WO1997031424A1

WO1997031424A1 - Generator by use of vacuum tubes, conductors and semiconductors

Info

Publication number: WO1997031424A1
Application number: PCT/KR1997/000030
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pyung-Won Kim
Original assignee: Kim Pyung Won
Priority date: 1996-02-24
Filing date: 1997-02-21
Publication date: 1997-08-28
Also published as: AU2234097A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a generator including vacuum tubes, conductors and semiconductors wherein electric power is generated by utilizing the heat of the external fluid in the normal temperature. Once the generator is driven normally by power supplied from the external power source, self-generated power by the energy of the working fluid keeps the generator operating spontaneously even though the external power supply is suspended, so that the use of fuel may be reduced and the air pollution resulting from the use of fuel may be reduced.

Description

GENERATOR BY USE OF VACUUM TUBES, CONDUCTORS AND SEMICONDUCTORS

Background of the Invention

This invention relates to a generator which comprises vacuum tubes, conductors and semiconductors, wherein the power is obtained by utilizing heat absorbed from external fluid in the normal temperature. Conventional generators are directed to obtain motive power or electric power from the heat generated in the course of combustion of fuel, so that the conventional systems have disadvantages that the fuel expense is high and air pollution is resulted from the combustion of fuel.

Brief Summary of the Invention

It is an object of the invention to provide a generator which is driven by power supplied from the external power source and once the generator is driven normally, self- generated power by the energy of the working fluid keeps the generator operating spontaneously even though the external power supply is suspended, so that the use of fuel and the air pollution resulted from the use of fuel may be reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing the structure of a generator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows schematic views showing the structure of conductor pins of the generator of Fig. 1.;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the structure of a vacuum tube taken along line A- A' of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing the structure of conductor protrusions of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing the structure of a generator according to another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing the structure of conductor protrusions according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a schematic view showing the structure of a generator according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the structures of conductor parts and semiconductor parts of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of partially taken conductor plates of Fig. 7; Fig. 10 shows perspective views of the conductor plates and dielectric parts of Fig. 7; Fig. 11 are perspective views of conductor plates according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view showing the structure of the semiconductor parts according to another embodiment of Fig. 7;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view showing the structure of the semiconductor parts according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view showing the structure of conductor parts according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the conductor parts of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view showing the structures of conductor parts and semiconductor parts according to still another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the conductor parts and the semiconductor parts of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a schematic view showing the structure of a generator according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 19 is a schematic view showing the structure of a generator according to a still further embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 20 is a sectional view showing the structure of semiconductor parts according to another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 21 is a schematic view showing the structure of a generator according to a still another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 22 to Fig. 31 are sectional views of semiconductors respectively showing various arrangement methods thereof;

Fig. 32 is a sectional view showing the structure of a dual heating means utilizing a refrigerating cycle;

Fig. 33 is a schematic sectional view showing electrodes provided to the generator according to the present invention;

Fig. 34 is a schematic view showing an antifreezing solution dryer which is connected to a heat exchanger according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 35 is a plain view showing the flowing paths of an evaporation means of Fig. 34.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

Referring to Fig. 1, the generator comprises a vacuum tube part 10 formed of dielectric substances and having multiple stages. In the vacuum tube part 10, conductor pins 1-6 are mounted on both sides in such a manner that a first group of the conductor pins 1 -3 having a relatively small work function are mounted on one side and connected via a conducting wire 15 in parallel, and a second group of the opposite conductor pins 4-6 having a relatively large work function are mounted on the other side and connected via a conducting wire 16 in parallel.

Each of the conductor pins 1 -6 comprises one end part 7, 8 provided with thin protrusions and exposed to into the multiple stages 12-14 of the vacuum tube part 10 and the other end part 9 attached with thin metal having high heat conductivity to be heated or cooled from external. The first group of conductors 1-3 are heated by fluid flowing through a heat exchange part 32-30, where temperatures of the conductors 1 -3 become different each other since the fluid is continuously cooled by loosing its heat energy while flowing through the heat exchanger part 32-30.

After passing the heat exchange part 32-30 in turn, if the fluid passes through a heat exchanger 57 of a refrigerating part to the other heat exchanger part 33-35, the fluid makes the second group of the conductor pins 4-6 cooled while being heated gradually in the exchanger part 33-35. Then, the fluid flows toward a heat exchanger 40 to be heated further, in which external fluid such as air passes through. Thus heated fluid is recirculated by a recirculation pump 52 mounted on an electric motor 51. A refrigerating cycle 53-57 is positioned on a same rotational axis 58 with the pump 52 mounted on the electric motor 51 and serve to cool the fluid further.

