JP6001988B2 - Thermoelectric power generator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermoelectric power generation apparatus that converts a thermal energy into an electrical energy by giving a temperature difference to a thermoelectric conversion module.

  A power generation technique for converting thermal energy into electrical energy using a thermoelectric conversion element is known. The thermoelectric conversion element uses a Seebeck effect in which a potential difference is generated between a high-temperature part and a low-temperature part by giving a temperature difference to a separated part, and the power generation amount increases as the temperature difference increases. Such a thermoelectric conversion element is used in the form of a thermoelectric conversion element module in which a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements are joined. Then, the thermoelectric conversion module is sandwiched between the heating unit and the cooling unit, and the thermoelectric conversion module is heated by the heating unit and cooled by the cooling unit, thereby giving a temperature difference to the thermoelectric conversion module, and electricity from the thermoelectric conversion module is obtained. A thermoelectric conversion power generation device is obtained (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-088408 A

  In this type of power generation device, for example, it is mounted on a vehicle and used to generate power using exhaust heat such as exhaust gas from an engine. In that case, the power generator is formed in a tubular shape as a whole, and a heating fluid is flowed through the central heating flow path to form a heating unit, and a thermoelectric conversion module and cooling water are supplied around the heating unit. It becomes the structure which arrange | positioned the cooling part. In such a structure, there is a problem that the lead wire deteriorates due to the lead wire coming into contact with or approaching the heating flow path at the portion where the lead wire connected to the thermoelectric conversion module is taken out.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a thermoelectric power generation apparatus that cools a lead wire connected to a thermoelectric conversion module to the outside and thereby can suppress deterioration of the lead wire. For the purpose.

The thermoelectric conversion power generation apparatus of the present invention is provided with a heating unit and a cooling unit on both sides of the thermoelectric conversion module, respectively, and the thermoelectric conversion type generates electricity by giving a temperature difference to the thermoelectric conversion module by the heating unit and the cooling unit. In the power generation device, the thermoelectric conversion module is housed in an airtight container having a plate portion on the cooling unit side disposed to face the thermoelectric conversion module, and an electric conductor is wired, and the heating unit receives heating fluid. The cooling unit has a cooling jacket that is a cooling medium channel facing the plate part on the cooling unit side of the sealed container, and the electric conductor is the heating channel. The side of the airtight container is taken out to the outside through the plate part on the cooling part side of the sealed container and the cooling jacket of the cooling part .

According to the present invention, since the electrical conducting wire passes through the cooling jacket of the cooling unit and is taken out to the outside, the electrical conducting wire is cooled by the cooling unit, and deterioration of the electrical conducting wire can be suppressed.

In the present invention, the electric conducting wire is taken out from the position of the downstream end portion of the heating flow path through the plate portion on the cooling portion side of the sealed container and the cooling jacket of the cooling portion . Is desirable. According to this embodiment, since the temperature of the heating fluid is lower on the downstream side than on the upstream side, the temperature to the electrical conductor is higher than when the electrical conductor is taken out from the position of the upstream end of the heating flow path. This is more effective in that the influence can be reduced and the deterioration of the electrical conductor is suppressed.

Further, in the present invention, the plate portion of the sealed container includes a deformable portion having flexibility at least in part, and the plate portion is deformed by the deformation of the deformable portion due to the reduced pressure in the sealed container. Includes forms that are in close contact with the module . According to this aspect, since the thermoelectric conversion module and the electric conducting wire are not easily oxidized by reducing the pressure in the sealed container, the durability is improved and the power generation performance is improved.

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that the electric conducting wire is cooled by the cooling unit and deterioration of the electric conducting wire can be suppressed.

