JP5018342B2 - Electric energy recovery device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for storing heat generated from a light source as electric energy.

  In general, light emitted from a light source is generated by converting electrical energy into light. Therefore, thermal energy is generated when energy is converted from electrical energy to light. In order to effectively use this thermal energy, Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus that converts thermal energy into electrical energy by the Seebeck effect using a thermoelectric element.

  In the apparatus described in Patent Document 1 described above, a flat portion is provided between the arc tube and the thermoelectric element. Therefore, the heat generated in the arc tube is transmitted to the thermoelectric element via the flat portion. When heat is transmitted to the thermoelectric element, a current is generated from the thermoelectric element, so that electricity can be supplied to the outside.

JP 2004-329991 A

  However, the apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a large thermal resistance in heat transfer from the arc tube to the thermoelectric element because the heat generated in the arc tube is transmitted to the thermoelectric element via the flat portion. Therefore, there is a possibility that the conversion efficiency from heat energy to electric energy by the thermoelectric element is lowered.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above technical problem, and aims to improve the conversion efficiency from thermal energy to electrical energy by the thermoelectric element.

The present invention is configured so as to achieve the above-mentioned object by using a translucent thermoelectric element developed recently, and specifically, the invention of claim 1 includes: headlight of a vehicle, the transparent plate passing through the headlight or arising from light, in an electrical energy recovery device consisting of a thermal energy generated before Symbol headlights or we thermoelectric element that converts the electrical energy, the thermoelectric element There has translucency, an absorbing surface side facing the said headlight in heat Denmoto element is heated by the thermal energy generated from the headlight, and opposite to the heat absorbing surface of the thermoelectric element a radiating surface of the surface on the side to cool the thermoelectric elements is shall be and characterized in that the heat absorbing surface is joined to the front KiToruhikariban.

According to this invention, since the transparent thermoelectric element is attached to the translucent plate, it is possible to effectively recover the thermal energy generated from the light source without providing a separate heat recovery mechanism. Therefore, the thermal energy recovery device can be downsized . In addition, since the wind hits the translucent plate, the thermoelectric element attached to the translucent plate is cooled.

  Next, the present invention will be described more specifically. According to the present invention, heat energy generated from a light source capable of emitting light can be recovered as electric energy. Examples of this light source include light sources that emit light when energized, such as halogen lamps, HID lamps, mercury lamps, and sodium lamps. The light source is used for a display of an electronic device such as a headlight, a tail lamp, a fog lamp, or an audio used in a vehicle. Furthermore, the light transmitting plate may be any material that transmits light, and therefore does not need to be completely transparent, and may be a material that blocks light having a predetermined wavelength such as so-called smoke glass. The reflector may be any material that reflects light, and corresponds to a material obtained by vapor-depositing a metal such as aluminum or silver on the surface of glass, plastic, polyester film, or the like.

  A thermoelectric element 2 that generates the Peltier effect is attached to the translucent plate 1. An example of the principle structure of the thermoelectric element 2 is shown in FIG. 2A, and another example is shown in FIG. First, the structure of FIG. 2A will be described. The P-type semiconductors 3a and 3b and the N-type semiconductor 4a are π-shaped or inverted π by electrode plates 5, 6, 7, and 8 made of a good conductor such as copper. It is connected in a letter shape. That is, these electrode plates 5, 6, 7, and 8 connect the respective semiconductors 3a, 3b, and 4a in series, and the first electrode plate 5 includes the first P-type semiconductor 3a and the N-type semiconductor. 4a is connected, and the second electrode plate 6 is connected to the first P-type semiconductor 3a. Further, the third electrode plate 7 connects the N-type semiconductor 4a and the second P-type semiconductor 3b, and the fourth electrode plate 8 is connected to the second P-type semiconductor 3b. Then, the DC power source 9a can be connected to the lower second electrode plate 6 and the third electrode plate 7 in FIG. 2A, and the upper first electrode plate 5 and the fourth electrode. A DC power supply 9b can be connected to the plate 8. These semiconductors 3 a, 3 b, 4 a and electrode plates 5, 6, 7, 8 are sandwiched between insulating plates 10, 11.

