Thermoelectric power generation device and thermoelectric power generation method

Abstract

To prevent the occurrence of electric leakage when thermoelectric power generation is performed in a manufacturing facility line of a steel mill.SOLUTION: A thermoelectric power generation unit comprises a heat-receiving plate, a cooling plate opposing the heat-receiving plate; and a thermoelectric power generation module arranged between the heat-receiving plate and the cooling plate, wherein the thermoelectric power generation module comprises: a pair of opposing insulating substrates; a plurality of thermoelectric power generation elements held between the pair of insulating substrates; an outer periphery sealing frame sealing outer peripheries of the pair of insulating substrates; terminal portions connected to the thermoelectric power generation elements; a lead member connected to the terminal portion and provided passing through the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side of the pair of insulating substrates and the cooling plate; and a sealing member sealing a gap formed between at least two of the lead member, the cooling plate, and the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a thermoelectric power generation device that is attached to a line of manufacturing equipment in a steelworks and used, and a thermoelectric power generation method that uses the thermoelectric power generation device. [Background technology]

[0002] It has long been known that when a temperature difference is applied to dissimilar conductors or semiconductors, an electromotive force is generated between the high-temperature and low-temperature parts. This phenomenon is known as the Seebeck effect, and thermoelectric power generation devices that use thermoelectric elements to directly convert heat into electricity have been put into practical use.

[0003] By using a thermoelectric generator, thermal energy that has not been utilized in the past can be effectively utilized as electric power, and therefore the use of thermoelectric generators is being promoted in various fields.

[0004] For example, the present inventors have proposed using thermoelectric power generation devices in the manufacturing equipment rows of steelworks (Patent Documents 1 to 3). Since various processes that are carried out at high temperatures, such as ironmaking, steelmaking, casting, hot rolling, and heat treatment, can be carried out in steelworks, converting the excess heat generated in these processes into electricity would contribute to energy conservation and a reduction in CO2 emissions. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-203301 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-058082 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-119308 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, when thermoelectric power generation is actually attempted in a steelworks manufacturing equipment row, it has been found that there is a problem in that electrical leakage is likely to occur.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to prevent the occurrence of leakage current when thermoelectric power generation is performed in a row of manufacturing equipment in a steelworks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a result of intensive research to achieve the above object, the inventors have discovered that the cause of the leakage current is the intrusion of moisture and iron powder (including iron oxide powder) into the thermoelectric power generation device, particularly the thermoelectric power generation module.

[0009] In steelworks, not only are various processes carried out at high temperatures, but cooling water is also used to cool the workpieces and manufacturing equipment. For example, in the continuous casting process, cooling water is used to cool the rollers that come into contact with the hot steel slab. In this case, thermoelectric generators installed in the manufacturing equipment rows are exposed to water vapor in addition to high temperatures. As a result, it has been found that moisture can enter the thermoelectric generators, causing short circuits.

[0010] In addition, dust resulting from the manufacturing process is inevitably present around the rows of manufacturing equipment in steelworks. The main component of this dust is iron powder derived from the steel being processed. Because this iron powder is very fine, it has been found to penetrate the interior of thermoelectric power generation devices and cause short circuits. Most of this iron powder has been oxidized to iron oxide. Although iron oxide conducts electricity less easily than metallic iron, it is not a perfect insulator; for example, wustite has a resistance of 30 Ω. -1 cm -1 250 Ω for magnetite -1 cm -1Iron powder has electrical conductivity of about 1000 kJ / cm. Therefore, if iron powder gets inside a thermoelectric generator, it can cause a current leak. Furthermore, if fine iron powder (iron oxide powder) gets inside a thermoelectric generator, moisture tends to aggregate and be retained around the iron powder, which is thought to synergistically increase the risk of a current leak.

[0011] As such, it was found that the area around the rows of manufacturing equipment in a steelworks is an extremely harsh environment with moisture and fine iron powder present, making it extremely susceptible to electrical leakage.

[0012] The present invention was completed based on the above findings, and the gist of the present invention is as follows.