The conducting wires 15, 16 are connected to an electric machine or an electric transducer 60. Further, the conducting wire 16 is connected with an external power source 70 of high voltage via its electronegative conducting wire 71, of which the opposite electrode 72 is grounded. The electronegative external conducting wire 71 has voltage high enough to emit electrons from the protrusions 7, 8 of the conductor pins 1-6 which are located in the vacuum tubes 12-14. If the electric motor 51 is driven by the power applied from the external power source for operating the refrigerating cycle 53-57 to cool the internal fluid by the heat exchanger 57, the internal fluid is circulated by the pump 52, causing the differences of temperature between the respective heat exchangers 30-35.

Further, when the respective conductor pins 1-6 mounted in the respective vacuum tubes 12-14 have a different temperature, a conductor pin of the highest temperature emits the maximum electrons. After a predetermined time, since electric fields are formed in the vacuum tubes 12-14 due to the emitted electrons and reduce the electron emission from the conductor pins, only the conductor pin of the highest temperature can emit the electrons continuously and the other conductor pins of lower or the lowest temperature can not emit the electrons.

The electrons emitted from the conductor pin of the highest temperature is diffused in the vacuum tubes by thermal movement of the electron, so that some of the emitted electrons collide with the conductor pins and some of the collided electrons are absorbed into the conductor pins.

As the conductor pins absorb the electrons, the numbers of negative charges of the conductor pins increase, while the other conductor pins which do not absorb the electrons decrease in the number of the negative charges, thereby causing potential difference between the conductor pins.

Therefore, electric current may flow by connecting the conductor pins having relatively many negative charges and the conductor pins having relatively few negative charges with the conducting wires 15 and 16.

Thermal energy is transmitted together with the electrons and the thermal efficiency decreases in proportion to the momentum of the thermal energy. Therefore, if the circulating fluid absorbs the transmitted thermal energy, it is not necessary to use further energy for eliminating the thermal energy transmitted toward the conductor pins 4-6 of the lower -temperature part. That is, even though the power is obtained in proportion to the differences of temperature between two conductor pins in the respective vacuum tubes 12-14, if the thermal efficiency is too low and the obtained power is less than that necessary for the refrigerating cycle 53-56, the generator according to the present invention is not efficient.

The generating power may be proportionally increased by increasing the number of stages of the vacuum tube part. However, if the number of the stages of the vacuum tube part is too large, the temperature of refrigerating fluid in the heat exchanger 57 of the refrigerating part should be much lowered, causing the degradation of the refrigerating cycle of which efficiency becomes much lowered in a two -stage structure.

Even though the temperature of the refrigerating fluid is much lowered, the efficiency of the refrigerating cycle may be increased by reducing the heat energy to be eliminated in the heat exchanger 57 to increase the difference between the heat energy transmitted through the heat exchangers 30-32 of the heating part and that eliminated from the heat exchanger 57 of the refrigerating part.

To the contrary, if the differences of temperature between the conductor pins 1-3 of higher temperature and those 4-6 of lower temperature are small, the amount of generating power is reduced unproportionally to the differences of temperature.

However, if the differences of temperature are too small, the refrigerating cycle becomes uneconomical since the amount of generating power is too little comparing with the size of the generator.

In order to emit electrons uniformly in spite of the temperature differences between the stages of the vacuum tube part, the protrusions 7 of the conductor pins 1 -3 which are positioned in the higher-temperature part are formed thick and the protrusions 8 of the conductor pins 4-6 which are positioned in the lower- temperature part are formed thin, wherein the thickness of the protrusions is differentiated in proportion to the temperature differences for controlling the amount of the electron emission uniformly.

Further, the amount of the emitted electrons may be controlled uniformly by providing the conductor pins 4-6 in the lower-temperature part with more protrusions than the conductor pins 1-3 in the higher- temperature part, verifying the kind of conductors to differentiate the work functions between the stages of the vacuum tube part, or adjusting alloy ratios.

The generator as described above is driven by power applied from the external power source. Once the generator is driven normally, self-generated power by the energy of the working fluid keeps the generator operating spontaneously even though the external power supply is suspended and extra power drives the motor to produce electric power in the generator.

The above refrigerating cycle 53-57 adopts a usual compressor and a coolant, of which efficiency becomes higher as the temperature differences between the coolant and the external become smaller. For example, the refrigerating cycle 53-57 can transmit three to five times of heat energy within the range of 50-60X3 of the temperature difference. Therefore, if the temperature differences between the external and circulating fluid which is cooled in the heat exchanger 57 of the refrigerating part is 50-60^* , the energy required to operate the refrigerating cycle is one third to one fifth of the heat energy which is eliminated by the heat exchanger 57 of the refrigerating part. That is, even though the generated power and the amount of energy eliminated in the heat exchanger 57 of the refrigerating part are equal, the generator is still operable. The refrigerating cycle 53-56 may be formed in a two-stage structure to enlarge the temperature differences between the coolant and the external, thereby increasing the power to be generated. Fig. 32 shows a two-stage refrigerating cycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 32, two refrigerating cycles 183, 185 are connected each other via tubes on which valves 186-189 are mounted, and a switch means 184 is interposed between the refrigerating cycles 183, 185 to continue or discontinue the power supply between them, thereby operating either or both of the refrigerating cycles 183, 185 selectively.

