JP2013110260A - Wire power generation element and wire power generation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power generation element and a power generation system in which a thermal electromotive force and an inductive electromotive force are utilized and an electromotive force similar to a conventional one can be obtained with smaller scale.SOLUTION: A wire power generation element is composed of a wire 1 obtained by insulation-coating a metal line 1 and a wire 2 obtained by insulation-coating a metal line 2 constituting the thermocouple by joint with the metal line 1. The metal line 1 and the metal line 2 are alternately connected in series, the metal line 1 and the metal line 2 joined to each other are formed into a coil, and two or more of wires 1 and two or more of wires 2 are formed into a twisted pair, respectively. The wire power generation element is used in a wire power generation system.

Description

  The present invention relates to a hybrid electric wire power generating element capable of performing both power generation by thermoelectromotive force and electric power generation by induced electromotive force using a temperature difference between underwater and on the water, between the ground and the surface, and the like. Including electric wire power generation system.

  In recent years, small-scale power generation in the vicinity of areas where electricity is consumed and in each region has attracted attention as a power generation method that eliminates the need for power transmission facilities and causes no transmission loss. And as this small-scale, distributed power generation method, using the temperature difference existing in the natural world and the environment where it is installed, the so-called Seebeck effect, that is, the potential difference occurs when there is a temperature difference between the junctions of dissimilar metals There has been proposed a method of generating power of W order or less using the thermoelectric effect.

  For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a thermocouple power generator that generates power using a temperature difference on the ground surface or in the ground. This power generator is composed of a surface thermocouple generator that generates electricity from the temperature difference between the road surface, the roof of the structure, the open ground and the upper ground layer, and a subsurface thermoelectric generator that generates power from the temperature difference between the upper ground layer and the deep underground layer. It has a counter-generator, and aims at stable power generation that uses unused thermal energy and does not emit carbon dioxide.

  However, the electromotive force obtained by the Seebeck effect is about 1 mV at most even if the temperature difference between the junctions is about 30 ° C. in the currently known combination of metals. Therefore, in the thermocouple power generator as described in Patent Document 1, the electromotive force required for many applications cannot be obtained. In addition, a sufficient temperature difference is not always obtained depending on the installation location and time zone.

  In view of this, a hybrid-type power generation device that combines a thermoelectromotive force by the Seebeck effect and another electromotive force has been proposed. For example, Patent Literature 2 discloses a hybrid electric wire power generation element and an electric wire power generation system that use an induced electromotive force as another electromotive force. In this power generation element and power generation system, a large number of thermocouples made of dissimilar metal wires are alternately connected in series, and power is generated by the Seebeck effect by alternately setting the joints at different temperature states. The electromotive force is increased by increasing the number of elements and connecting them in series.

  Furthermore, the thermocouple is connected in a coil shape, and power generation is also performed by an induced electromotive force generated by a change in magnetic flux passing through the thermocouple coil. And as a place where the change of magnetic flux can be obtained, household power cord, water meter, window sash, etc. can be mentioned, and when installed in these places, both electromotive force and induced electromotive force due to Seebeck effect can be obtained (FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 5, paragraphs 0029, 0061, 0063, 0076, 0084, 0092, etc. of Patent Document 2).

JP 2008-271666 A JP 2007-228719 A

  In recent years, user demands for small-scale, distributed power generation elements and power generation systems have increased, and smaller power generation elements and power generation systems are desired as electromotive forces increase. However, the conventional power generation element and power generation system using the electromotive force and induced electromotive force due to the Seebeck effect as described above do not satisfy the demands of users in recent years. For example, in order to obtain an electromotive force on the order of volts at a temperature difference of 3 ° C., it is necessary to connect about 2500 thermocouples in series, which makes it difficult to reduce the scale of the element. In addition, when obtaining a large induced electromotive force due to a change in magnetic flux obtained at an installation location as described in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to increase the number of elements of the thermocouple in the same manner, thereby reducing the size of the element. It was difficult.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a power generation element and a power generation system that use a thermoelectromotive force and an induced electromotive force, and that can generate an electromotive force similar to the conventional one on a smaller scale.