It is the whole perspective view in the state where the outer side cover of the thermoelectric conversion type power generator concerning one embodiment of the present invention was removed. It is the other direction perspective view of the same apparatus which is the same state as FIG. It is a side view of the thermoelectric conversion power generation device of one embodiment. It is IV-IV sectional drawing of FIG. It is a front view of the thermoelectric conversion type generator of one embodiment. It is VI-VI sectional drawing of FIG. (A) It is a front view of the electric power generation unit which comprises the thermoelectric conversion type electric power generating apparatus of one Embodiment, (b) It is the side view except a fin. FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 6, which is a cross-sectional view showing a heating unit, a cooling unit, and a compartment.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[1] Overall Configuration of Thermoelectric Conversion Power Generation Device FIGS. 1 to 6 show a thermoelectric conversion power generation device (hereinafter referred to as a power generation device) 1 according to an embodiment. In this power generation device 1, a plurality of power generation units 2 each having a sealed container 3 are stacked in a parallel state with a cooling unit 5A sandwiched in the Y direction in the figure, and cooling units are also provided on both side surfaces of the entire device 1, that is, both ends in the Y direction. 5B is arranged. The number of the power generation units 2 is arbitrary, and in this case, the power generation apparatus 1 is configured by stacking four power generation units 2.

  The hermetic container 3 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped box-shaped casing 30 whose longitudinal section (YZ section) is long in the Z direction, and a flat tube whose longitudinal section disposed in the center of the casing 30 is long in the Z direction. And a distribution pipe 35. Both the casing 30 and the flow pipe 35 are open at both ends in the X direction, and the inside of the flow pipe 35 is a heating flow path 351 through which a heating fluid described later flows in the X direction.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the housing 30 includes a pair of movable plate portions 31 that are parallel to the XZ plane and that face each other, and a pair of flat end plate portions that connect upper and lower edges of the movable plate portion 31. 32 is formed in a substantially rectangular box shape. Further, the flow pipe 35 includes a pair of inner plate portions 36 parallel to the XZ plane and facing each other, and a pair of curved portions 37 having a semicircular cross section that connects the upper and lower end edges of the inner plate portion 36. It is formed in a flat tubular shape.

  Fins 352 are disposed inside the flow pipe 35, that is, in the heating flow path 351 in the sealed container 3. The fins 352 are formed, for example, by bending a plate material into a corrugated plate shape, and are joined by a joining means such as brazing while the outer side of the bent portion is in contact with the inner surface of the inner plate portion 36. In the present embodiment, fins 352 are disposed in the heating flow path 351, and the heating section 35A is configured by the flow pipe 35 through which the heating fluid flows.

  A substantially annular inner space 3a having a longitudinal section that is long in the Z direction is formed in the sealed container 3, that is, between the inner surface of the housing 30 and the outer surface of the flow pipe 35. And the thermoelectric conversion module 4 is each arrange | positioned in the state pinched | interposed between the movable plate part 31 of the housing | casing 30, and the inner plate part 36 of the flow pipe 35 in the Y direction both sides in this internal space 3a. Yes.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the plurality of sealed containers 3 in which the thermoelectric conversion modules 4 are disposed in a pair of states in regions on both sides in the Y direction of the internal space 3 a include the cooling unit 5 </ b> A between the movable plate units 31. They are stacked in parallel in the Y direction. In addition, cooling units 5B are also disposed on the outer surfaces of the movable plate 31 at both ends in the Y direction. Hereinafter, the cooling unit 5A between the sealed containers 3 is referred to as an intermediate cooling unit 5A, and the cooling units 5B at both ends in the Y direction are referred to as end cooling units 5B.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the thermoelectric conversion module 4 connects one surface and the other surface of a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements 41 arranged in a plane in a zigzag manner by an electrode 42 made of copper or the like. The electrode 42 on one surface side is joined to the inner surface of the inner plate portion 36 of the flow pipe 35 by a joining means such as brazing. The electrode 42 on the other surface side of the thermoelectric conversion module 4 is in contact with the inner surface of the inner rigid portion 312 described later of the movable plate portion 31 of the housing 30. That is, the thermoelectric conversion module 4 is in a non-bonded state with the inner rigid portion 312, and both can move relative to each other along the contact surface.

