WO2013054156A1

WO2013054156A1 - Multiphase thermoelectric converter

Info

Publication number: WO2013054156A1
Application number: PCT/IB2011/054511
Authority: WO
Inventors: Moacir L. FERREIRA JR.
Original assignee: L Ferreira Jr Moacir
Priority date: 2011-10-12
Filing date: 2011-10-12
Publication date: 2013-04-18

Abstract

A method and apparatus for converting thermal energy electrodynamically into electrical energy comprising a multiphase electrical system with multidirectional energy flow, and electromagnetic transducers for producing two opposing helically moving forces for radially compressing an electrically charged gas, forcing it to expand longitudinally, electromotively transferring its energy to the multiphase electrical system to be effectively harvested by semiconductors. The transducers can be comprised either by concentric helix-coils, by inline stators or by electrodes axially and radially out-of-phase with each other. Originated from radial and axial moving electromagnetic fields, the opposing twisting forces, forming electrodynamic vortices, can withstand higher temperatures, which allow greater efficiencies. For improving even more the conversion efficiency, it further comprises multistage ion collectors to harvest much of remaining residual heat into electricity. Such device can provide highly efficient levels of conversion from any source of thermal energy, including coal, petroleum, burned gases, geothermal, biomass, solar, and nuclear.

Description

MULTIPHASE THERMOELECTRIC CONVERTER

Technical Field

This invention relates generally to the field of converting thermal energy directly into electrical energy, and more particularly to a thermal-to-electrical energy converter which relies on opposing twisting forces produced by multiphase alternating electrical currents.

Background Art

The energy conversion from thermal energy directly into electrical energy is usually inefficient, typically ranges between 25% to 35% efficiency; for example, a typical gasoline generator operates at around 25% efficiency; in special cases, e.g. Combined Cycle Gas Turbines, may reach efficiencies over 50%. On the other hand, conversion from mechanical energy into electrical energy can be as high as 95% for large hydroelectric generators.

In accordance to the laws of thermodynamics, any efficiency cannot exceed or even reach 100% (work can be totally converted to heat energy, but heat cannot be completely converted to work), but do not prevent any efficiency from reaching or even exceeding 90%.

Higher pressures and temperatures can allow greater efficiencies η=1-(Τ<7Τ_Η), e.g. T_C=300K, T_H=3000K, r\_%=90%. However, temperatures are limited by ability of materials to withstand high temperature, which is not the case for magnetic fields that can withstand very high-temperature ions.

Heretofore, there have been known several devices designed for converting thermal energy into electrical energy:

- Thermionic/thermoelectric converters (US patent: 3022430, 3194989, 3211586, 3273048, 3444400, 3430079, 3519854, 3702408, 3794527, 4014713, 4127804, 4303845, 4323808, 5459367, 5541464, 5780954, 5929372, 5942834, 5966939, 7129616, etc.);

- Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generators (US patent: 3122663, 3130330, 3182213, 3211932, 3294990, 3339092, 3414744, 3440458, 3478234, 3483405, 3487240, 3940641, etc.);

- Beta voltaic (US patent: 7663288, 7939986, etc.) and radioisotope thermoelectric (RTG) generators (US patent: 3615869, 3668015, 2006/0028144, etc.)

All of them are still far from surpassing or even reaching 90% efficiency. Most of them remain below 30% efficiency.

Multistage depressed collectors (US patent: 3662212, 3925701, 3993925, 4096409, 6909235, 7368874, 7888873, etc.) can make TWTs more energy-efficient by recovering most of the energy remaining in the electron beam.

Prior devices that may be more closely related with this disclosure:

- Thermionic electric converter (US patent: 4303845) which is described as having a single helical coil, single-phase, self-oscillating;

- MHD generators which use multiphase alternating currents for producing either (not both) moving (US patent: 3122663, 3440458, 3483405) or rotating (US patent: 3130330) magnetic fields;

- TWT multistage collectors (US patent: 7368874, 7888873) that are just designed to boost single- phase traveling waves on a sole coil, and their collectors that are just for recovering unused beam energy, not being aimed to deal with overvoltage and bidirectional flow of energy.

Up to this time, there was no thermal-to-electrical converter designed for using multiphase alternating currents to produce both radial and longitudinal moving magnetic fields, resulting in opposing twisting forces, and also for using multistage collectors with multidirectional energy flow, in order of generating electricity from thermal energy in a more efficient way.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention was made in view of the prior art drawbacks described above, and the object of the present invention is to provide a workable method and apparatus to convert thermal energy electrodynamically into electrical energy with conversion efficiency higher than which has been unattainable by the prior art technologies.