  As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the inventor of the present invention is a hybrid type in which dissimilar metals are alternately connected in series, and uses a thermoelectromotive force due to the Seebeck effect and an induced electromotive force due to magnetic field fluctuations. In wire electric power generation elements and electric wire power generation systems, by arranging metal (including semiconductor) wires that make up thermocouples so that the same type of metal wires form twisted pairs (twisted pairs), It has been found that a larger number of thermocouple elements can be accommodated therein, and therefore, a larger thermoelectromotive force and induced electromotive force can be obtained even with a device of the same size, and the present invention has been completed. That is, the said subject can be solved by the structure of each claim shown below.

  The invention according to claim 1 is composed of an electric wire 1 in which a metal wire 1 is insulation-coated and an electric wire 2 in which a metal wire 2 constituting a thermocouple is joined by being joined to the metal wire 1, and the metal wire 1 and the metal wire 2 are alternately joined in series, the joined metal wires 1 and 2 form a coil, and two or more wires 1 and two or more wires 2 form a twisted pair, respectively. It is an electric wire power generation element.

  Here, “constituting a thermocouple” means that dissimilar metal wires are joined, and adjacent joints are set to different temperature states to generate thermoelectromotive force due to the Seebeck effect. That is, the metal wire 2 is selected from metals that generate thermoelectromotive force due to the Seebeck effect when bonded to the metal wire 1.

  In the electric wire power generation element, the metal wires 1 and the metal wires 2 are alternately joined in series. Therefore, the electromotive force can be increased by increasing the number of combinations (thermocouple elements) of the metal wire 1 and the metal wire 2 joined thereto. Moreover, the electric wire in which the metal wire 1 and the metal wire 2 are alternately joined in series forms a coil. Therefore, when the magnetic flux passing through this coil changes, an induced electromotive force is generated.

  This electric wire power generation element is characterized in that two or more electric wires 1 and two or more electric wires 2 each form a twisted pair. Forming a twisted pair means that two or more electric wires are twisted and integrated so as to be wound together (in the case of two, a pair is formed). Since both types of metal wires form a twisted pair, a large number of thermocouple elements can be accommodated in an apparatus of the same size, and a larger electromotive force is generated for both the thermoelectromotive force and the induced electromotive force. Electric power is obtained. Alternatively, the same electromotive force can be obtained by a more compact (small scale) device.

  Since the metal wires forming the twisted pair are each covered with an insulating resin or the like, no current flows between the metal wires. Since a twisted pair is formed, each metal wire is twisted into a coil shape, and an induced electromotive force is also generated when the magnetic flux passing through the coil changes. Therefore, a larger electromotive force can be obtained.

  Invention of Claim 2 has the electric wire electric power generating element and electromotive force process part of Claim 1, and the said electromotive force process part processes the thermoelectromotive force which arises in the said electric wire electric power generation element. And a second power generation system for processing the induced electromotive force. This electromotive force processing unit is a processing device similar to the power supply unit 30 described in Patent Document 2, and includes a circuit having a function of smoothing the thermoelectromotive force and a circuit having a function of rectifying and smoothing the induced electromotive force. It is a device including.

  That is, the first processing circuit has a smoothing circuit that smoothes the output due to the thermoelectromotive force, and further includes a boosting circuit that boosts the output of the smoothing circuit to a predetermined voltage and a charging means for charging the output. You may have. The second processing circuit has a rectifying circuit for rectifying an AC output component caused by the induced electromotive force and a smoothing circuit for smoothing the output of the rectifying circuit, and further boosts the output of the smoothing circuit to a predetermined voltage. There may be provided a boosting circuit for charging and a charging means for charging the output thereof.