[0013] 1. A thermoelectric power generation device that is attached to a train of manufacturing equipment in a steelworks, a heat receiving plate, a cooling plate facing the heat receiving plate, and a thermoelectric power generation module disposed between the heat receiving plate and the cooling plate; The thermoelectric power generation module includes: a pair of opposing insulating substrates; a plurality of thermoelectric power generation elements sandwiched between the pair of insulating substrates; an outer periphery sealing frame that is sandwiched between the pair of insulating substrates and seals the outer peripheries of the pair of insulating substrates; a terminal portion connected to the thermoelectric power generation element; a lead member connected to the terminal portion and provided to penetrate through the cooling plate and one of the pair of insulating substrates on the side of the cooling plate; a sealing member that seals a gap formed between at least two of the lead member, the cooling plate, and the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side;

[0014] 2. A thermoelectric power generation device as described in 1 above, wherein the sealing member contacts each of the lead member, the cooling plate, and the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side, and seals the gap formed between the lead member, the cooling plate, and the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side.

[0015] 3. The thermoelectric power generating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sealing member is an O-ring.

[0016] 4. The thermoelectric generator according to 1 or 2 above, wherein the sealing member is made of fluororubber.

[0017] 5. The thermoelectric power generation device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a support member for supporting the sealing member between the heat receiving plate and the cooling plate.

[0018] 6. Installing the thermoelectric power generation device described in 1 or 2 above in a line of manufacturing equipment at a steelworks; A thermoelectric power generation method for converting heat into electric power by the thermoelectric power generation device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, when a thermoelectric power generating device is used in a production line of steelworks, it is possible to prevent leakage of electricity caused by the intrusion of moisture or fine iron powder. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a structure of a thermoelectric power generation device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the structure of a thermoelectric power generation device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a structure of a support member according to a modified example of the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Next, a method for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described. Note that the following description shows an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following description in any way.

[0022] [Thermoelectric power generation device] A thermoelectric power generation device in one embodiment of the present invention is a thermoelectric power generation device that is attached to a row of manufacturing equipment in a steelworks and is equipped with a heat receiving plate, a cooling plate facing the heat receiving plate, and a thermoelectric power generation module arranged between the heat receiving plate and the cooling plate.

[0023] (heat receiving plate) The thermoelectric power generation device of the present invention includes a heat receiving plate for receiving heat from a heat source. When using the thermoelectric power generation device of the present invention, the thermoelectric power generation device is simply installed so that the heat receiving plate is located on the heat source side. After the heat from the heat source is received by the heat receiving plate, it is transferred to one side (high temperature side) of the thermoelectric power generation module.

[0024] The material of the heat receiving plate is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of heat resistance, it is preferable to use at least one selected from the group consisting of metal, ceramic, and carbon. The metal is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use at least one selected from the group consisting of copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, and steel.

[0025] (Cooling plate) The thermoelectric power generation device of the present invention includes a cooling plate facing the heat receiving plate. When using the thermoelectric power generation device of the present invention, the thermoelectric power generation device is simply installed so that the cooling plate is located on the side opposite the heat source. The other surface (low temperature side) of the thermoelectric power generation module is cooled by the cooling plate.

[0026] Any cooling plate can be used as long as it can cool the thermoelectric power generation module. The cooling plate may be, for example, a heat sink or a heat exchanger, but is preferably a heat exchanger from the viewpoint of cooling efficiency. The heat exchanger may be, for example, a water-cooled plate having a cooling water flow path therein. If the cooling plate is a heat sink, it is preferably provided with heat dissipation fins to improve cooling efficiency.

[0027] The material of the cooling plate is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of thermal conductivity, it is preferably made of a metal. The metal is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use at least one selected from the group consisting of copper, copper alloy, aluminum, and aluminum alloy, and among them, aluminum or an aluminum alloy is preferable.