  2B is a structure in which a P-type semiconductor 3c is disposed between two N-type semiconductors 4b and 4c, and the N-type semiconductors 4b and 4c and the P-type semiconductor 3c are They are connected in a π-shape or inverted π-shape by electrode plates 12, 13, 14, 15 made of a good conductor such as copper. That is, these electrode plates 12, 13, 14, and 15 connect the respective semiconductors 3c, 4b, and 4c in series, and the first electrode plate 12 includes the first N-type semiconductor 4b and the P-type semiconductor. 3c is connected, and the second electrode plate 13 is connected to the first N-type semiconductor 4b. Further, the third electrode plate 14 connects the P-type semiconductor 3c and the second N-type semiconductor 4c, and the fourth electrode plate 15 is connected to the second N-type semiconductor 4c. The DC power source 9c can be connected to the lower second electrode plate 13 and the third electrode plate 14 in FIG. 2B, and the upper first electrode plate 12 and the fourth electrode A DC power supply 9 d can be connected to the plate 15. The semiconductors 3c, 4b, 4c and the electrode plates 12, 13, 14, 15 are sandwiched between the insulating plates 16, 17.

  Therefore, in the structure shown in FIG. 2A, when the N-type semiconductor 4a is connected to the anode of the DC power supply 9a and the P-type semiconductor 3a is connected to the cathode of the DC power supply 9a, the semiconductors 3a and 4a are connected. The temperature on the side of the electrode plate 5 is lowered and becomes the cooling side, and the temperature on the opposite side of each electrode 6 and 7 is increased and becomes the heating side. If the N-type semiconductor 4a is connected to the anode of the DC power supply 9b and the P-type semiconductor 3b is connected to the cathode of the DC power supply 9b, the temperature on the electrode plate 7 side connecting the semiconductors 3b and 4a is lowered. As a result, the temperature on the opposite side of the electrodes 5 and 8 becomes higher and the heating side is obtained.

  In the structure shown in FIG. 2B, when the N-type semiconductor 4b is connected to the anode of the DC power supply 9c and the P-type semiconductor 3c is connected to the cathode of the DC power supply 9c, the semiconductors 4b and 3c are connected. The temperature on the side of the electrode plate 12 is lowered to become the cooling side, and the temperature on the opposite side of each of the electrodes 13 and 14 is raised to become the heating side. When the N-type semiconductor 4c is connected to the anode of the DC power supply 9d and the P-type semiconductor 3c is connected to the cathode of the DC power supply 9d, the temperature on the electrode plate 14 side connecting the semiconductors 4c and 3c is lowered. As a result, the temperature on the opposite side to the electrodes 12 and 15 becomes higher and the heating side is reached.

  The thermoelectric element 2 in the present invention has translucency, and even when it is overlapped with the translucent plate 1, light is not particularly blocked. This kind of translucent thermoelectric element 2 has been developed in recent years. The mounting position of the thermoelectric element 2 is the entire area of the light transmitting plate 1 where light should be transmitted. In other words, it is not necessary to provide the thermoelectric element 2 in the peripheral portion that fits into the frame in order to support the translucent plate 1.

1, an example of such electric energy recovery equipment to the invention is shown schematically. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , a light source 18 that emits light when energized is provided. The light source 18 includes a light-transmitting plate 1 that transmits light generated from the light source 18 and a reflector 19 that reflects light generated from the light source 18. Lighting is configured by being surrounded. As an example of this illumination, the structure in which the transparent plate 1 is attached to the opening of the reflector 19 formed in a cylindrical shape, or the reflector 19 is attached to the opening of the transparent plate 1 formed in a cylinder. Configuration.