  Since the electric wire power generation system according to the present invention uses the electric wire power generation element according to the first aspect, an electromotive force larger than that of the conventional electric wire power generation system can be obtained if the system has the same size. Or, an electromotive force of the same magnitude can be obtained in a smaller system. Therefore, it becomes an excellent small-scale, distributed electric power generation system.

  In the present invention, in a hybrid power generation device that uses thermoelectromotive force and induced current, a larger number of thermocouple elements can be accommodated in a device of the same size, and higher electromotive force can be obtained. Alternatively, an electromotive force of the same magnitude can be obtained with a smaller device.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the principal part of an example of the electric wire electric power generating element of this invention. It is a graph which shows typically the time change of the electromotive force by the electric wire electric power generating element of this invention. It is a figure which shows the circuit structure of the electric wire electric power generation system of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Various modifications can be made to the following embodiments within the same and equivalent scope as the present invention.

  As the types and combinations of the two types of metal wires constituting the power generating element of the present invention, an optimal combination is selected in consideration of the temperature environment that causes the Seebeck effect and the external magnetic field that exerts the induced electromotive force. For example, in normal usage environments such as the ground and the ground surface in homes, outdoors, and temperate zones, from the viewpoint of electromotive force and economy, chromel (Ni-Cr alloy), nisil (Ni-Si alloy), iron (Fe-based), constantan (Cu-Ni-based alloy), Cu-constantan, and the like.

  As an insulating resin that insulates and coats the metal wire 1 and the metal wire 2, resins, polyurethane, polyimide, and the like that are usually used for enamel wire coating or the like can be used.

  The preferred range of twisted twisted pair pitch varies depending on the distance between the joints, the diameter of the metal wire, the environment of the installation location, and the like, and the optimum pitch is selected in consideration of the above conditions and the like. .

(1) Next, the form of an example of the electric wire power generation element of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings showing the configuration of the main part thereof. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an example of the electric wire power generation element of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, 10 indicated by a broken line is an insulation-coated Cu (electrocopper) wire (metal wire 1), and 20 indicated by a solid line is an insulation-coated constantan (Cu55w%, Ni45w%) wire ( The metal wire 2), 19 is a positive terminal, and 29 is a negative terminal. Reference numeral 12 denotes a high-temperature side junction between the Cu wire 10 and the constantan wire 20, and 21 denotes a low-temperature side junction between the Cu wire 10 and the constantan wire 20. In these junctions, the insulating coating of the Cu wire 10 and the constantan wire 20 is provided. Is removed, and the Cu wire 10 and the constantan wire 20 are joined.

As shown in FIG. 1, the Cu wires 10 and the constantan wires 20 are alternately connected, and a plurality of thermocouple elements are connected in series to form a wire power generating element. When power generation by the electric wire power generation element is performed, the high temperature side joint portion 12 is installed in a high temperature environment, and the low temperature side joint portion 21 is installed in a low temperature environment. Region T ₁ where the dotted line is enclosed in Figure 1 represents the high-temperature portion of the temperature T1, the T ₂ are represent the low temperature section of the temperature T2. Due to the Seebeck effect using the temperature difference between T1 and T2, a potential difference is generated between the high temperature side junction 12 and the low temperature side junction 21 and a current indicated by an arrow A in the figure is generated. In the example of FIG. 1, only three thermocouple elements are shown on the high temperature side and four on the low temperature side, but this is to prevent complication of the figure, and the normal use environment and application In many cases, the number of thermocouple elements connected in series is much larger, reaching hundreds to thousands, in order to obtain a large thermoelectromotive force.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the two Cu wires 10 and the two constantan wires 20 are twisted so as to be wound around each other to form a twisted pair. If this electric wire power generation element is placed in an environment where the magnetic flux represented by the dotted line B in FIG. 1 is changing, each metal wire in the twisted pair is formed in a coil shape. An induced electromotive force is generated due to the change. As described above, in the normal case, the number of thermocouple elements reaches several hundred to several thousand, so that a large number of twisted pairs are connected in series, so that a large induced electromotive force can be generated.

