanowire via a contact point to form a plurality of serially arranged generating units; a second insulating layer disposed on the anode alloy portion; a cathode conductive wire electrically connected to the contact points of ends of the cathode nanowires in generating units not connected to other generating units; an anode conductive wire electrically connected to the contact points of ends of the anode nanowires in generating units not connected to other generating units;

[0009] Furthermore, the material of the cathode alloy portion is a nickel-copper alloy, and the material of the anode alloy portion is a nickel-chromium alloy.

[0010] Furthermore, the thermocouple generating unit is electrically connected to the rectifier diode via the anode conductive wire.

[0011] Furthermore, a rectifier diode is installed inside or outside the thermocouple power generating unit.

[0012] The second technical means is a thermocouple power generation component, the features of which are as follows: Like the above-mentioned thermocouple power generation unit, the thermocouple power generation component is stacked in layers and electrically connected in series with each other, with a cathode conductor electrically connected to the cathode conductive wire of the foremost thermocouple power generation unit and an anode conductor electrically connected to the anode conductive wire of the endmost thermocouple power generation unit.

[0013] Additionally, the thermocouple power generating component is electrically connected to a rectifier diode via an anode conductive wire or an anode conductor.

[0014] Furthermore, the rectifier diode is installed inside or outside the thermocouple power generation component.

[0015] The third technical means is as follows, that is, a thermocouple power generation device, the features of which are as follows: Like the above-mentioned thermocouple power generation components, the thermocouple power generation device is a plurality of thermocouple power generation devices electrically connected in parallel with each other, the thermocouple power generation device is installed outside the thermocouple power generation device and has a cathode conductor electrically connected to the cathode conductive wire of each thermocouple power generation component, the anode conductor is installed outside the thermocouple power generation device and has an insulator covering each thermocouple power generation component.

[0016] Additionally, the thermocouple generator is electrically connected to a rectifier diode via an anode conductive wire or an anode conductor.

[0017] Additionally, rectifier diodes may be placed inside or outside the insulator. Effect of the Invention

[0018] First: The thermocouple power generation unit, thermocouple power generation component and thermocouple power generation device of the present invention are manufactured using nano-level chip processes, so there are a large number of power generation points per unit area, and even if the basic power generation unit is μV, it can generate volt-level power through series and parallel application, greatly improving power generation efficiency. Most importantly, it is small, so it is easy to manufacture and install, and there is no problem of weak power generation, so it is easy to expand and apply.

[0019] Second: the present invention uses common base metals as power generation materials, and does not use precious metals, so the manufacturing cost is low and the manufacturing process is less difficult.

[0020] Third: In the present invention, the thermocouple power generation unit of the present invention is constituted by a combination of an insulating substrate, a cathode alloy part, a first insulating layer, an anode alloy part, a second insulating layer, a cathode conductive wire and an anode conductive wire, and unlike conventional thermoelectric devices, has a wide operating temperature range.

[0021] Fourth: The present invention has a long overall lifespan and no moving parts, so the probability of failure is low, there is no problem of secondary pollution, and even if it breaks down or is damaged, it can be recovered and remanufactured, minimizing resource consumption. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a thermocouple generating unit of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the thermocouple generating unit of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram of a manufacturing process of the thermocouple generating unit of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional view of another thermocouple generating unit of the present invention. [Diagram 5]FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional view of the thermocouple power generation component of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the thermocouple power generation component of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional view of another thermocouple power generating component of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a three-dimensional view of the thermocouple power generation device of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the thermocouple power generation device of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a three-dimensional view of another thermocouple power generation device of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The technical means of the present invention will be described clearly and completely through the embodiments with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described in the present invention are only some embodiments, not all embodiments. Other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor based on the embodiments of the present invention are also included in the protection scope of the present invention.