It is possible to form the refrigerating cycle in a three-stage structure (not shown) to lower the temperature at the heat exchanger 57 in the refrigerating part.

If the above multi-stage refrigerating cycle is utilized, even though the refrigerating temperature is lowered and more power is spent for the refrigerating cycle to remove the same heat energy, more power may be generated through the vacuum tube part by increasing the number of stages in the vacuum tube part and temperature differences between the stages of the vacuum tube part.

In this case, each one of the first group of conductor pins 1-3 having a small work function in the higher- temperature part, and each one of the second group of conductor pins 4-6 having a large work function in the lower-temperature part are positioned in the respective vacuum stages 12-14 in the vacuum tube part 10, wherein since the metal having a small work function emits many electrons at a low voltage, it is possible to make only one group of the conductor pins emit the electrons. Further, a plurality of the protrusions may be formed thin on the conductor pins formed of the metal having a small work function and the other conductor pins formed of the metal having a large work function may be formed to have a small surface area. Preferably, the conductor pins 1 -6 are formed of conductors having high thermal conductivity.

The conducting wire 16 is connected with the negative electrode 71 of the external power source 70. The opposite electrode 273 is grounded immediately, or via a condenser 271, a discharging means 272 and a switch 274 to maintain electric charges sufficiently, as shown in Fig. 33.

The generator as described above generates the power continuously by absorbing heat from the working fluid and a heat exchanger 40 through which the external fluid passes may serve as a refrigerating cycle. In a cold season, the generator is possibly malfunctioned since vapor included in the external fluid is frozen in the heat exchanger 40 and disturbs smooth transmit of heat.

Therefore, a nozzle 41 is provided above the heat exchanger 40 to flow antifreezing solution, and a dryer 900 as shown in Fig. 34 is provided under the heat exchanger 40 to dry moisture which is diluted in the antifreezing solution and standing in the lower part of the heat exchanger 40, so that the moisture can be evaporated and the antifreezing solution may be recirculated maintaining a certain concentration. In Fig. 34, the dryer 900 is integrally connected with the heat exchanger 40. In more detail, the vapor in the air flowing in the heat exchanger 40 is liquefied and diluted in the antifreezing solution. The antifreezing solution diluted with the liquefied vapor flows in a low-pressured evaporation means 901 for evaporating the diluted vapor therefrom, thereby maintaining a certain concentration. Thus dried antifreezing solution is guided into the upper part of the heat exchanger 40 to recirculate.

In the heat exchanger 40, a flowing tube 43 is an additional refrigerating circuit forming an endothermic part, and the coolant is introduced from the flowing tube 43 to the low-pressured evaporation means 901 by a compression means 912 and flows through a flowing tube 905 along a flowing path 907 in the dryer 900, heating the antifreezing solution to compensate for the evaporation heat. If the external temperature is too low, it is preferable that the refrigerating cycle 43, 905, 912, 920 absorbs the heat from the external fluid to heat the antifreezing solution. However, if the external temperature is not too low, it is preferable to mount a fluid remover instead of the compression means 912 or a plurality of fluid removers (not shown) in parallel so as to use them selectively by opening or closing with valves. Further, if a flowing tube 925 is mounted in parallel to a flowing tube which is passing through an expansion valve 920 and valves 921, 922 are mounted on the flowing tubes for alternative use, the antifreezing solution in the low -pressured evaporation means 901 may be heated by the heat absorbed from the external fluid without raising the temperature of the external fluid.

The antifreezing solution dryer 900 further comprises a vacuum pump 911 and a heat exchanger 912. The vacuum pump 911 discharges gas from the upper part of the evaporation means 901. In the heat exchanger 912, the antifreezing solution flowing from the evaporation means 901 and the antifreezing solution flowing toward the evaporation means 901 exchange heat each other. In the evaporation means 901, the already heated antifreezing solution heats the antifreezing solution to be heated, so as to promote the evaporation of the moisture diluted in the antifreezing solution and prevent the rise in the temperature of the already heated antifreezing solution. Therefore, the antifreezing solution may keep its heat from being absorbed by other circulating fluid in a heat exchanger 45.

