Graphene-based energy source for heat meters

Abstract

The invention relates to a graphene-based energy source used in heat meters located in independently heated or cooled spaces, where a graphene-based nano-composite is utilized instead of a battery. It generates electrical energy by leveraging the temperature difference between the heating water flowing through the meter and the ambient temperature, using the Seebeck effect of thermoelectricity. This innovation eliminates the need for batteries in heat meters by transforming the meter itself into a source of energy.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] GRAPHENE-BASED ENERGY SOURCE FOR HEAT METERS

[0003] Technical Field

[0004] The invention relates to an energy source used in heat meters located in independently heated or cooled spaces managed by a central system.

[0005] Specifically, the invention involves a graphene-based energy source that utilizes a graphene-based nano-composite instead of a battery in heat meters. It generates electrical energy by taking advantage of the temperature difference between the heating water passing through the meter and the ambient temperature, leveraging the Seebeck Effect of thermoelectricity. This enables the heat meter to function as its own energy source, eliminating the need for batteries.

[0006] State of the Art

[0007] Currently, in independently heated or cooled spaces (e.g., apartments, offices, shops) managed by a central system, heat consumption is measured using heat meters. These meters calculate the total energy consumed in central heating and cooling systems and determine the energy usage of each independent space.

[0008] Heat meters primarily measure the temperature difference between the water entering and exiting an independent space (apartment, office, shop, etc.) through temperature sensors. Using a flow sensor, they also determine the flow rate (the volume of water passing per unit time) of water in the climate control or hot water system of the independent space. The total energy consumed is then calculated using the time, flow rate, and temperature difference via a processing unit. These heat meters operate with electronic boards, which include communication layers, and the required electrical energy is supplied by batteries.

[0009] However, the widespread use of batteries in millions of meters creates significant challenges due to the high-density carbon footprint. The disposal of depleted batteries poses additional environmental concerns. In the current state of technology, electricity sources other than batteries are not used in gas, water, and heat meters. However, the reduction of carbon footprints is becoming a mandatory requirement in developed countries due to legal regulations. Initiatives such as the European Green Deal and Climate Targets, MID, Eco-Design Regulation, and Energy Efficiency Regulation are being implemented consecutively. Consequently, new methods are being researched and applied in meter production. Soon, a carbon footprint label will become a requirement for all products, including meters. To comply, materials used in products and production processes are being optimized, and waste recycling methods are being utilized.

[0010] For example, in the Ell, meter manufacturers have started collecting expired meters, refurbishing and testing their circuit boards, and reusing them. While effective in reducing carbon footprints, this method is associated with the disposal of batteries from collected meters, as well as the costs of testing and maintenance processes. A 2500 mAh LiSOCI2battery used in heat meters generates 0.8 kg of CO2emissions. Additionally, its production releases 100-150 kg of CO2emissions per kWh. Therefore, there is a need for an energy source in heat meters that eliminates battery usage.

[0011] In the literature, an example of the state of the art can be found in document US2024201278. This document pertains to a consumption meter and a battery life estimation module. It describes a system for accurately predicting the remaining battery life of a consumption meter and minimizing total battery consumption.

[0012] In conclusion, the presence of the aforementioned problems and the inadequacy of existing solutions have necessitated advancements in the relevant technical field.

[0013] Purpose of the Invention

[0014] The present invention relates to a graphene-based energy source for heat meters, eliminating the disadvantages mentioned above and introducing new advantages to the relevant technical field.

[0015] The main purpose of the invention is to introduce an energy source that generates electrical energy using the temperature difference between the heating water passing through the heat meter and the ambient temperature of the meter, based on the Seebeck Effect principle of thermoelectricity, by employing a graphene-based nanocomposite instead of a battery in heat meters.

[0016] Another purpose of the invention is to introduce a graphene-based energy source that transforms the heat meter itself into an energy source, thereby eliminating the need for batteries.

[0017] Another purpose of the invention is to develop an energy source that leverages the extraordinary thermal conductivity and excellent electromechanical properties of graphene.

[0018] Another purpose of the invention is to provide an energy source that reduces the carbon footprint and lowers the total cost of heat meters by achieving this without requiring any investment in the production process. Regulations related to carbon footprint must be complied with regardless of cost reductions. Nevertheless, this invention not only meets such requirements easily but also reduces costs.

