Thermoelectric power generation system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermoelectric power generation systems experience unevenness in power generation among devices due to varying heat distribution from a heat source, leading to inefficiencies in energy conversion.
Innovation Solution
A thermoelectric power generation system with heat medium passages that facilitate latent heat transfer and communication between devices, using a heat transfer pipe to circulate a high-temperature fluid in a single flow path, and equalizing pressure within the passages to ensure consistent heat medium conditions across all devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If thermoelectric power generation devices are arranged around a heat source with varying distances, then the system can adapt to temperature changes over time, but unevenness in power generation amount among devices occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The heat medium circulation system is segmented into multiple independent circulation paths, each serving a specific thermoelectric power generation device. This segmentation allows each device to receive optimized heat supply independently, ensuring uniform power generation while maintaining adaptability to temperature changes through the overall system design.
Solution Approach 2:
Each thermoelectric power generation device is equipped with its own heat medium passage and circulation path, allowing local optimization of heat transfer conditions. This local quality approach ensures that each device operates under optimal and consistent conditions, eliminating unevenness in power generation while the system as a whole adapts to temperature variations.
2Device complexity
If heat medium passages are isolated in each device, then individual device operation is simplified, but heat distribution uniformity across devices deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat medium circulation systems of multiple devices into a coordinated network. While each device maintains its own heat medium passage for operational simplicity, the circulation paths are interconnected through a shared heat medium supply system that ensures uniform heat distribution across all devices, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and heat distribution uniformity.
3Power
If multiple heat transfer pipes are used to distribute heat, then heat supply capacity increases, but system complexity and heat distribution unevenness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat medium circulation system is designed with multi-functionality, where a single coordinated circulation network serves multiple thermoelectric power generation devices simultaneously. This universal system provides both high heat supply capacity and uniform heat distribution while avoiding the complexity of multiple independent circulation systems, as each component serves multiple purposes across the system.
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 configuration reduces unevenness in power generation among devices by maintaining a constant condensation temperature and equalizing heat distribution, thereby enhancing overall system efficiency and reducing variations in power output.
Implementation Method 1
a thermoelectric element having the heating unit on one side and the cooling unit on the other side, the thermoelectric element configured to generate power by utilizing a temperature difference between a condensation temperature of the heat medium that undergoes latent heat transfer in the heat medium passage
Implementation Method 2
condensation temperature of the heat medium that undergoes latent heat transfer
Data Source
AI summary
A thermoelectric power generation system including a plurality of thermoelectric power generation devices. Each of the thermoelectric power generation devices includes: a heating unit having a heat medium passage in which a heat medium flows; a cooling unit having a cooling liquid passage in which a cooling liquid flows; a thermoelectric element having the heating unit and the cooling unit so as to generate power by utilizing a temperature difference between a condensation temperature of the heat medium and a temperature of the cooling liquid; and a heat transfer pipe communicated with the heat medium passage to form a circulation path in which the heat medium circulates. The heat transfer pipes of the respective thermoelectric power generation devices are arranged in a single flow path in which a high temperature fluid flows. The heat medium passages of the thermoelectric power generation devices are structured to communicate with each other.