[0028] (Thermoelectric power generation module) The thermoelectric power generation device of the present invention includes a thermoelectric power generation module disposed between the heat receiving plate and the cooling plate, i.e., the heat receiving plate is disposed on the high temperature side of the thermoelectric power generation module, and the cooling plate is disposed on the low temperature side.

[0029] The number of thermoelectric power generation modules per thermoelectric power generation device is not particularly limited and may be one or more. In other words, one or more thermoelectric power generation modules may be provided between a pair of heat receiving plate and cooling plate. When multiple thermoelectric power generation modules are used, the thermoelectric power generation modules may be fixed together with a fixing member.

[0030] The thermoelectric power generation module includes the following features (1) to (6). (1) A pair of opposing insulating substrates (2) A plurality of thermoelectric power generating elements sandwiched between the pair of insulating substrates (3) a peripheral sealing frame that is sandwiched between the pair of insulating substrates and seals the peripheries of the pair of insulating substrates; (4) a terminal portion connected to the thermoelectric power generating element (5) a lead member connected to the terminal portion and provided to penetrate the cooling plate and the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side of the pair of insulating substrates; (6) A sealing member that seals a gap formed between at least two of the lead member, the cooling plate, and the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side.

[0031] (1) Insulating substrate To ensure insulation between the thermoelectric power generating element and the heat receiving plate and cooling plate, the thermoelectric power generating module is provided with a pair of insulating substrates, and the thermoelectric power generating element is sandwiched between the pair of insulating substrates. The insulating substrates also function to absorb differences in thermal expansion in the planar direction between the components in contact with the insulating substrates (the thermoelectric power generating element, the heat receiving plate, the cooling plate, the peripheral sealing frame, etc.).

[0032] The insulating substrate may be any substrate having insulating properties. The insulating substrate may be a rigid substrate or a flexible substrate, but is preferably a sheet-like flexible substrate because a thinner substrate is better from the viewpoint of thermal conductivity.

[0033] The insulating substrate may be made of any insulating material, such as ceramic or resin, but is preferably made of resin. Any resin can be used, but from the viewpoint of heat resistance, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyimide is preferred, and polyimide is more preferred.

[0034] (2) Thermoelectric power generation element A thermoelectric power generation element, also known as a thermoelectric conversion element, has the function of converting heat into electricity. Specifically, an electromotive force is generated by creating a temperature difference between one side of the thermoelectric power generation element and the other side.

[0035] The thermoelectric power generating element is not particularly limited, and any element capable of generating thermoelectric power can be used. A typical thermoelectric power generating element has a structure in which a pair of p-type and n-type semiconductors are combined. The thermoelectric power generating element can be made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of BiTe, PbTe, Si-Ge, silicide, skutterudite, transition metal oxide, zinc antimony, boron compound, clathrate compound, cluster solid, zinc oxide, and carbon nanotube.

[0036] Generally, multiple thermoelectric generation elements are used in a thermoelectric generation module because the electromotive force per thermoelectric generation element is small. There is no particular limit to the number of thermoelectric generation elements used, and it can be determined according to the required power. If the number of thermoelectric generation elements per thermoelectric generation module is too small, a large number of thermoelectric generation modules will be required to ensure the required amount of power generation. Therefore, it is preferable that the number of thermoelectric generation elements per thermoelectric generation module be 2,000 or more. On the other hand, because there is a risk that the thermoelectric generation module will cease to function if even a portion of the elements contained in the thermoelectric generation module is damaged, it is desirable that the number of thermoelectric generation elements per thermoelectric generation module is not excessively large; specifically, it is preferable that the number be 6,000 or less.

[0037] (3) Peripheral sealing frame An outer sealing frame is provided between the pair of insulating substrates to seal the outer peripheries of the pair of insulating substrates. By sealing the outer peripheries of the insulating substrates in this manner, it is possible to prevent moisture and iron powder from entering the interior of the thermoelectric power generation module from the outer periphery. The outer sealing frame may be provided near the outer edge of the insulating substrates so as to surround all of the thermoelectric power generation elements provided in the thermoelectric power generation module.