[0019] Another purpose of the invention is to develop an energy source that can also be used outside heat meters, thanks to its ability to provide voltage levels (2.4-5.0 V) used in consumer electronics from low- temperature differences.

[0020] To achieve all the purposes mentioned above and those that may arise from the detailed description, the invention involves an energy source for use in heat meters located in independent spaces heated or cooled by a central system, which includes a heat meter measurement pipe through which heating water passes, and comprises:

[0021] • A metal mounting plate with high thermal conductivity connected to the heat meter measurement pipe,

[0022] • An anode connected to the upper surface of the metal mounting plate,

[0023] • A graphene energy collector made of a multilayer nanocomposite material located on the anode, which converts the temperature difference between the heating water's temperature (transferred to the metal mounting plate) and the average ambient temperature of the heat meter into electrical energy based on the Seebeck Effect principle,

[0024] • A cathode connected to the graphene energy collector,

[0025] • A finned cooler attached to the cathode to transfer ambient temperature to the graphene energy collector, • A booster located on the graphene energy collector to rectify and amplify the electrical signals from the graphene energy collector,

[0026] • A graphene capacitor that stores the amplified electrical energy from the booster.

[0027] The structural and characteristic features and all the advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood through the figures provided below and the detailed explanation that references these figures. Therefore, the evaluation should also consider these figures and detailed explanations.

[0028] Figures Supporting the Understanding of the Invention

[0029] • Figure 1 : Disassembled view of the energy source subject to the invention.

[0030] • Figure 2a: Perspective view of the energy source subject to the invention.

[0031] • Figure 2b: Front view of the energy source subject to the invention.

[0032] • Figure 2c: Side view of the energy source subject to the invention.

[0033] • Figure 3: Detailed view of the graphene energy collector and graphene capacitor of the energy source subject to the invention.

[0034] Explanation of Part References

[0035] • 10. Heat meter measurement pipe

[0036] • 20. Metal mounting plate

[0037] • 30. Anode

[0038] • 40. Graphene energy collector

[0039] • 41. Casing

[0040] • 42. First polymer layer

[0041] • 43. Graphene oxide (GO) layer

[0042] • 44. Second polymer layer

[0043] • 50. Cathode

[0044] • 60. Finned cooler

[0045] • 70. Booster

[0046] • 80. Graphene capacitor

[0047] • 81. Graphene capacitor casing

[0048] • 82. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) layer

[0049] • 83. Graphene capacitor insulation layer • 84. Graphene capacitor electrode

[0050] • T1 : Temperature transferred to the metal mounting plate (20)

[0051] • T2: Average ambient temperature of the heat meter

[0052] Detailed Explanation of the Invention

[0053] This detailed explanation describes the preferred alternatives of the energy source that is the subject of the invention, solely for a better understanding of the topic and without imposing any limiting effect.

[0054] In Figure 1 , a disassembled view of the energy source subject to the invention is shown. Accordingly, the energy source essentially consists of: a heat meter measurement pipe (10) through which heating water flows, a metal mounting plate (20) with high thermal conductivity attached to the heat meter measurement pipe (10), a copper anode (30) in contact with the upper surface of the metal mounting plate (20), a graphene energy harvester (40) consisting of a multilayered nanocomposite material that converts the temperature difference between the temperature transferred to the metal mounting plate (20) from the heating water in the heat meter measurement pipe (10) (T1) and the ambient temperature of the environment where the heat meter is located (T2) into electrical energy via the Seebeck effect, an aluminium or nickel cathode (50) in contact with the graphene energy harvester (40), a finned heat sink (60) attached to the cathode (50) to transfer ambient temperature to the graphene energy harvester (40), a booster (70) mounted on the graphene energy harvester (40) that rectifies and amplifies electrical signals from the graphene energy harvester, and a graphene capacitor (80) to store the electrical energy amplified by the booster (70).

[0055] The energy source is used in heat meters located in independently heated or cooled spaces served by a central system. As shown in Figure 2a, a metal mounting plate (20) made of aluminium with high thermal conductivity is connected to the heat meter measurement pipe (10) through which heating water flows.