[0024] First, it should be noted that, although the thermocouple power generation unit 100, thermocouple power generation component 200 and thermocouple power generation device 300 of the present invention are disclosed in an enlarged scale in the illustrations of Figures 1 to 10 for ease of understanding and to keep the drawings simple, in reality, they are manufactured using nano-level chip processes.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the figures disclose a thermocouple power generation unit, which has the following features: The thermocouple power generation unit 100 includes an insulating substrate 1, a cathode alloy portion 2 disposed on the insulating substrate 1, and a plurality of cathode nanoconductors 21 formed by etching with a cathode alloy material and arranged at equal intervals. A first insulating layer 3 is disposed on the cathode alloy portion 2, and contact points 31 corresponding to the ends of each cathode nanoconductor 21 are formed by etching. An anode alloy portion 4 is disposed on the first insulating layer 3, and has a plurality of anode nanoconductors 41 formed by etching with an anode alloy material and arranged at equal intervals, at least one end of the anode nanoconductor 41 is electrically connected to the adjacent cathode nanoconductor 21 through the contact point 31, and a plurality of power generation units 10 arranged in series with each other are formed with a single anode nanoconductor 41 and a single cathode nanoconductor 21 electrically connected to each other. A second insulating layer 5 is disposed on the anode alloy portion 4, and a cathode conductive wire 6 is electrically connected to the power generating unit 10 that is not electrically connected to the contact point 31 at one end of the cathode nano-conductor 21 of the adjacent power generating unit 10. Also, an anode conductive wire 7 is electrically connected to the power generating unit 10 that is not electrically connected to the contact point 31 at one end of the anode nano-conductor 41 of the adjacent power generating unit 10. A plurality of power generating points T are formed at the electrical connection portions of the anode nano-conductor 41 and the cathode nano-conductor 21 between the power generating unit 10 and each power generating unit 10.

[0026] Among them, the thermocouple power generating unit 100 of the present invention is constituted by a combination of an insulating substrate 1, a cathode alloy part 2, a first insulating layer 3, an anode alloy part 4, a second insulating layer 5, a cathode conductive wire 6 and an anode conductive wire 7, and is manufactured using a nano-level chip process, so that more power generating units 10 can be installed per single area, and the series power generating units 10 have many power generating points T, and more power is generated, and the generated power is μV per ° C. Taking the 7 nano process as an example, there are about 96.27 million transistors per square millimeter, and if the transistors are replaced with an equal amount of power generating units 10, about 192.53 million power generating points T are obtained. In other words, to generate 1 μV of power, it is necessary to multiply by 192.53 million. In an ideal state, a temperature difference of 1 ° C generates about 192.53 V of power, which can be applied to various devices that generate waste heat and convert thermal energy into electrical energy. The thermocouple power generating unit 100 of the present invention is small in size, highly efficient, easy to install and apply, and favorable for environmental protection.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 3, the basic manufacturing process of the thermocouple generating unit 100 of the present invention will be briefly described. An insulating substrate 1 is prepared, a cathode alloy material is coated on the insulating substrate 1, and then etching is performed to form a plurality of cathode nanoconductors 21 arranged at equal intervals. Next, a first insulating layer 3 is coated, and etching is performed to form contact points 31 corresponding to the ends of each cathode nanoconductor 21. Next, an anode conductive wire 7 is drawn from the contact point 31 at one end of the outermost cathode nanoconductor 21 and electrically connected to the rectifier diode 20. Finally, a second insulating layer 5 is coated to complete the thermocouple generating unit 100 of the present invention.

[0028] In the above, the cathode alloy material of the cathode alloy portion 2 is a nickel-copper (NiCu) alloy, and the anode alloy material of the anode alloy portion 4 is a nickel-chromium (NiCr) alloy.

[0029] In the above, the cathode alloy part 2 and the anode alloy part 4 are made of common industrial metal alloys, without using precious metals, which makes the manufacturing cost low and easy to mass-produce and use.

[0030] Next, the combination of nickel-copper (NiCu) alloy and nickel-chromium (NiCr) alloy forms an E-type thermocouple, which has a high thermoelectric output of about 68μV / ℃ and a usable temperature range of -200℃ to 900℃, which meets the requirements of most applications, has few usage restrictions, and is easy to popularize.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the thermocouple power generating unit 100 is electrically connected to the rectifier diode 20 via the anode conductive wire 7 .