[0038] The shape of the peripheral sealing frame is not particularly limited as long as it is frame-shaped. However, when the insulating substrate is rectangular, it is preferable that the peripheral sealing frame also be rectangular in shape from the viewpoint of widening the space for mounting the thermoelectric power generation element. Note that the shape of the peripheral sealing frame here refers to the shape of the peripheral sealing frame when viewing the thermoelectric power generation module from a direction perpendicular to the insulating substrate.

[0039] The cross-sectional shape of the peripheral sealing frame is not particularly limited and may be any shape. For example, the cross-sectional shape may be rectangular or circular. For example, an O-ring may be used as a peripheral sealing frame having a circular cross-sectional shape.

[0040] The material of the peripheral sealing frame is not particularly limited, and various materials such as resin, ceramic, and metal can be used. When using resin, it is sufficient to use a resin having heat resistance appropriate for the usage environment. Furthermore, it is preferable to use at least one metal selected from the group consisting of copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, and steel.

[0041] (4)Terminal section Terminals are connected to the thermoelectric generation elements, and lead members (described later) are connected via the terminals. Any material can be used as the terminals as long as they can electrically connect the thermoelectric generation elements and the lead members. Typically, it is preferable to use the same material as the electrodes used to connect the thermoelectric generation elements.

[0042] (5) Lead material The thermoelectric power generation module includes a lead member for extracting the electric power generated by the thermoelectric power generation element. In the present invention, the lead member is installed so as to penetrate the insulating substrate of the pair of insulating substrates that is on the cooling plate side and the cooling plate. It is preferable that the terminal portion and the lead member are provided on the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side of the thermoelectric power generation module, respectively.

[0043] The lead member may be a twisted cable, but is preferably a metal rod. The shape of the metal rod is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a square prism, but is preferably cylindrical from the viewpoint of ease of sealing with a sealing member.

[0044] The lead member preferably has a flange portion that widens outward like a brim at the tip end connected to the terminal portion. In other words, the lead member preferably has a lead member main body and a disk-shaped portion that is connected to the tip end of the lead member main body connected to the terminal portion and has a diameter larger than that of the lead member main body. This shape can prevent the lead member from coming off the thermoelectric power generation module.

[0045] The lead members are arranged to penetrate the cooling plate. That is, the cooling plate has through holes for attaching the lead members, and the lead members are installed so as to pass through the through holes. It is preferable to fill the space between the lead members and the through holes of the cooling plate with an insulating material. By filling the space with an insulating material, not only can the lead members and the cooling plate be insulated from each other, but the effect of preventing the intrusion of moisture and iron powder can also be further enhanced. A resin can typically be used as the insulating material, and it is also preferable to use an adhesive that hardens after being poured between the lead members and the through holes of the cooling plate.

[0046] (6) Sealing member In the present invention, a sealing member is provided to prevent the intrusion of moisture and iron powder from the area where the lead members are attached. The sealing member is installed so as to seal the gap formed between at least two of the lead members, the cooling plate, and the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side.

[0047] In this way, by sealing the outer periphery of the insulating substrate with the outer sealing frame and providing a sealing member at the location where the lead member is attached, it is possible to effectively prevent moisture and iron powder from entering the thermoelectric power generation module.

[0048] It is preferable that the sealing member contacts each of the lead member, the cooling plate, and the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side, and seals gaps formed between the lead member, the cooling plate, and the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side.

[0049] The sealing member is preferably, for example, an annular elastic sealing member. The annular elastic sealing member may have any shape, such as a rectangular or circular cross section, but is preferably an O-ring.

[0050] The material of the sealing member is not particularly limited, and any material can be used as long as it can seal the gap and prevent the intrusion of moisture and iron powder. The material of the sealing member is preferably an elastic material, and more preferably an insulating elastic material. Typically, rubber can be used as the insulating elastic material. Note that the rubber also includes elastomers. In particular, from the viewpoint of heat resistance, it is preferable to use fluororubber, and in particular, it is preferable to use perfluoroelastomer.

