Energy recovery devices, vehicles equipped with such devices, and recreational vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to an energy recovery device (3) for an amusement ride (1), particularly for a roller coaster, comprising a component to be cooled (10), a cooling device (20), and at least one heat transfer means (30), wherein the cooling device is disposed on the surface of the component to be cooled and includes at least one first Peltier element (21), the at least one first Peltier element (21) is disposed between the surface (11) of the component (10) and at least one heat transfer means (30), the first Peltier element (21) operates as a generator and is electrically connected to a power consumer (40), and the at least one first Peltier element (21) supplies power to the power consumer (40). The present invention further relates to an amusement ride (1) comprising such a device (3).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an energy recovery device for amusement rides, particularly for roller coasters. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a vehicle of an amusement ride equipped with such a device having the features of claim 8, and an amusement ride having the features of claim 10.

Background Art

[0002] Amusement rides are already known in various embodiments from the prior art and are provided, particularly in amusement parks, as stationary or semi-stationary facilities or attractions for the entertainment of passengers during their leisure time. Attribute-corresponding amusement rides can be, for example, water rides, jet coasters, dark rides, merry-go-rounds, rotating rides, etc., which have at least one passenger accommodation section that can accommodate at least one passenger and travel along a track. The at least one passenger accommodation section can be arranged, for example, in a vehicle or a movable support frame.

[0003] Attribute-corresponding amusement rides have been successful in the past, but it has become apparent that a large amount of thermal energy of the brakes and stators is discharged unused during the running of the amusement ride.

[0004] Furthermore, it has become apparent that the supply of electrical energy to the vehicle is complicated. On the one hand, a power storage device has to be carried, which, on the one hand, places a considerable weight on the vehicle. On the other hand, the power storage device has to be charged regularly, and for this purpose, the vehicle has to be moved, for example, to a maintenance area.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] Starting from this prior art, the present invention addresses the problem of providing an energy recovery device that purposefully eliminates the disadvantages known from the prior art. Furthermore, the proposed device must be able to guarantee a self-sufficient energy supply, particularly for the vehicle of an amusement ride.

[0006] The above problem is solved by the apparatus having the features of claim 1. Other advantageous embodiments of the present invention are described in the dependent claims. An energy recovery device for an amusement ride, particularly a roller coaster, according to the present invention having the features of claim 1, comprises a component to be cooled, a cooling device, and at least one heat transfer means. The cooling device is thermally coupled to the surface of the component to be cooled and includes at least one first Peltier element, the at least one first Peltier element being positioned between the surface of the component to be cooled and at least one heat transfer means.

[0007] According to the present invention, the first Peltier element operates as a generator and is electrically connected to a power consumer. At least one of the first Peltier elements supplies power to the power consumer. This invention is based on the idea of ​​using the high thermal energy of amusement rides, particularly roller coasters, especially the high thermal energy of the brakes and stators, to power at least one power consumer. This recovers energy that would otherwise have been released into the surrounding environment as lost energy. In this case, the recovered energy can be used to power at least one power consumer.

[0008] In other words, the proposed device has proven to be able to recover sufficient energy to adequately supply energy to the vehicle of an amusement ride, for example, while it is in motion. As a result, a vehicle according to the present invention, such as a roller coaster, can operate simply and cost-effectively, with particularly little maintenance required, and can also be energy-sufficient.

[0009] For this purpose, the present invention intends for at least one first Peltier element to operate as a generator utilizing the Seebeck effect. In this case, at least one first Peltier element is positioned on the component to be cooled, preferably on its surface, such that the high-temperature side is thermally coupled to the surface of the component to be cooled, and the low-temperature side is thermally coupled to at least one heat transfer means. The at least one heat transfer means preferably has an enlarged surface and is particularly convectively cooled.

[0010] A preferred development of the present invention involves a power consumer comprising a power storage device, particularly a vehicle power storage device. The power storage device can temporarily store power generated by, for example, a cooling device, and can also be used to supply power to sensors and / or safety devices of at least one vehicle, for example, an amusement ride, particularly a roller coaster.

[0011] Furthermore, it has been found to be advantageous when the power consumer includes at least one second Peltier element. The at least one second Peltier element can be used, for example, to cool an object such as a component to be cooled or any other component.

[0012] In the simplest case, at least one first Peltier element can supply power to at least one second Peltier element, which is used to cool the component to be cooled. In this case, both the first and second Peltier elements are thermally coupled to or connected to the component to be cooled.

[0013] In an advantageous embodiment, at least one second Peltier element can be thermally coupled to the component to be cooled. In particular, it is preferable that at least one second Peltier element is positioned adjacent to a first Peltier element on the surface of the component to be cooled.

[0014] Furthermore, it has been found to be even more advantageous when the cooling side of at least one second Peltier element is thermally coupled to the component. In this way, at least one second Peltier element can contribute to improving the cooling performance of the component being cooled by the energy recovered by the first Peltier element.

[0015] Furthermore, a preferred development of the present invention intends that the heating side of at least one second Peltier element is thermally coupled to at least one heat transfer means. The heating side of at least one second Peltier element can be thermally coupled to itself, i.e., to at least one second heat transfer medium, or to at least one heat transfer means that is thermally coupled to the first Peltier element.

[0016] Thermal coupling between at least one first Peltier element and / or at least one second Peltier element and one or more components to be cooled and / or at least one heat transfer means can be achieved by direct or indirect connection. Preferably, thermal coupling can be achieved by a connecting layer, which can be formed from, for example, a thermal conductive paste or a thermally conductive bonding agent.

[0017] In one advanced embodiment of the present invention, at least one heat transfer means is intended to include cooling ribs and / or cooling fins. Furthermore, at least one heat transfer means may be intended to include one or more heat pipes capable of transferring a large amount of heat to a cooler having an enlarged surface, for example, to improve convective cooling.