[0056] A copper anode (30) is attached to the upper surface of the metal mounting plate (20), which is in contact with it. A multilayered nanocomposite graphene energy harvester (40) is mounted on the copper anode (30), and an aluminium or nickel cathode (50) is connected on top of the graphene energy harvester (40). A finned heat sink (60) made of aluminum or nickel is attached to the cathode (50) to transfer ambient temperature to the graphene energy harvester (40).

[0057] The graphene energy harvester (40) converts the temperature difference between the heating water temperature transferred to the metal mounting plate (20) (T1) and the ambient temperature of the environment where the heat meter is located (T2) into electrical energy via the Seebeck effect. Heating water at an average temperature of 60°C transfers its energy to the aluminum mounting plate (20) on the heat meter measurement pipe (10). This raises the temperature transferred to the mounting plate (T 1) to about 50°C. Meanwhile, the ambient temperature (T2) is approximately 15°C.

[0058] The copper anode (30) in contact with the mounting plate (20) and the aluminum or nickel cathode (50) in contact with the heat sink (60) generate electrical signals within the layered hybrid structure of the graphene energy harvester (40). The finned heat sink (60) ensures maximum temperature difference and rapid heat transfer to the cathode (50).

[0059] As shown in Figure 3, the graphene energy harvester (40) is made up of a multilayered nanocomposite material enclosed in a flexible polyimide polymer protective casing (41). The nanocomposite material inside the casing (41) consists of:

[0060] • A first polymer layer (42) made of PEDOT (Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)),

[0061] • A GO (Graphene Oxide) layer (43) doped with bismuth telluride,

[0062] • A second polymer layer (44) made of PAN I (Polyaniline),

[0063] • Another GO (Graphene Oxide) layer (43) doped with bismuth telluride.

[0064] PEDOT, in the first polymer layer (42), is a conductive polymer component of carbon / polymer thermoelectric nanocomposites, chosen for its reversibility, wide doping range, high conductivity, low thermal conductivity, flexibility, and commercial availability. However, its poor solubility has been addressed by using PEDOT (Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate), a conjugated polyelectrolyte. The graphene energy harvester (40) features a layer of graphene oxide (GO) doped with Bi2Te3 (bismuth telluride) (43) in each of its layers, which increases the Seebeck coefficient between the copper anode (30) and the aluminum or nickel cathode (50) by 70%. Bismuth telluride is a material that possesses very low thermal conductivity and moderate electrical conductivity. The thickness of the graphene oxide (GO) layer (43) is 5 nm.

[0065] The second polymer layer (44), made of PAN I (Polyaniline), was chosen due to its ease of production, high solubility, simple structural modification, high stability, and an appropriate ratio of electrical to thermal conductivity. Typically, the PAN I chain consists of repeating units of oxidized quinoid diamine and reduced benzenoid diamine. However, aniline, the monomer, is commonly used to synthesize PANI. PANI and its derivatives have been extensively studied for thermoelectric (TE) nanocomposites in combination with carbon nanomaterials, leveraging the strong TT-TT interactions that enhance the TE properties between the PANI matrix and carbon nanomaterials. Specifically, PANI has been chosen as a material to ensure electrical isolation between graphene layers.

[0066] The hybrid polymer structure of the multilayer graphene energy harvester (40), consisting of PEDOT as the first polymer layer (42) + Graphene Oxide (GO) layer (43) + PANI as the second polymer layer (44) + Graphene Oxide (GO) layer (43) in a single layer of the nano-composite material, provides the following advantages compared to the use of PANI or PEDOT materials alone: Improved electrical conductivity due to multiple electron transport pathways,

[0067] • Mechanical stability, with PEDOT providing flexibility and PANI enhancing rigidity,

[0068] • Thermal stability, responding effectively to minor temperature variations to enhance the Seebeck effect,

[0069] • Pseudo-capacitance effect, acting as a capacitor for efficient energy transfer, and

[0070] Chemical stability, offering additional resistance to oxidation and extending operational life. The multilayer structure of the graphene energy harvester (40) is produced using the spin coating method, while the anode (30) and cathode (50) are layered using the inkjet spraying method to ensure contact with each graphene oxide (GO) layer (15) within the structure. This approach to electrode deposition ensures uniform thermal distribution, thereby extending the lifespan of the electrodes during operation and enhancing conductivity.