The dryer 900 further comprises a heat exchanger 917 to heat the antifreezing solution flowing toward the evaporation means 901 by vapor discharged through the vacuum pump 911. The antifreezing solution heated by the heat of the vapor is directed to the nozzle 41 by a circulation pump 913, and the antifreezing solution which is standing in the lower part 42 is sucked into the evaporation means 901 due to the sucking force caused by the relatively lower pressure of the evaporation means 901.

Therefore, the dryer 900 further comprises a flux control valve 914 for controlling the amount of fluid to be sucked into the evaporation means 901 and a flux level sensor 904 for sensing the level of the fluid which is passing through a valve 914 to adjust the level automatically by its output signals, thereby keeping the level of the fluid uniformly. Fig. 35 is a plane view showing an internal path of the evaporation means 901. The internal path 907 is filled with sand, primarily heated earth and rocks, soil, fibers and so on, for effectively evaporating the vapor diluted in the antifreezing solution from its surface. Fig. 2 shows enlarged perspective views of the conductor pins 1-6 which are positioned in the vacuum tube part 10. Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of the vacuum tube part 10 taken along line A- A of Fig. 1, in which the conductor pins la-Id are formed in a multi-stage structure which is connected with a connecting conductor 20.

Fig. 4 is a view of the conductor pins 4-6 of the lower- temperature part according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which thick protrusions 21 are formed on the conductor pins 4-6 to prevent the electron emission since the electron density becomes increased in proportion to the thickness and the electrons are easily emitted under the high density if the end parts of the conductor pins are formed sharply.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing the generator according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 5, a heat exchanger 89 of a heating part is mounted under the vacuum tube part 10, and a first group of conductor pins 64-66 to absorb electrons and a second group of conductor pins 61-63 to emit electrons are provided in the vacuum tube part 10. Those conductor pins 61-66 are arranged in parallel and the respective conductor pins of the first group are connected with the respective conductor pins of the second group by a conducting wire 69, thereby electric current flows in serial through the respective stages 12-14 in the vacuum tube part 10.

If the conductor pins 61-66 in the respective vacuum tubes 12-14 have no temperature differences therebetween, the conductor pins 61 -63 emit many electrons due to the small work function or the sharp ended protrusions 7 and the conductor pins 64-66 emit little or no electrons due to the large work function or the thick ended protrusions 8, as the conductor pins are connected with a negative electrode of high voltage.

Some of the emitted electrons collide with and are absorbed into the conductor pins 64-66 which have a large work function or thick protrusions 8, causing potential difference. The conductor pins 61-63 which have a small work function or sharp protrusions 90-92 emit electrons, being cooled due to the electron emission. Such cooled protrusions 90 are supplied with heat from the heat exchanger 89. However, the conductor pins 64-66 are not provided with the external heat so that the electrons can not be emitted from the conductor pins 64-66 and all of the heat provided to the protrusions 90-92 from the external through the heat exchanger 89 is converted to the power.

The conductor pins 64-66 having a large work function and the conducting wires 69 for connecting the two groups of conductor pins 61-63 and 64-66 are preferably formed of metal having low thermal productivity.

In order to circulate working fluid for heat supply to the heat exchanger 89 of the heating part, a heat exchanger 40 absorbs heat from the external fluid and a compressor 82 and an expansion valve 88 raise the temperature of the absorbed heat. Further, a fluid remover 83 is disposed in parallel to the compressor 82, and a flowing tube having a valve 86 is provided in parallel to the expansion valve 88, for alternatively providing the heat absorbed from the external fluid without raising the temperature. If the temperature of the heat supplied from external heat source is high, electric current may be obtained due to the large kinetic energy of the electrons. However, even if the temperature is low, power may be obtained by increasing the voltage of the electrode 71 which is connected to the conducting wire due to the excellent electron emission.

Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing the structure of protrusions 94 which are formed thick to restrain the electron emission by decreasing the density of the electron.

Fig. 7 shows a generator according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 7, semiconductor plates are interposed between conductor plates to promote the emission and absorbency of the free electrons. Some conductor plates 106-109 are of a large work function or are formed in the shape of a thick net, and the other conductor plates 102-105 are of a small work function or formed in the shape of a thin net, wherein the conductor plates 106, 102 are arranged in parallel and connected by conducting wires 121.

The semiconductor plates interposed between the conductor plates are of n-type, wherein each semiconductor plate is composed by connecting a semiconductor plate 112 having a large work function with a semiconductor plate 111 having a small work function.