  As the thermoelectric conversion element 41 constituting the thermoelectric conversion module 4, a type having a high heat-resistant temperature is used. For example, a silicon-germanium system, a magnesium-silicon system, a manganese-silicon system, an iron silicide system, or the like is preferably used. As shown in FIG. 7 (a), the thermoelectric conversion modules 4 on both sides of the flow pipe 35 are connected at the lower ends by connecting wires 45, and the thermoelectric conversion modules 4 on both sides are used to supply power to one power generation unit 2. Configure. As shown in FIG. 6, lead wires (electric conducting wires) 46 are connected from the thermoelectric conversion modules 4 on both sides of the flow pipe 35.

[2] Configuration of Airtight Container As shown in FIG. 7, the movable plate portion 31 constituting the casing 30 of the airtight container 3 includes an outer rigid portion 311 formed in a rectangular frame shape, and an outer rigid portion. The inner rigid portion 312 having the same thickness as the outer rigid portion 311 disposed on the inner side of 311 and the gap 314 having a constant width formed between the outer rigid portion 311 and the inner rigid portion 312 are closed. The deformed portion 313 is thinner than the thickness of each rigid portion 311, 312.

  The inner edge 311a of the outer rigid portion 311 is formed in a substantially oval shape, and the outer edge 312a of the inner rigid portion 312 is formed in a substantially oval shape with a certain gap 314 from the inner edge 311a of the outer rigid portion 311. Yes. A flexible thin plate 315 is joined to the outer surface of the inner rigid portion 312 by a joining means such as brazing. The thin plate 315 has a size that covers the gap 314 between the rigid portions 311, 312 and reaches the outer surface of the outer rigid portion 311, and the outer edge portion is joined to the outer surface of the outer rigid portion 311 such as brazing. It is joined with. The thin plates 315 are connected so that the rigid portions 311 and 312 are in the same plane. In addition, the rigid parts 311 and 312 may be shifted from each other in the thickness direction.

  A portion of the thin plate 315 covering the gap 314 constitutes a substantially annular deformed portion 313 having flexibility. As shown in FIG. 8, a convex strip 313 a that protrudes inward is formed at the center in the width direction of the deformable portion 313 (two-dot chain line).

  Edges on both sides in the Z direction of the outer rigid portion 311 are formed so as to be integrated with the end plate portion 32. That is, the outer rigid portion 311 on both sides is integrally formed with the pair of upper and lower end plate portions 32, and the inner rigid portion 312 is joined to the outer rigid portion 311 via the thin plate 315 to constitute the housing 30. The inner rigid portion 312 has a size that covers the thermoelectric conversion module 4 and is in contact with the entire surface of one side of the thermoelectric conversion module 4.

  A plurality of decompression sealing ports 321 are provided in the upper end plate portion 32 of the sealed container 3, and the internal space 3 a in the sealed container 3 is decompressed using these decompression sealing ports 321. When the inside of the hermetic container 3 is depressurized, the deformable portion 313 having flexibility is deformed so that the protruding strip portion 313a further protrudes inward as shown by a solid line in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, outer covers 33 are joined to both end surfaces of the casing 30 of each sealed container 3 in the X direction, and both sides of the apparatus 1 in the X direction are covered with the outer covers 33. . As a result, an airtight space 39 is formed between the outer cover 33 and the end of the sealed container 3, and the sealed containers 3 communicate with each other through the airtight space 39. Both end portions in the X direction of each flow pipe 35 protrude from each housing 30, and the protruding end portions pass through flow pipe insertion holes 331 formed in the outer cover 33 and protrude to the outside. 1 and 2 do not show the outer cover 33 in order to show the inside of the hermetic container 3 and the intermediate cooling part 5A.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the heating unit 35 </ b> A is disposed inside the thermoelectric conversion module 4, and the cooling units 5 </ b> A and 5 </ b> B are disposed outside the thermoelectric conversion module 4. A heating fluid H is allowed to flow in one direction (in this case, from left to right) in the heating channel 351 in the flow pipe 35 of the heating unit 35A.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, lead wires 46 led out from the thermoelectric conversion modules 4 are wired in the airtight spaces 39 on the downstream side. Among these lead wires 46, the lead wires 46 on both sides of the intermediate cooling portion 5 </ b> A are connected in an airtight space 39. Further, the lead wire 46 on the end cooling part 5B side penetrates the outer rigid part 311 of the movable plate part 31 constituting the casing 30 of the sealed container 3 , and further penetrates the end cooling part 5B to outside the apparatus. (See FIG. 8 ). The intermediate cooling unit 5A and the end cooling unit 5B will be described in detail later. For example, an airtight electrode is used for a portion of the lead wire 46 that is drawn out of the apparatus through the end cooling portion 5B. Therefore, in this apparatus 1, a plurality of internal thermoelectric conversion modules 4 are connected in series, and two external lead wires 46 of + and − are drawn out of the apparatus, and electricity is taken out from these lead wires 46. It is like that. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lead wire 46 is drawn from the thermoelectric conversion module 4 and wired at a position corresponding to the upper end portion of the flow pipe 35 in these drawings.