[0051] (thermal conductive sheet) A thermally conductive sheet is preferably provided between the heat receiving plate and the thermoelectric power generation module. Also, a thermally conductive sheet is preferably provided between the cooling plate and the thermoelectric power generation module. By providing a thermally conductive sheet, the thermal contact resistance between the components can be reduced and thermoelectric power generation efficiency can be improved. The thermally conductive sheet may be provided only between the heat receiving plate and the thermoelectric power generation module or between the cooling plate and the thermoelectric power generation module, but it is preferable to provide it on both sides. The thermally conductive sheet also has the function of absorbing the difference in thermal expansion in the thickness direction between the components (thermoelectric power generation module, heat receiving plate, cooling plate, etc.) that are in contact with the thermally conductive sheet.

[0052] The thermally conductive sheet is not particularly limited as long as it can be used in the environment in which the thermoelectric power generation module is used, but from the viewpoint of thermal conductivity, it is preferable to use a graphite sheet.

[0053] [Supporting member] Furthermore, it is preferable to provide a support member for supporting the sealing member between the heat receiving plate and the cooling plate. The installation position of the support member is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to install it, for example, between the lead member and the insulating substrate on the heat receiving plate side (first position). It is also preferable to install it between the insulating substrate on the heat receiving plate side and the heat receiving plate (second position). It is more preferable to install support members at both the first position and the second position.

[0054] The material of the support member is not particularly limited, but is preferably made of ceramic from the viewpoints of electrical insulation, heat insulation, heat resistance, strength, and the like.

[0055] [Thermoelectric power generation method] In one embodiment of the present invention, a thermoelectric power generation method includes installing the above-described thermoelectric power generation device in a row of manufacturing equipment at a steelworks, and converting heat into electric power using the thermoelectric power generation device. As described above, the surroundings of the rows of manufacturing equipment at a steelworks are an extremely harsh environment, with moisture and fine iron powder present, making electrical leakage highly likely to occur. However, by using a thermoelectric power generation device having the above-described structure, it is possible to prevent moisture and iron powder from entering the thermoelectric power generation device, particularly the thermoelectric power generation module. As a result, electrical leakage is prevented, enabling stable thermoelectric power generation.

[0056] The production line of the steelworks is not particularly limited, and any production line having a heat source can be used. Examples of production line that can be particularly suitably applied include a continuous casting line and a hot rolling line.

[0057] Next, the structure of the thermoelectric generator of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are all examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the drawings used in the following description show the peripheral structure of one lead member of the thermoelectric generator, but it is preferable that the peripheral structures of other lead members not shown be similar.

[0058] (First embodiment) 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a thermoelectric power generation device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The thermoelectric power generation device 1 includes a heat receiving plate 10 and a cooling plate 20 arranged opposite each other, and a thermoelectric power generation module 30 sandwiched between them.

[0059] The thermoelectric power generation module 30 includes a pair of opposing insulating substrates 31, multiple thermoelectric power generation elements 32 sandwiched between the insulating substrates 31, an outer sealing frame 33, terminal portions 34, lead members 35, and a sealing member 36. The multiple thermoelectric power generation elements 32 are connected to each other by electrodes 37. The lead members 35 are substantially cylindrical metal members, and have a disk-shaped portion at the bottom end with an increased diameter to prevent them from coming loose. The lead members 35 are connected to the thermoelectric power generation elements 32 via the terminal portions 34.

[0060] The outer periphery sealing frame 33 is a resin member, and is fixed by being sandwiched between the insulating substrates 31. By providing the outer periphery sealing frame 33 in this manner, it is possible to prevent moisture, iron powder, and the like from entering through the outer periphery of the thermoelectric power generation module 30.

[0061] Furthermore, a thermally conductive sheet 40 is provided between the heat receiving plate 10 and the thermoelectric power generation module 30, and similarly, a thermally conductive sheet 40 is provided between the cooling plate 20 and the thermoelectric power generation module 30. By using the thermally conductive sheet 40 in this manner, heat can be easily transferred, thereby improving power generation efficiency.