[0018] Another aspect of the present invention relates to amusement ride vehicles, particularly roller coaster vehicles, equipped with the aforementioned energy recovery device. A favorable development would be that at least one device is positioned on the vehicle's brakes and / or stators. In particular, the temperature of the brakes and / or stators becomes very high during braking and acceleration of a vehicle, especially a roller coaster vehicle. The resulting thermal energy can be recovered at least partially and used to power at least one power consumer.

[0019] A third and final aspect of the present invention relates to a recreational vehicle comprising a vehicle and at least one of the aforementioned energy recovery devices. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a very simplified schematic diagram showing a device 3 for recovering energy in a vehicle 2 of an amusement vehicle 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] The following describes an exemplary embodiment in detail, based on the attached diagram. Figure 1 shows a very simplified schematic of a device 3 for recovering energy in a vehicle 2 of an amusement ride 1. Such an amusement ride 1 could be, for example, a roller coaster, and the vehicle 2 travels along a track (not shown).

[0022] At least one vehicle 2 of the recreation vehicle 1 preferably does not have its own drive system. The recreation vehicle 1 includes at least one (not shown) lift hill and / or one (not shown) launch section, so that at least one vehicle 2 can travel along the track without active acceleration.

[0023] Figure 1 shows a portion of vehicle 2 equipped with an energy recovery device 3. At least one component 10 of vehicle 2 is shown, and the temperature of component 10 can become very high, for example, during braking and / or acceleration of vehicle 3.

[0024] The device 3 includes a component 10 to be cooled, a cooling device 20, and a heat transfer means 30. The cooling device 20 is disposed on the surface 11 of the component 10 to be cooled and includes at least one first Peltier element 21 disposed between the surface 11 of the component 10 to be cooled and at least one heat transfer means 30.

[0025] The first Peltier element 21 has a low-temperature side 22 and a high-temperature side 23. The high-temperature side 23 faces the component 10 to be cooled, and the low-temperature side 22 faces the heat transfer means 30. The first Peltier element 21 can operate as a generator using the Seebeck effect, and thus, when a temperature difference occurs, the first Peltier element 21 can output a voltage that enables self-sufficient voltage supply for the vehicle 2.

[0026] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the first Peltier element 21 is electrically connected to a power consumer 40 via an electric wire 25, and the power consumer 40 can be, for example, a power storage device or the supply network of the vehicle 3. For example, the power storage device can supply power to the electrical monitoring system of the vehicle 2, and the power storage device can be charged by at least one first Peltier element 21 during the operation of the entertainment vehicle 1.

[0027] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the power consumer 40 is a second Peltier element 42 electrically connected to the first Peltier element 21. The first Peltier element 21 supplies power to the second Peltier element 42.

[0028] The second Peltier element 42 has a cooling side 43 and a heating side 44. When energized by the Peltier effect, the temperature of the cooling side 43 decreases, and the temperature of the heating side 44 increases. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the second Peltier element 42 is also thermally coupled to the component 10 to be cooled. Here, it is noted that the second Peltier element 42 can be thermally coupled or connected to any component of the vehicle 3.

[0029] The second Peltier element 42 is positioned at a distance from the first Peltier element 21 on the surface 11 of the component to be cooled 10. The cooling side 43 faces the component to be cooled 10, and the heating side 44 faces the second heat transfer means 30, indicated by reference numeral 30' in the attached figure for better understanding. The second Peltier element can locally improve the cooling performance of the component 10.

[0030] The heat transfer means 30 can be any heat transfer device of any design, also known in everyday language as a heat exchanger. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the heat transfer means 30 includes a plurality of cooling ribs or cooling fins that can be cooled by convection. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0031] 1. Recreational vehicles 2 vehicles 3 equipment 10 parts 11 Surface 20 Cooling device 21. First Peltier element 22 Low temperature side 23 High temperature side 25 Electric wire 30 Heat transfer means 40 Power consumers 42. Second Peltier element 43 Cooling side 44 Heating side

Claims

1. An energy recovery device (3) for an amusement ride (1), particularly for a roller coaster, - The component to be cooled (10), - Cooling device (20), - Equipped with at least one heat transfer means (30), - The cooling device is positioned on the surface of the component to be cooled and includes at least one first Peltier element (21), - The at least one first Peltier element (21) is positioned between the surface (11) of the component (10) and the at least one heat transfer means (30), - The first Peltier element (21) operates as a generator and is electrically connected to the power consumer (40). - The device wherein at least one first Peltier element (21) supplies power to the power consumer (40).

2. The power consumer includes a power storage device, particularly a power storage device for the vehicle. Characterized by, The apparatus (3) according to claim 1.

3. The power consumption unit (40) includes at least one second Peltier element (42). Characterized by, The apparatus (3) according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The at least one second Peltier element (42) is thermally coupled to the component to be cooled (10), and in particular, the at least one second Peltier element (42) is located on the surface (11) of the component to be cooled. Characterized by, Apparatus (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The cooling side (43) of at least one second Peltier element (42) is thermally coupled to the component (10). Characterized by, The apparatus (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The heating side (44) of the at least one second Peltier element (42) is thermally coupled to the at least one heat transfer means (30). Characterized by, Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 (3).

7. The at least one heat transfer means (30) includes cooling ribs and / or cooling fins. Characterized by, Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 (3).

8. An amusement vehicle (1), particularly a roller coaster vehicle (2), comprising a device (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The device (3) is located on at least one brake and / or at least one stator. Characterized by, The vehicle (2) according to claim 8.

10. An amusement vehicle (1) comprising a vehicle (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and at least one device (3).

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