  Further, the twisted pair made of Cu wire 10 is provided so as to protrude above the paper surface in FIG. 1, and the twisted pair made of constantan wire 20 is provided so as to protrude below the paper surface in FIG. A twisted pair made of the Cu wire 10 and a twisted pair made of the constantan wire 20 are connected to form a coil. When this electric wire power generation element is placed in an environment where a magnetic flux represented by an arrow C in FIG. 1 is generated and this magnetic flux fluctuates, an induced electromotive force is generated in each metal wire due to the change of the magnetic flux.

  In addition, depending on the magnetic field of the installation location, the induction electromotive force can be increased by inserting a ferromagnetic material in the coil formed by connecting the twisted pair composed of the Cu wire 10 and the twisted pair composed of the constantan wire 20. It is also possible to plan.

  As described above, according to this electric wire power generation element, a thermoelectromotive force due to the Seebeck effect and an induced electromotive force due to changes in magnetic flux in various directions are generated, and since these are used, a large electromotive force is generated as compared with the conventional electric power generation element. Electric power can be obtained.

(2) Next, the state of power generation by an example of the electric wire power generation element of the present invention (configuration of the electric power generation element described in (1)) will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a graph schematically showing the time change of the electromotive force by the electric wire power generation element. The vertical axis of the graph represents electromotive force (generated voltage V), and the horizontal axis represents the passage of time.

V _{1 in} FIG. 2 represents a thermoelectromotive force generated by the Seebeck effect. In general, the change in temperature difference between the thermocouple contacts of the electric power generation element is gentle, so that the thermoelectromotive force V ₁ generated by the Seebeck effect is substantially constant as shown in FIG. That is, it is a direct current under a constant voltage.

On the other hand, the induced electromotive force changes in voltage and direction according to changes in magnetic flux, that is, changes in magnetic field strength and direction. V ₂ in FIG. 2 represents this induced electromotive force, but as shown in FIG. 2, it is an alternating current whose voltage and direction change. Therefore, the electromotive force obtained by synthesizing the thermoelectromotive force and the induced electromotive force changes like a wave shape indicated by a solid line in FIG.

Actually, the absolute values of V ₁ and V ₂ themselves and their magnitudes depend on the temperature difference between the high temperature side T1 and the low temperature side T2, the size of the coil, the direction of the external magnetic field passing through it, and the change in strength, etc. Changes. Therefore, in order to mitigate the effects of these changes, the electric wire power generation system of the present invention is provided with a smoothing circuit.

(3) Next, an example of a wire power generation system using the wire power generation element of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wire power generation system using the wire power generation element of the present invention. In FIG. 3, 100 is the electric wire power generation element of this invention. As the electric wire power generation element 100, the electric wire power generation element described in (1) can be used.

  In FIG. 3, reference numeral 200 denotes an electromotive force processing unit. Reference numeral 211 is a thermoelectromotive force smoothing circuit TH, 212 is an induced electromotive force smoothing circuit ID, 220 is a rectifier circuit, 240 is a charging means, and 300 is a power using device.

  The output by the thermoelectromotive force of the electric wire power generation element 100 is smoothed by the smoothing circuit TH211 and charges the charging means 240. Since the output by the induced electromotive force of the electric wire power generation element 100 is alternating current, it is converted into direct current by the rectifier circuit 220 and then smoothed by the smoothing circuit ID 212 to charge the charging means 240. That is, the smoothing circuit TH211 constitutes a first processing circuit for processing the thermoelectromotive force generated in the electric wire power generation element, and the rectification circuit 220 and the smoothing circuit ID 212 are the second processing for processing the induced electromotive force generated in the electric wire power generation element. A processing circuit is configured.

  The charging means 240 has a secondary battery such as a lithium battery, and further, means for boosting the smoothed thermoelectromotive force and induced electromotive force to a rechargeable voltage of the secondary battery, and for controlling charging. As the means, a booster circuit, a charging circuit, a capacitor, a charging control circuit, and the like may be provided.