  The sealed container 3 sucks the internal air from the decompression sealing port 321 to decompress the internal space 3a in the sealed container 3 to a predetermined pressure (for example, 1 to 100 Pa), and welds the decompression sealing port 321. It will be in the state sealed airtightly. When the inside of the sealed container 3 is depressurized, the deformable portion 313 having flexibility of the movable plate portion 31 is deformed so that the protruding portion 313a further protrudes inward as shown by the solid line in FIG. The inner rigid portion 312 is in close contact with the thermoelectric conversion module 4.

[3] Cooling unit The intermediate cooling unit 5A and the end cooling unit 5B include cooling cases 53A and 53B, respectively. The cooling case 53A of the intermediate cooling part 5A is formed in a frame shape along the periphery of the outer rigid part 311 of the movable plate part 31, and is sandwiched between adjacent outer rigid parts 311. It is joined to the outer peripheral edge. That is, in the present apparatus 1, the adjacent casings 30 are in a state where the adjacent outer rigid portions 311 are joined together via the cooling case 53A. A cooling jacket 53a is formed inside the intermediate cooling part 5A surrounded by the cooling case 53A and the movable plate parts 31 on both sides sandwiching the cooling case 53A to cool the movable plate part 31 as a cooling water flow path. Has been.

  On the other hand, the cooling case 53B of the end cooling unit 5B is formed in a lid shape that covers the movable plate 31 at the end, and the shallow recess formed on one side is directed toward the movable plate 31 to end the cooling plate 53B. The edge is joined to the outer peripheral edge of the outer rigid portion 311. A cooling jacket 53 b that is supplied with cooling water to cool the movable plate portion 31 is formed in the end cooling portion 5 </ b> B surrounded by the inner surface of the cooling case 53 </ b> B and the movable plate portion 31.

  In each of the cooling cases 53A and 53B of the intermediate cooling unit 5A and the end cooling unit 5B, a cooling water supply port 51 is formed at the lower end surface, and a cooling water drain port 52 is formed at the upper end surface. The cooling water supply port 51 and the cooling water drain port 52 are formed in the center in the X direction, and a cooling water supply pipe and a drain pipe (not shown) are connected to the cooling water supply port 51 and the cooling water drain port 52, respectively. The

  A plurality of fins 7 that contact the inner rigid portion 312 of the movable plate portion 31 and the thermoelectric conversion module 4 are provided in the cooling jackets 53a and 53b of the intermediate cooling portion 5A and the end cooling portion 5B.

[4] Action of Power Generation Device In the power generation device 1 having the above-described configuration, cooling water is supplied and circulated in the cooling jackets 53a and 53b, and the movable plate portion 31 of the hermetic container 3 is cooled. On the other hand, a high-temperature heating fluid H is flowed from one end side to the other end side through the heating flow path 351 of each flow pipe 35 to heat the flow pipe 35. The temperature of the cooled movable plate portion 31 is transmitted to the outer surface side of the thermoelectric conversion module 4, and the outer surface side of the thermoelectric conversion module 4 is cooled, while the temperature of the inner plate portion 36 of the heated flow pipe 35 is heated. The inner surface side of the thermoelectric conversion module 4 is heated. The heating fluid H does not diffuse by flowing through the heating flow path 351, and the inner plate portion 36 of the flow pipe 35 is efficiently heated.