[0032] Here, by using the rectifier diode 20, the current generated by the thermocouple power generating unit 100 flows in only one direction, facilitating output and application.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the rectifier diode 20 is installed either inside or outside the thermocouple generating unit 100.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 1, the rectifier diode 20 is installed inside the thermocouple generating unit 100, which is easy to directly apply. Also, as shown in Fig. 4, the rectifier diode 20 is installed outside the thermocouple generating unit 100, which can be adjusted according to different requirements for using the thermocouple generating unit 100 to expand the range of application. Different installation methods of the rectifier diode 20 improve the applicability.

[0035] 5 to 7, the figures disclose a thermocouple power generation component, which has the following features: The thermocouple power generation component 200 is obtained by stacking the above-mentioned thermocouple power generation units 100 three-dimensionally and electrically connecting them in series. The cathode conductor 30 is electrically connected to the cathode conductive wire 6 of the foremost thermocouple power generation unit 100, and the anode conductor 40 is electrically connected to the anode conductive wire 7 of the rearmost thermocouple power generation unit 100.

[0036] As described above, the thermocouple power generation component 200 of the present invention has thermocouple power generation units 100 stacked three-dimensionally and electrically connected in series, thereby increasing the number of power generation units 10 that can be installed per single area, improving the unit density, obtaining more power generation points T, improving power generation efficiency, and being suitable for industrial applications.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 5-7, the thermocouple power generation component 200 is electrically connected to the rectifier diode 20 via either the anode conductive lead 7 or the anode conductive lead 40 .

[0038] Here, by using the rectifier diode 20, the current generated by the thermocouple power generation component 200 flows in only one direction, facilitating output and application. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the rectifier diode 20 is located either inside or outside the thermocouple power generation component 200.

[0039] In the above, as shown in Fig. 5, the rectifier diode 20 is installed inside the thermocouple power generation component 200, which is easy to directly apply. Also, as shown in Fig. 7, the rectifier diode 20 is installed outside the thermocouple power generation component 200, which can be adjusted according to different requirements for using the thermocouple power generation component 200 to expand the application range. Different installation methods of the rectifier diode 20 improve the applicability.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 8 to Fig. 10, the figures disclose a thermocouple power generation device, the features of which are as follows. Like the above-mentioned thermocouple power generation components 200, a plurality of thermocouple power generation devices 300 are electrically connected to each other in parallel. The cathode conductor 30 is disposed outside the thermocouple power generation device 300 and is electrically connected to the cathode conductive wire 6 of each thermocouple power generation component 200. The anode conductor 40 is disposed outside the thermocouple power generation device 300 and is electrically connected to the anode conductive wire 7 of each thermocouple power generation component 200. Also, an insulator 50 covers each thermocouple power generation component 200.

[0041] In the above, by electrically connecting a plurality of thermocouple power generation components 200 in parallel and covering each thermocouple power generation component 200 with an insulator 50, the thermocouple power generation device 300 of the present invention has a wider operating temperature range like a chip, is more practical, and is suitable for power generation using waste heat. By generating power using waste heat, the energy utilization efficiency is improved, it can be applied to geothermal and seawater temperature difference power generation, etc., is less likely to break down, and costs are reduced, making it easy to popularize.

[0042] The insulator 50 may then be constructed of either a metal oxide, ceramic or high molecular weight polymer (plastic) to improve applicability in industrial applications.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the thermocouple power generation device 300 is electrically connected to the rectifier diode 20 via either the anode conductive wire 7 or the anode conductive wire 40.

[0044] Here, by using the rectifier diode 20, the current generated by each thermocouple power generation component 200 of the thermocouple power generation device 300 flows in only one direction, facilitating output and application.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, the rectifier diode 20 is placed either inside or outside the insulator 50.

[0046] In the above, as shown in Fig. 8, the rectifier diode 20 is installed inside the insulator 50, which is easy to directly apply. Also, as shown in Fig. 10, the rectifier diode 20 is installed outside the insulator 50, which can be adjusted according to different usage requirements to expand the application range. Different installation methods of the rectifier diode 20 improve the applicability of industrial applications.