The external power source 70 is adjustable in its voltage according to the work function of the semiconductors, so that the free electric charges are generated around the semiconductors 111 having a small work function and no or little electric charges are generated around the semiconductors

112 having a large work function, due to the electric fields generated around the conductors and the negative electrode 71 connected to a conductor box 120 which is surrounding the semiconductors from external. The semiconductors 112 having a large work function emit few or a few free electric charges. The amounts of the generated free electric charges in the semiconductors 111 are different from those in the semiconductors 112. Some of the free electric charges emitted from the semiconductors 111 having a small work function diffuse and some of the free electric charges are transferred to the opposite semiconductors 112, forming potential difference between both of the semiconductors.

Some of the free electric charges collide with the opposite conductor plates 112 and some of the collided free electric charges are absorbed by the conductor plates 112, so that the potential difference is formed between the both conductor plates 111 and 112, causing the flow of current.

The conductor plate 101 connected to the semiconductor 111 having a small work function absorbs heat from the external to compensate for the reduced heat energy when the free electric charges are generated.

The heat exchanger 40 absorbs heat from the external fluid and supplies the heat to the conductor plates 101 to 105, causing the electric current to flow continuously.

In the above embodiment, it is preferable to connect the semiconductors which have different work functions or emit different amount of electric charges under the electric fields or the same temperature. Both of the conductor plates 101 and 102 may have equal work functions and also have the same thickness. Further, the conductor plates connected to the semiconductors having a small work function may have a large surface area, and the opposite conductor plates connected to the other semiconductors having a large work function may have a small surface area.

The negative electrode 71 is connected to the conducting wire to emit the free electric charges in the semiconductors even in low temperatures. The electrode 71 needs not be connected to the conducting wire if the temperatures of the semiconductors are high.

Accordingly, the fluid circulating cycle 40, 82, and 88 absorbs heat from the external fluid and transmits the heat to the semiconductors after raising the temperature of the absorbed external fluid.

The compressor 82 which is installed instead of the fluid remover 83 compresses the coolant to be heated and transmits the heated coolant. In the refrigerating cycle, the energy consumed to raise the temperature about 50~60"C is preferably one fourth of the heat energy to be transmitted.

Therefore, it is possible that once an electric motor 551 is driven by the initial external electric power supply, the self-generated electric power keeps the refrigerating cycle operating, generating the electric power. Further, the temperature can be preferably increased by forming the refrigerating cycle in the two-stage structure as shown in Fig. 32.

In case of adopting intrinsic semiconductors, two intrinsic semiconductors which have different work functions each other may be installed in the same manner that the n-type semiconductors are installed (refer to Figs. 22 to 27). The p-type semiconductors may be used instead of the n-type semiconductors and, in this case, two p-type semiconductors are connected each other and connected to the positive electrode 72, resulting in the same effect as in the case of the n-type semiconductors.

Further, the n-type semiconductors and the intrinsic semiconductors which have different work functions each other may be in junction and connected to the negative electrode 71. Further, the p-type semiconductors and the intrinsic semiconductors may be in junction, in which case their work functions should be different.

The negative electrode 71 can be connected only to conducting wires except the conductor box 120, or may not be connected to the connecting wire. Further, the n-type semiconductors and the p-type semiconductors may be in junction without the electrodes, and the refrigerating cycle 83, 88 and 40 may be operated to transmit the external heat to the semiconductors after raising the temperature higher than the external temperature. The refrigerating cycle may comprise the two- stage structure as shown in Fig. 34.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the structure of the conductor plates and the semiconductors, and Fig. 9 shows the structure of the dielectric substances 124 which are interposed between the conductor plates 102 and 106. Fig. 10 is an expanded view of the conductor plates 102 and 106 in the form of a net and the dielectric substance 124.

Fig. 11 shows another shape of the conductor plates 102 and 106, in which their surface areas are in contact with the semiconductors are larger than the surface areas of the other sides. It is preferable that the size of the conductor plates 102 and 106 are not much larger than the thickness of the semiconductors, since the electric fields formed in one conductor plate may influence on the other conductor plate.

Accordingly, it is preferable that the conductor plates are formed narrow and long in its shape or the size of the conductor plate is smaller than the thickness of the semiconductors. Further, when the generator comprising conductor plates and semiconductors are piled up in multi-layers, it is preferable to keep a distance between adjacent layers.

Fig. 12 shows three-layer semiconductors. In this case, n-type semiconductors 230 having a small work function, intrinsic semiconductors 231 having a small work function and n-type semiconductors 232 having a large work function may be in junction as shown in Fig. 28. P-type semiconductors having a small work function, intrinsic semiconductors 175 having a small work function and p-type semiconductors 171 having a large work function may be in junction as shown in Fig. 29. Alternatively, intrinsic semiconductors 174 having a small work function, n-type semiconductors 173 having a small work function, and intrinsic semiconductors 175 having a large work function may be in junction as shown in Fig. 30.