  In the electric wire power generation system of FIG. 3, the electric power generated by the electric wire power generation element 100 is stored in the charging unit 240 and then supplied from the charging unit 240 to the power using device 300. Although the method of supplying the electric power generated with the electric wire electric power generation element 100 directly to the electric power usage apparatus 300 is also considered, electric power can be supplied with a stable voltage by supplying the electric power after storing it in the charging means 240.

(4) Next, a usage example of the electric wire power generation system, particularly an installation location will be described.

  The electric wire power generation system of the present invention can be installed in the same manner as the installation method described in claims 9 to 11 of Patent Document 2. For example, the electric wire power generation element 100 is formed in a rectangular coil state, and the opposing sides thereof are arranged so as to run in parallel in the vicinity of one of the pair of parallel conductors in which an alternating current flows in different directions, The hot junction of the electric power generating element 100 is placed in close contact with the one of the parallel conductors that generates heat due to one Joule heat, and the cold joint is isolated from the parallel conductor with a heat insulating material so as to be exposed to the outside air temperature. A method of obtaining an induced electromotive force together with a thermoelectromotive force is also conceivable. As a specific installation place, a power adapter for a household AC power supply can be considered.

  In addition, one side of the electric power generation system 100 formed in a rectangular coil state is provided along the water pipe, and the opposite side is arranged in the vicinity of one of the pair of parallel conductors through which alternating current flows in different directions. In winter, the cold junction of the electric power generation element 100 is closely attached to the water pipe, and the hot junction of the electric power generation element 100 is buried in the ground. In the summer, the hot junction is connected to the metal pipe. A method of obtaining an induced electromotive force together with a thermoelectromotive force by causing the cold bonded portion to be buried in the ground and embedded in the ground is also conceivable.

  One side of the electric wire power generation element 100 formed in the state of a rectangular coil is built in along the outer edge of a non-conductive material such as a window, door, wall, roof, etc. A method of installing the joint so as to touch the room air is also conceivable.

  In many cases, household hot water supply pipes are not used continuously, and as a result, the temperature of the pipes becomes the same as the room temperature or the ambient temperature, and it is often impossible to expect power generation due to the Seebeck effect. possible. However, there is always a change in the magnetic field due to the commercial power supply in the house. Therefore, if the householder is using hot water, the power generation is mainly based on the Seebeck effect, and if hot water is not used, the minimum required such as maintaining the standby state using the current generated by the induced electromotive force. Limit processing can be performed.

  In factories, etc., the temperature of hot water pipes and hot water pipes decreases on holidays and late at night. On the other hand, if large magnetic field fluctuations can be expected due to the presence of power cables, the same functions and effects as described above are exhibited. It becomes possible to do.

  The present invention can be used for a ubiquitous sensor network or the like, for example, because it is possible to supply electric power although it is small-scale in the vicinity of each location and area where electricity is consumed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Cu wire 12 High temperature side junction 19 Positive electrode side terminal 20 Constantan wire 21 Low temperature side junction 29 Negative electrode side terminal 100 Electric power generation element 200 Electromotive force processing part 211 Smoothing circuit TH
212 Smoothing circuit ID
220 Rectifier circuit 240 Charging means 300 Electric power use device

Claims (2)

  It consists of an electric wire 1 insulatively coated with a metal wire 1 and an electric wire 2 insulatively coated with a metal wire 2 constituting a thermocouple by joining with the metal wire 1, and the metal wire 1 and the metal wire 2 are alternately joined in series, The electric wire power generating element characterized in that the joined metal wire 1 and metal wire 2 form a coil, and two or more wires 1 and two or more wires 2 form a twisted pair.   The electric power generation element and the electromotive force processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the electromotive force processing unit is a first processing circuit that processes a thermoelectromotive force generated in the electric wire power generation element and a second that processes the induced electromotive force. An electric power generation system characterized by having a processing circuit.

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