[0047] The structure, features and effects of the present invention have been described in detail above based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. However, the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the scope of the present invention to the scope shown in the drawings. Therefore, any modifications that conform to the intent of the present invention are included in the patent scope of the present invention as long as they are within the scope of equivalent effect. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 100 Thermocouple Generation Unit 200 Thermocouple Power Generation Components 300 Thermocouple Power Generation Device 1. Insulating substrate 2. Cathode Alloy Section 21 Cathode nanoconductor 3 First insulating layer 31 contact points 4 Anode Alloy Section 41 Anode Nanoconductor 5 Second insulating layer 6 Cathode conductive wire 7 Anode conductive wire 10 Power generating units 20 Rectifier Diode 30 Cathode conductor 40 Anode conductor 50 Insulator T Power generation point

Claims

1. A thermocouple power generation unit (100) having an insulating substrate (1); A cathode alloy portion (2) disposed on an insulating substrate (1); a first insulating layer (3) disposed on the cathode alloy portion (2); an anode alloy portion (4) disposed on the first insulating layer (3); A second insulating layer (5) disposed on the anode alloy portion (4); a cathode conductive wire (6) electrically connected to a contact point (31) at an end of the cathode nanowire (21) in the generating unit (10) that is not connected to another generating unit (10); an anode conductive wire (7) electrically connected to a contact point (31) at an end of the anode nanowire (41) in the power generation unit (10) that is not connected to the other power generation unit (10); The cathode alloy portion (2) is formed by etching a cathode alloy material and arranging a plurality of cathode nanowires (21) at equal intervals; the first insulating layer (3) has contact points (31) corresponding to the ends of each cathode nanowire (21), the contact points (31) being formed by etching; The anode alloy portion (4) is formed by etching an anode alloy material and includes a plurality of anode nanowires (41) that are equally spaced apart; At least one end of each anode nanowire (41) is electrically connected to a cathode nanowire (21) via the contact point (31) to form a plurality of serially arranged power generating units (10); A thermocouple power generation unit, in which electrical connection points between each of the anode nanowires (41) and the cathode nanowires (21) in the power generation unit (10) constitute a plurality of power generation points (T).

2. The material of the cathode alloy portion (2) is a nickel-copper (NiCu) alloy, The thermocouple generating unit according to claim 1, wherein the material of the anode alloy portion (4) is a nickel-chromium (NiCr) alloy.

3. The thermocouple generating unit according to claim 2, wherein the thermocouple generating unit (100) is electrically connected to a rectifier diode (20) via an anode conductive wire (7).

4. The thermocouple generating unit according to claim 3 , wherein the rectifier diode (20) is installed inside or outside the thermocouple generating unit (100).

5. The thermocouple power generation unit (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein multiple layers are stacked on top of each other and electrically connected in series with each other; a cathode conductor (30) electrically connected to the cathode conductive lead (6) of the thermocouple generating unit (100) at the front end; an anode conductor (40) electrically connected to the anode conductive wire (7) of the most distal thermocouple power generation unit (100).

6. The thermocouple power generation component according to claim 5 , wherein the thermocouple power generation component (200) is electrically connected to a rectifier diode (20) via an anode conductive lead (7) or an anode conductor (40).

7. The thermocouple power generation component of claim 6 , wherein the rectifier diode (20) is located inside or outside the thermocouple power generation component (200).

8. A thermocouple power generation device (300) having a plurality of thermocouple power generation components (200) according to claim 5 electrically connected in parallel with each other; A cathode conductor (30) installed outside the thermocouple power generation device (300) and electrically connected to the cathode conductive wire (6) of each thermocouple power generation component (200); an anode conductor (40) installed outside the thermocouple power generation device (300) and electrically connected to the anode conductive wire (7) of each of the thermocouple power generation components (200); and an insulator (50) covering each of the thermocouple power generation components (200).

9. The thermocouple power generation device according to claim 8, wherein the thermocouple power generation device (300) is electrically connected to a rectifier diode (20) via the anode conductive wire (7) or the anode conductor (40).

10. The thermocouple power generation device according to claim 9 , wherein the rectifier diode (20) is installed inside or outside the insulator (50).

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