Fig. 31 shows that p-type semiconductors 171 having a small work function is connected between the intrinsic semiconductors 174 and 175 having different work functions.

Fig. 13 shows that one of the n-type, p-type, or intrinsic semiconductors having a small work function are interposed between the conductors in one layer and free electric charges may be generated in any part of such interposed semiconductors. However, most of the heat is transmitted through the semiconductors from the large conductor plates 201 -204 to the small conductor plates 206-208, since the large conductor plates 201 to 204 have high thermal conductivity, while the small conductor plates 206-208 and the thin connecting parts 121 have low thermal conductivity.

Further, in the semiconductor many free electric charges are generated from the part which is connected with the large conductor plates 201 to 204, and continuously generated free electric charges are diffused forming the potential difference so that the electric current may flow. In this case, when the p-type semiconductor is adopted, the positive electrode 72 may be optionally connected or no electrode may be provided. In Figs. 14 and 15, semiconductors and conductor plates are installed in the same manner as in Fig. 7. In Fig. 14, the conductor plates 301-304 and 306-309 are narrow and long, and many thin conducting wires 320 and 321 are provided to the conductor plates. In Fig. 15, multiple layers having the same unit structure are piled up, and dielectric substances 330 are inserted between the two adjacent layers. In the above examples, as the surface areas of the conductor plates become larger, the efficiency becomes higher. Also, the interference of the electric fields between the adjacent conductor plates is not observed even in case of the multi-layered structure. Figs. 16 and 17 show the fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which n-type and p-type semiconductors 411 and 412 are in junction and conductor plates 401a, 401b, 402a and 402b are installed on the upper and lower sides of the semiconductors. Negative electrodes of high voltage (not shown) are connected between the respective pair of the opposite conductor plates 401a, 401b and 402a, 402b. An insulated conductor plate 403 connected with the negative electrode 71 and an insulated conductor plate 404 which is connected with the positive electrode 72 are respectively installed in the semiconductors. In the above examples, free electric charges are generated in the conductor plate 403 connected to the negative electrode 71 and its adjacent n-type semiconductor 411 by the electric field of the negative electrode 71. However, the electric current does not flow since dielectric substance is positioned between the insulated conductor plate 403 and the semiconductor 411.

As the free electric charges diffuse positive ions are formed where the free electric charges are generated and the positive ions are formed adjacently to the upper and lower conductor plates 401a and 401b, so that the free electrons can be removed in the conductor plates 401a and 401b. In the same manner, positive free electric charges are generated around the p-type semiconductor 412 and the conductor plate 404 connected to the positive electrode. As the generated free electric charges diffuse, negative electric fields are formed where the free electric charges are generated and the negative electric charges are removed to the upper and lower conductor plates 402a and 402b. Accordingly, the potential difference which is formed between the conductor plates 401 and 402 and generates electric power. The distance between one of the respective upper and lower conductor plates 401a, 401b, 402a and 402b and the electrode plates 403 and 404 is preferably neither too far nor too close in comparison with the width of the conductor plates. Fig. 18 shows the fifth embodiment of the present invention, wherein the electric power is obtained in a similar manner to the first embodiment as shown in Fig. 1. Two semiconductors 511 and 512 having different work functions are in junction each other and conductor plates 501-506 are respectively connected with outer surfaces of the respective semiconductors 511 and 512.

In Fig. 18, the same unit structure comprising two semiconductors and two conductor plates may be repeatedly formed in multiple stages. The conductor plates 504-506 which are connected to the semiconductor 512 having a large work function are heated stage by stage by circulating fluid, where the fluid passes through the heat exchangers 535, 534 and 533 in each stage being cooled.

The cooled circulating fluid is further cooled in a heat exchanger 557 of a refrigerating cycle 53, 55, 556 and 557, and then cools the conductor plates 501 to 503 in turn while flowing. Therefore, the temperature differences can be observed between the conductor plates on both sides of the respective stages, and also between the adjacent stages.

Due to the temperature difference between the upper and lower conductor plates 504 and 501, the free electric charges generated in the semiconductor having a small work function are removed to the semiconductor having a large work function in a lower -temperature part, increasing the density of the free electric charges. Therefore, the electric current flows by the potential difference between the semiconductors on both sides.

In this embodiment, the heating and refrigerating methods are the same as those in the first embodiment and the external power source 70 is optionally connected. Further, the semiconductor of n-type, p-type or intrinsic type may be optionally installed in one layer or in two- or three-layer structure as shown in Figs. 22 to 31.