  A thermoelectric element 2 is attached outside the illumination and outside the translucent plate 1. In other words, the thermoelectric element 2 is attached to a surface opposite to the surface facing the light source 18 when the thermoelectric element 2 is attached to the translucent plate 1. Both sides of the thermoelectric element 2 are composed of a heat dissipating surface 20 having a heat dissipating effect due to a temperature rise and a heat absorbing surface 21 having a heat absorbing effect due to a temperature decrease. In other words, the thermoelectric element 2 is configured to be sandwiched between the heat dissipation surface 20 and the heat absorption surface 21. And the heat absorption surface 21 of the thermoelectric element 2 and the translucent body 1 are joined, and the heat dissipation surface 20 is provided on the surface of the electronic element 2 opposite to the heat absorption surface 21.

  When a temperature difference occurs between both surfaces of the thermoelectric element 2, electric energy is generated by the Seebeck effect. In order to store the generated electric energy, the storage battery 22 is provided so as to be able to energize the thermoelectric element 2. In other words, a closed circuit 23 including the storage battery 22 and the thermoelectric element 2 is formed. The electrical energy stored in the storage battery 22 is used for the operation of an electronic device such as the light source 18, an audio not shown, or a GPS (global positioning system) device not shown.

  By blowing air to the heat dissipation surface 20 of the electronic element 2, the temperature of the heat dissipation surface 20 decreases. In other words, the heat radiation from the heat radiation surface 20 is performed by air cooling. In this air cooling, natural air cooling that cools the heat radiating surface 20 by using convection due to temperature rise of the air in contact with the heat radiating surface 20 and cooling the heat radiating surface 20 by circulating external air to the heat radiating surface 20 with a fan or the like. Although there is forced air cooling, the heat radiating surface 20 can be cooled in any air cooling.

  The heat absorbing surface 21 is joined to the light transmitting plate 1, and the heat radiating surface 20 is provided on the surface of the thermoelectric element 2 opposite to the heat absorbing surface 21. Therefore, the heat radiating surface 20 is provided outside the illumination. Therefore, when the illumination is attached to the moving body, the illumination is attached toward the front in the traveling direction of the moving body, so that the heat radiating surface 20 collides with the circulating air, and thereby the heat radiating surface is Heat is dissipated. As a specific example, a headlamp attached in front of the moving body in the traveling direction is applicable.

  In addition, the mobile body in this invention includes a vehicle, an airplane, a ship, a railroad, etc. Vehicles include passenger cars, transport vehicles, trucks, buses, and the like.

It is a figure showing typically an example of the electric energy recovery device concerning this invention . (A) is a circuitry diagram schematically showing the connection between the thermoelectric element and the storage battery arranged N-type semiconductor between the two P-type semiconductor, (b) during the two N-type semiconductor It is a figure which shows typically the connection of the thermoelectric element which has arrange | positioned the P-type semiconductor, and a storage battery .

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Translucent plate, 2 ... Thermoelectric element, 3a, 3b, 3c ... P-type semiconductor, 4a, 4b, 4c ... N-type semiconductor, 5 ... Electrode plate, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d ... DC power supply, 18 ... Light source , 19 ... reflector, 20 ... heat dissipation surface, 21 ... heat absorption surface, 22 ... storage battery, 23 ... closed circuit.

Claims (1)

Headlight of a vehicle, the transparent plate passing through the headlight or arising from light, in an electrical energy recovery device consisting of a thermal energy generated before Symbol headlights or we thermoelectric element that converts the electrical energy,
The thermoelectric element has translucency;
An absorbing surface side facing the said headlight in heat Denmoto element is heated by the thermal energy generated from the headlight, and the heat absorbing surface of the thermoelectric element is the surface opposite the thermoelectric element A cooling surface to cool,
Electrical energy recovery device, characterized in that the heat absorbing surface is joined to the front KiToruhikariban.

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