[0071] At a temperature difference of 20°C, the graphene energy harvester (40) with 15 layers delivers reference output values as follows:

[0072] . Vout: 0.3V

[0073] • lout: 0.5A

[0074] . Pout: 284.16W

[0075] The electrical signals produced by the graphene energy harvester (40) are insufficient for the metrological operation of a heat meter. The low-level, unsteady, and irregular voltage needs to be raised to a level of 3.2V. For this purpose, a booster (70) is used as a DC-DC converter. The booster (70) located on the graphene energy harvester (40) rectifies and boosts the electrical signals coming from the graphene energy harvester (40). The increased voltage is then transferred to the graphene capacitor (80) and is used to power the electronic circuit of the heat meter when needed.

[0076] In order for the electronic circuit of the heat meter to meet the metrological requirements according to the MID (Measurement Instruments Directive) standards, a voltage of 3.2 V and a capacitor with a value of 500 Farads are needed. The graphene capacitor (80) fulfills this requirement. While there are many standard capacitors that conventionally operate at this capacity, the nature of the invention requires that energy collected at low temperature differences be stored rapidly. In addition to the pseudocapacitor effect of the graphene energy harvester (40), the fast charging effect of the graphene capacitor (80) meets this need.

[0077] The graphene capacitor (80), housed in a polyimide protective casing (81), contains:

[0078] A reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) layer (82), A dielectric insulation layer (83) made of graphene doped with Barium Titanate (BaTiO3).

[0079] The graphene capacitor (80) does not use an electrolyte. Due to the low-temperature operating conditions, this method is effective in preventing thermal leakage and also prevents the formation of corrosion, thereby extending the operational lifespan. The reduced graphene oxide (rGO) layer (82) increases capacitance effects and energy density due to its larger surface area. The dielectric insulation layer (83) of the graphene capacitor (80) is made from a barium titanate (BaTiO3) composite polymer. This material provides higher permittivity and temperature stability. Additionally, because it has an extremely high dielectric constant, the graphene capacitor (80) significantly reduces its size while maintaining the same capacitance value. In this form, the graphene capacitor (80) offers advantages over other graphene-derived capacitors, including being more cost-effective, long-lasting, mechanically robust, thermally resistant, and compact.

Claims

1. CLAIMS1. An energy source used in heat meters located in independently heated or cooled spaces, which includes a measurement pipe (10) through which the heating water flows. Its features are:- A thermally conductive metal mounting plate (20) connected to the measurement pipe (10),- An anode (30) connected to the upper surface of the metal mounting plate (20),- A graphene energy harvester (40) made of a multilayer nano-composite material that converts the temperature difference (T1) between the heating water temperature flowing through the measurement pipe (10) and the average temperature (T2) of the environment into electrical energy based on the Seebeck effect of thermoelectricity,- A cathode (50) connected to the graphene energy harvester (40),- A finned cooler (60) connected to the cathode (50) that transfers the ambient temperature to the graphene energy harvester (40),- A booster (70) on the graphene energy harvester (40) that rectifies and boosts the electrical signals coming from it,- A graphene capacitor (80) that stores the boosted electrical energy from the booster (70).

2. An energy source according to Claim 1 , characterized by the graphene energy harvester (40) being housed in a protective casing (41) that sequentially includes at least one polymer layer (42) made of PEDOT (Poly(3,4- ethylenedioxythiophene)), at least one layer (43) of graphene oxide (GO) doped with bismuth telluride, at least one polymer layer (44) made of PANI (Polyaniline), and at least one layer (43) of graphene oxide doped with bismuth telluride.

3. An energy source according to Claim 1 , characterized by the graphene capacitor (80) being contained within a protective casing (81) made of Polyimide (PI), which sequentially includes a reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) layer (82) and a dielectric insulation layer (83) of the graphene capacitor doped with Barium Titanate (BaTiO3).

4. An energy source according to Claim 1 , characterized by the anode (30) being made of copper.

5. An energy source according to Claim 1, characterized by the cathode (50) being made of aluminum or nickel.

6. An energy source according to Claim 1 , characterized by the finned cooler (60) being made of aluminum or nickel.

7. An energy source according to Claim 1, characterized by the metal mounting plate (20) being made of aluminum.

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