Fig. 19 shows the sixth embodiment of the present invention, in which the conductor plates 601 to 606 are installed in series and the n-type, p-type or intrinsic semiconductors which have different work functions may be connected between the conductor plates. The conductor plates 601 and 606 at both ends are respectively connected with a conducting wire and one of the conducting wires is connected to a heat exchanger 657 of a refrigerating part in a refrigerating cycle 653, 655, 656 and 657. The conductor wire connected with the heat exchanger 657 is cooled and the conductor plate 601 connected to this conducting wire is then cooled in this embodiment.

The other conducting wire is connected to the heat exchanger 640 through which the external fluid flows. This conducting wire is heated by the external fluid and then the conductor plate 606 connected thereto is heated.

Due to the temperature difference between the conductor plates 601 and 606, the semiconductors 611 having a large work function in the lower- temperature part generate few free electric charges, while the semiconductors 612 adjacent to the conductor plate 602 in the higher- temperature part generate many free electric charges. When the generated free electric charges are diffused toward the semiconductors 611, potential difference is caused between the two conductor plates 601 and 602. Likewise, the temperature differences between the two conductor plates 602 and 603 cause potential difference. The gradual temperature differences between the conductor plates 601 to 606 cause electric current.

Heat is transmitted from the external fluid to the conductor plate 606 in the higher-temr ~ature part. Since the conductor plates and semiconductors are kept in an adiabatic box 680, the heat is transmitted to a conductor 601 in the lower- temperature part via the conductors and the semiconductors of the respective stages which are connected in series. As the number of stages increases, the heat transmitted to the conductor plate 601 in the lower-temperature part decreases, and the heat energy to be eliminated by the heat exchanger 657 in the lower-temperature part becomes small.

A conducting wire 690 connected to the heat exchanger 657 in the lower-temperature part is preferably thin and long to receive heat as little as possible. The wire may be insulated not to receive heat.

The external power source 70 may be omitted and the n-type and p-type semiconductors may be in junction. Combination of two or three different kind of semiconductors may be installed as shown in Figs. 22 to 31. As shown in Fig. 20, the n-type, p-type or intrinsic semiconductor may be optionally installed in one layer.

The seventh embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 21, in which n-type and p-type semiconductors 811a, 812a, 811b and 812b which have different work functions are respectively installed in conductor boxes 820a and 820b, and connected each other in series. An n-type conductor plate 801b and a p-type conductor plate 801a are connected by a conducting wire which is cooled by a heat exchanger 857 in a refrigerating part of a refrigerating cycle 853, 855, 856 and 857.

Conductor plates 805a and 805b at the other ends are connected to electric appliances 60 by a conducting wire which absorbs heat from the external fluid in the heat exchanger 40. The negative electrode 71 is connected to the conductor box 820a which surrounds the n-type semiconductors 811a and 812a, and the positive electrode 72 is connected to the conductor box 820b which surrounds the p-type semiconductors 811b and 812b, so that the external electric fields are applied to the semiconductors to accelerate the generation of the electric charges.

The temperature differences are formed gradually between the semiconductors and the conductors in the respective stages and generate electric power in the same manner as in the sixth embodiment.

In the above embodiments, it is preferable that the conductor plates and the semiconductors are formed thin and piled up as many as possible to reduce the volume of the generator and the manufacturing cost and to generate high electric power. High electric power can be obtained by arranging more layers or more rows of the semiconductors and the conductor plates which are connected in parallel and also more stages of the semiconductors and the conductor plates which are connected in series.

According to the present invention, pollution -free automobiles that are operable without fuel can be manufactured when the above structured generator is applied in the auto industry. Further, a boiler can be installed instead of the heat exchanger 40 to absorb heat from the external fluid. The boiler burns the fuel and supplies the heat to the generator to produce high output current. Further, the heat exchanger 40 can be used for refrigeration.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A generator comprising a vacuum tube part, a first conductor having a small work function, and a second conductor having a large work function, the first and second conductors being positioned in the vacuum tube part, applied with electronegative fields of high voltage, formed thin to prevent interference between the two conductors in the vacuum tube part, and having a sharp end part to promote the emission of free electrons, wherein the first conductor having a small work function is provided with external heat by a heat medium, which is cooled by a refrigerating cycle after the transmission of the external heat to the first conductor, and the second conductor having a large work function is eliminated its heat by the cooled heat medium to be maintained in a low temperature, so that the first conductor of higher temperature having a small work function can emit electrons and the second conductor of lower temperature having a large work function can absorb the emitted electrons, so as to generate electric power due to the potential difference between the first and second conductors.

2. A generator comprising a vacuum tube part, a first conductor having a small work function, and a second conductor having a large work function, the first and second conductors being positioned in the vacuum tube part, applied with electronegative fields of high voltage, and formed thin to prevent interference between the two conductors in the vacuum tube part, and having a sharp end part to promote the emission of free electrons, wherein the first conductor having a small work function is provided with external heat by a heat medium to emit the free electrons and the second conductor absorbs the electrons emitted from the first conductor so as to generate electric power due to the potential difference between the first and second conductors.