  In the present embodiment, the movable plate portion 31 of the housing 30 serves as a cooling-side plate member, and the inner plate portion 36 of the flow pipe 35 constitutes a heating-side plate member. In this way, a temperature difference is given between the outer surface side and the inner surface side of the thermoelectric conversion module 4, whereby the thermoelectric conversion module 4 generates power and electricity is taken out from the external lead wire 46.

  In the power generation apparatus 1 of this embodiment, for example, exhaust heat gas generated in a factory or a garbage incinerator, automobile exhaust gas, or the like is used as the heating fluid H.

[5] Advantageous Effects of One Embodiment According to the power generation device 1 of the above-described embodiment, the lead wire 46 on the end cooling unit 5B side passes through the end cooling unit 5B and is drawn out of the device. The lead wire 46 is cooled by the end cooling portion 5B. Therefore, deterioration of the lead wire 46 can be suppressed. For example, when the power generator 1 of the above embodiment is applied to an automobile, a cover that covers almost the entire front surface of the flow pipe 35 shown in FIG. 5 is attached, and a muffler is attached to the cover. In this case, since the lead wire 46 is cooled by the end cooling portion 5B at a position away from the cover, there is no problem even if there is an influence of the heat of the exhaust gas flowing through the cover.

  In this embodiment, since the lead wire 46 is wired in the airtight space 39 on the downstream side, the temperature of the heating fluid H on the downstream side is lower than that on the upstream side. This is more effective in that it can reduce the influence of the above and suppress deterioration.

  Moreover, since the thermoelectric conversion module 4 and the lead wire 46 are accommodated in the sealed container 3 and the airtight space 39 to be depressurized, the thermoelectric conversion module 4 and the lead wire 46 are hardly oxidized and deterioration is suppressed.

  In the above-described embodiment, since the lead wires 46 between the thermoelectric conversion modules 4 are connected in the airtight space 39, the lead wires 46 to be taken out to the outside need only be two, + and-. Therefore, only two expensive airtight electrodes need be used, and the manufacturing cost of the power generator 1 can be reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Thermoelectric conversion type generator 3 ... Sealed container 4 ... Thermoelectric conversion module 35A ... Heating part 351 ... Heating flow path 39 ... Airtight space 46 ... Lead wire (electrical conductor)
5A, 5B ... Cooling part H ... Heated fluid

Claims (3)

In the thermoelectric conversion power generator that generates power when a heating unit and a cooling unit are respectively disposed on both sides of the thermoelectric conversion module and a temperature difference is given to the thermoelectric conversion module by the heating unit and the cooling unit.
The thermoelectric conversion module is housed in an airtight container provided with a plate portion on the cooling portion side disposed opposite to the thermoelectric conversion module, and an electrical conductor is wired therein,
The heating unit has a heating channel through which a heating fluid flows,
The cooling section has a cooling jacket that is a cooling medium flow path facing the plate section on the cooling section side of the sealed container,
The thermoelectric conversion is characterized in that the electric conducting wire passes through the plate part on the cooling part side of the hermetic container and the cooling jacket of the cooling part on the side of the heating channel and is taken out to the outside. Power generator. The electric conducting wire penetrates the plate part on the cooling part side of the hermetic container and the cooling jacket of the cooling part from the position of the end part on the side of the heating flow path and on the downstream side of the heating flow path. The thermoelectric power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric power generation device is taken out to the outside. The plate portion on the cooling portion side of the sealed container includes a deformable portion having flexibility at least in part, and the plate portion is deformed by the reduced pressure in the sealed container so that the plate portion is the thermoelectric conversion module. The thermoelectric conversion power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric conversion power generation device is in close contact with the thermoelectric conversion power generation device.

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