[0062] 1, sealing member 36 is an O-ring that is placed so as to come into contact with lead member 35, cooling plate 20, and insulating substrate 31 on the cooling plate 20 side, thereby sealing the gaps between lead member 35, cooling plate 20, and insulating substrate 31 on the cooling plate 20 side. By placing sealing member 36 in this manner, it is possible to extremely effectively prevent moisture and iron powder from entering through the through-holes provided in insulating substrate 31 for attaching lead member 35.

[0063] Furthermore, in the example shown in FIG. 1 , an insulating material 50 is provided in the gap between the lead member 35 and the through-hole provided in the cooling plate 20. The insulating material 50 is formed by filling the gap with resin (adhesive) and then hardening it. Filling the gap with the insulating material 50 in this manner is expected to be effective in preventing the intrusion of moisture and other contaminants. However, filling the gap with resin is difficult, and some gaps inevitably remain. Therefore, from the perspective of more reliably preventing the intrusion of moisture and iron powder in harsh environments such as those in the rows of manufacturing equipment at a steelworks, it is extremely effective to use the insulating material 50 in combination with the sealing member 36, as shown in FIG. 1 . In this case, the insulating material 50 can be filled with the sealing member 36 in place.

[0064] (Second embodiment) 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a thermoelectric generator 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the same configuration as the thermoelectric generator according to the first embodiment described above, the thermoelectric generator 1 according to this embodiment further includes a first support member 61 and a second support member 62 in the space between the heat receiving plate 10 and the cooling plate 20.

[0065] More specifically, the first support member 61 is placed between the lead member 35 and the insulating substrate 31 on the heat receiving plate 10 side (first position), with the upper surface of the first support member 61 in contact with the lower surface of the lead member 35, and the lower surface of the first support member 61 in contact with the upper surface of the insulating substrate 31 on the heat receiving plate 10 side. By placing a support member below the lead member 35 in this way and eliminating the gap between it and the insulating substrate 31, it is possible to prevent the lead member 35 from shifting downward. Furthermore, in order to enhance the sealing effect of the sealing member 36, it is desirable to apply pressure in the vertical direction (in the direction pressing the heat receiving plate 10 and the cooling plate 20 toward the thermoelectric power generation module 30), and the presence of the first support member 61 makes it possible to apply pressure smoothly.

[0066] 2, the first support member 61 has a concave shape with a recess on its upper surface for receiving the lead member 35. This shape prevents the first support member 61 from shifting out of position. However, the shape of the first support member 61 is not limited to a concave shape and may be, for example, a simple plate shape.

[0067] The second support member 62 is placed (at a second position) between the insulating substrate 31 on the heat receiving plate 10 side and the heat receiving plate 10, with the upper surface of the second support member 62 contacting the lower surface of the insulating substrate 31 on the heat receiving plate 10 side, and the lower surface of the second support member 62 contacting the upper surface of the heat receiving plate 10. As with the first support member 61, by placing the second support member 62 in this manner and filling the gap between the insulating substrate 31 and the heat receiving plate 10, pressure can be applied without strain.

[0068] The materials of the first support member 61 and the second support member are not particularly limited, but are preferably ceramic. The materials of the first support member 61 and the second support member may be the same or different.

[0069] When the second support member 62 is used, the heat conduction sheet 40 may be provided in a portion where the second support member 62 is not present.

[0070] (Modification of the second embodiment) Next, a modified example of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Although Figs. 3(a) to (c) only show the peripheral portion of the second support member 62, the structure of the other omitted portions can be the same as that of the second embodiment shown in Fig. 2.

[0071] In the second embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the second support member 62 is a single plate-like member, but in the modified example shown in Fig. 3(a), the second support member 62 is made up of multiple members arranged at intervals. Each of the members is a rod-like member with a rectangular cross section, and is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the paper surface of Fig. 3. Since the members are arranged at equal intervals, there are spaces between each member where nothing is installed.

