Thermal Capacitor Fluid Generation for Energy Harvesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy harvesting systems, such as thermoelectric generators, face challenges in efficiently capturing thermal energy from fluctuating temperature environments due to the weight and cost of effective phase-change thermal capacitors, making it difficult to transport and deploy them in remote locations like Mars.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a thermal capacitor generation device that synthesizes a thermal capacitor fluid using ambient air, specifically an aqueous ammonia solution, which is tunable to change phase at a selected intermediate temperature, allowing for efficient energy harvesting from temperature fluctuations and reducing the need for heavy, dense thermal capacitors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If effective phase-change thermal capacitors are used to harvest thermal energy, then energy harvesting efficiency is improved, but weight and transportation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the thermal capacitor from solid (heavy phase-change materials) to gas (lightweight gas-phase thermal energy storage medium). This parameter change from solid to gaseous state dramatically reduces weight while maintaining thermal energy storage capability, resolving the contradiction between energy harvesting efficiency and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of water (liquid to gas) as the thermal energy source, and maintains the thermal capacitor in gas phase. By transitioning to gas-phase thermal energy storage, the system achieves effective thermal energy harvesting without the weight penalty of traditional solid phase-change materials.
2Reliability
If heavy thermal capacitors are transported to remote locations, then energy harvesting capability is improved, but transportation cost and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the phase parameter of the thermal capacitor from solid to gas, which fundamentally improves transportation ease. Gaseous thermal energy storage media can be contained in lightweight, compact vessels that are much easier to transport to remote locations compared to heavy solid phase-change materials, while maintaining full energy harvesting capability.
3Reliability
If traditional thermal capacitors are used, then thermal energy storage is effective, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs gas-phase thermal energy storage utilizing water vapor and other atmospheric gases. This approach simplifies the system by eliminating complex solid-liquid phase change mechanisms, heavy containment structures, and associated control systems required for traditional thermal capacitors, while maintaining effective thermal energy storage through gas phase processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables lightweight, efficient energy harvesting from temperature fluctuations, providing a reliable power source in remote environments by converting thermal energy into electrical energy, even in harsh conditions like those on Mars, while minimizing transportation costs and weight.
Implementation Method 1
Heat moves across each semiconductor and redistributes the concentration of majority charge carriers toward the cooler side, creating an electromotive force according to the Seebeck effect and thus generating current in the circuit.
Implementation Method 2
the thermal capacitor fluid may be tuned to change phase at a selected intermediate temperature of a selected environment
Data Source
AI summary
An energy harvesting apparatus may include a thermoelectric device, a heat exchanger coupled to the thermoelectric device, a thermal capacitor container, and a thermal capacitor generation device. The thermal capacitor generation device may be configured to generate a thermal capacitor fluid, to be contained in the thermal capacitor container. An electrical energy storage device may be electrically connected to the thermoelectric device, to store electricity generated by the thermoelectric device.