3. A generator comprising a vacuum tube part, a first conductor, a second conductor, a semiconductor interposed between the first and second conductors, and a conductor box surrounding the first and second conductors and the semiconductor, wherein the first conductor is connected with a conducting wire to be applied with electric fields and is heated by absorbing external heat via a heat medium, the semiconductor adjacent to the heated first conductor emits free electrons by the electric fields from the first conductor, and the free electrons diffuse toward the second conductor, so that electric current may flow through the first and second conductors at both sides of the semiconductor by the potential difference formed between the first and second conductors, so as to generate electric power.

4. A generator as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first conductor having a small work function has a sharp and thin end part to have high electron density and the second conductor having a large work function has a thick end part to have low electron density, so that the free electrons may be emitted from the first conductor to the second conductor due to the potential difference caused by the different electron density.

5. The generator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the semiconductor is n-type, p-type or intrinsic semiconductor, and the external heat is transmitted to the conductor connected to the semiconductors having a small work function, so that many free electric charges are generated in the semiconductor having a small work function.

6. The generator as claimed in claim 3 or claim 5, wherein the n-type and intrinsic semiconductors, or the p-type and intrinsic semiconductors which have respectively different work functions are connected in two or three folds.

7. The generator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the n-type and p-type semiconductors are connected each other without an electrode and a refrigerating cycle is operated to transmit the heat from the external fluid to the semiconductors in temperatures above the external temperature.

8. The generator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the n-type and p-type semiconductors are connected each other and an insulated positive electrode is connected to the p-type semiconductor while an insulated negative electrode is connected to the n-type semiconductor, so that many free electric charges are generated in the semiconductors by the electric fields.

9. The generator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrode is connected only to the conducting wire, not to the semiconductors and the conductors of the conductor box, and the refrigerating cycle is operated to transmit the heat from the external fluid to the semiconductors in temperatures above the external temperature.

10. The generator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the conductor plates are formed thin or in the shape of a net, and the electric fields applied to the conductors influence on the semiconductors and their adjacent conductors.

11. The generator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the conductor which is connected to the semiconductor having a small work function has a plurality of sharp and thin protrusions, while the other conductor which is connected to the semiconductor having a large work function has many thick protrusions, so that the electric fields applied to the semiconductor which is connected to the conductor having the thin protrusions is highly variable to generate many free electric charges.

12. The generator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heat absorbed from the external is transmitted through the heat medium of the fluid circulating cycle to the conductor which is connected to the semiconductor having a small work function, and then the heat medium is cooled in a heat exchanger of a refrigerating part of the refrigerating cycle, to cool the other conductor which is connected to the semiconductor having a large work function.

13. The generator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein two or more semiconductors and conductors are connected in series in multiple stages, and one of the conducting wires which are connected to the outer conductors at both end parts is connected to the heat exchanger of the refrigerating part of the refrigerating cycle to be cooled, while the other conducting wire is heated by the external fluid, to cause gradual temperature differences in the multi-stage conductors and semiconductors, and wherein the conductor in higher temperature is connected to the semiconductor having a small work function and the conductor of lower temperature is connected to the semiconductor having a large work function, so that the free electric charges remove from the semiconductor having a small work function to the semiconductor having a large work function.

14. The generator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein when the n-type semiconductor and the conductor which have different work functions are connected in series and the p-type semiconductor and the conductor which have different work functions are connected in series, a negative electrode is connected to the conductor box which surrounds the n-type semiconductors, and a positive electrode is connected to the conducting box which surrounds the p-type semiconductors, so that the external electric field is applied to the semiconductors to accelerate the generation of electric charges, and wherein one of the respective conducting wires connected to the respective conductors and the semiconductors at their end parts is connected to the heat exchanger of the refrigerating part of the refrigerating cycle to be cooled, and the other conducting wire is heated by the external fluid, generating electric power by the potential difference obtained when the free electric charges are removed from the semiconductor having a small work function to the semiconductor having a large work function.

15. The generator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein in low temperatures, an antifreezing solution flows down from the upper part of the heat exchanger through which the external fluid passes for dissolving the vapor of the external fluid into the antifreezing solution to prevent the vapor from freezing in the heat exchanger, antifreezing solution standing in the lower part of the heat exchanger is evaporated while passing through a low -pressured evaporation means and the evaporated vapor is discharged by a vacuum pump, and the antifreezing solution is heated by an exothermic part of a refrigerating cycle, so that the heated antifreezing solution in the evaporation cycle and the vapor discharged from the vacuum pump exchange heat with the antifreezing solution flowing to the evaporation cycle.