[0072] By providing such a space, it is possible to suppress the transfer of heat from the heat receiving plate 10 to the insulating substrate 31. In other words, because the first support member 61 and the lead members 35 are installed above the second support member 62, the thermoelectric generation elements 32 are not present, and therefore the heat transferred to the insulating substrate 31 through the second support member 62 is not effectively utilized. Therefore, by using the second support member 62 having a structure with a space as shown in Fig. 3 to suppress the transfer of heat through the second support member 62, it is possible to relatively increase the thermal energy transferred to the part where the thermoelectric generation elements 32 are present, thereby improving power generation efficiency.

[0073] The shape of the components constituting the second support member 62 is not limited to the rectangular cross-sectional rods shown in FIG. 3(a), and for example, components with a V-shaped cross-section as shown in FIG. 3(b) can also be used. In this example, multiple rod-shaped components with a V-shaped cross-section are spaced apart so that the apex of the V is at the top. This shape reduces the contact area between the second support member 62 and the heat receiving plate 10 and insulating substrate 31, thereby suppressing heat conduction. In addition, the V-shape creates an internal space, which further suppresses heat conduction.

[0074] The second support member 62 may also be a combination of a plurality of rod-shaped members and a plate-shaped member as shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b). For example, in the example shown in Figure 3(c), the second support member 62 is composed of a plurality of rod-shaped members 62a with a V-shaped cross section similar to that shown in Figure 3(b) and a plate-shaped member 62b. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1 Thermoelectric power generation device 10 Heat receiving plate 20 Cooling plate 30 Thermoelectric power generation module 31 Insulating substrate 32 Thermoelectric power generation element 33 Peripheral sealing frame 34 Terminal section 35 Lead material 36 Sealing member 37 electrode 40 Thermal Conduction Sheet 50 Insulation 61 first support member 62 second support member 62a rod-shaped member (second support member) 62b Plate-shaped member (second support member)

Claims

1. A thermoelectric power generation device to be attached to a line of manufacturing equipment in a steelworks, a heat receiving plate, a cooling plate facing the heat receiving plate, and a cooling plate disposed between the heat receiving plate and the cooling plate; and a thermoelectric power generation module, The thermoelectric power generation module includes: a pair of opposing insulating substrates; a plurality of thermoelectric power generation elements sandwiched between the pair of insulating substrates; an outer periphery sealing frame that is sandwiched between the pair of insulating substrates and seals the outer peripheries of the pair of insulating substrates; a terminal portion connected to the thermoelectric power generation element; a lead member connected to the terminal portion and provided to penetrate through the cooling plate and one of the pair of insulating substrates on the side of the cooling plate; an insulating material filled in a gap between the lead member and a through hole provided in the cooling plate; a sealing member that seals a gap formed between at least two of the lead member, the cooling plate, and the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side, the sealing member is an O-ring that comes into contact with each of the lead member, the cooling plate, and the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side, and seals gaps formed among the lead member, the cooling plate, and the insulating substrate on the cooling plate side, the thermoelectric power generation device further includes a first support member and a second support member between the heat receiving plate and the cooling plate, the first support member and the second support member serving as support members for supporting the sealing member; the first support member is disposed between the lead member and the insulating substrate on the heat receiving plate side, with an upper surface of the first support member contacting a lower surface of the lead member and a lower surface of the first support member contacting an upper surface of the insulating substrate on the heat receiving plate side, the second support member is installed between the insulating substrate on the heat receiving plate side and the heat receiving plate, and an upper surface of the second support member is in contact with a lower surface of the insulating substrate on the heat receiving plate side, and a lower surface of the second support member is in contact with an upper surface of the heat receiving plate, The thermoelectric generator, wherein the first support member and the second support member are made of ceramic.

2. The thermoelectric generator according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing member is made of fluororubber.

3. The thermoelectric power generation device according to claim 1 or 2 is installed in a line of manufacturing equipment in a steelworks, A thermoelectric power generation method for converting heat into electric power by the thermoelectric power generation device.

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