To solve the problem, the present invention provides an apparatus and method using a multiphase electrical system having multidirectional flow of energy, and electromagnetic transducers for generating opposing helically moving electromagnetic fields resulting in twisting forces, forming two convergent electrodynamic vortices, for axially and radially compressing a hot ionized gas inducing it to expand longitudinally outwardly forcing and boosting electromotively the alternating electromagnetic fields of the transducers while escaping and transferring its energy to the multiphase electrical system to be effectively harvested by a diode bridge and timely dispatched by IGBTs/MOSFETs to a battery bank. Remaining residual heat energy is still recovered into electricity by using multistage ion beam collectors increasing even more the overall efficiency. The electromagnetic transducers can be comprised either by concentric helix-coils, by inline stators or by electrodes axially and radially out-of-phase with each other.

Objects and Advantages

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for

electrodynamically converting thermal energy directly into electrical energy by using opposing twisting electromagnetic forces.

It is a further object of this invention to provide at least two method and apparatus for producing helical moving forces: one principal with concentric helix-coils, and other alternative with either stator windings or electrodes.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a method or apparatus for recovering residual heat energy into electricity by using multistage ion beam collectors with multidirectional flow of energy.

It is another object of this invention to provide a schematic diagram of a multiphase electrical circuit for controlling multidirectional flow of energy in a synchronized way.

It is another object of this invention to provide a heat engine for converting thermal energy from any thermal source (fossil, nuclear, solar, biomass, geothermal, etc.) directly into electrical energy.

It is another object of this invention to provide a combustion engine for burning fuel converting its heat energy directly into usable electricity that can efficiently power, for example, electric vehicles.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description in connection with the appended drawings illustrating preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to be understood; however, that these are given by way of illustration and not of limitation and that changes may be made in the detailed construction, materials, form and size of the parts, without affecting the scope of the invention.

Drawings Figures

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a preferred arrangement of electromagnetic transducers for generating helical moving electromagnetic fields comprised of a set of six concentric helix-coils, axially 60° rotated from each other;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an alternative arrangement of transducers for generating helical moving electromagnetic fields comprised of a set of six inline stators 60° out-of-phase with each other, wherein each stator is comprised of a set of six poles/windings also 60° out-of-phase with each other;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a preferred embodiment for generating opposing twisting forces comprised by two sets of six concentric helix-coils of FIG. 1 oppositely coiled;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of FIG. 3 further including electron emitters and two optional magnets;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of FIG. 3 further including multistage ion beam collectors;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of FIG. 5 further including a casing;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 showing its internal arrangement;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a heat engine using the preferred embodiment of FIG. 6 further including a heat source, heat sink, and a multidirectional energy system comprised of a 3-phase electrical transformer, battery bank, and bidirectional power suppliers;

FIG. 9 is an illustration of a combustion engine using the preferred embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram comprising 3-phase primary windings, 3-phase rectifier/inverter, a master control system, and an optical emitter; FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram comprising center-tapped windings 3 to 6-phase, an electron emitter circuit, and an optical receiver;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram comprising 3-phase secondary windings, 3-phase rectifier/inverter, an auxiliary control system, and an optical receiver.

Reference Numerals in Drawings

! l j coil top 1 - 0° 21 : coil bottom 1 - 0° : 40 casing 59 ! HV power suppliers

! 2 : coil top 2 - 60° 22 : coil bottom 2 - 60° ; 41 ! insulator 1 60 ! six phase wire bottom

3 ! coil top 3 - 120° 23 : coil bottom 3 - 120° : 42 insulator 2 61 ! air filter

! 4 coil top 4 - 180° 24: coil bottom 4 - 180° : 43 insulator 3 62 ! fuel intake

! 5 : coil top 5 - 240° 25 : coil bottom 5 - 240° : 44 ! insulator 4 63 ! catalytic converter

! 6 ; coil top 6 - 300° 26: coil bottom 6 - 300° : 45 insulator 5 64 ! exhaust pipe

\ 1 \ stator 1 - 0° 27 magnet top 46 insulator 6 65 : optical TX clock

! 8 stator 2 - 60° 28 magnet bottom 47 hot pipe 66 ! optical RX clock

: 9 : stator 3 - 120° ! 29 electron emitter 48 ! heat source 67 ! optical TX shunt

! 10 ! stator 4 - 180° 30 common wire 49 valve 68 ! optical RX shunt

11 stator 5 - 240° 31 collector 1 50 heat sink 69 ! 3-phase windings 1

: 12 : stator 6 - 300° 32 collector 2 51 battery bank 70 ! 3-phase windings N

13 : coil stator 1 - 0° 33 collector 3 52 main power supply 71 ! center-tapped 3 to 6 phases

14 : coil stator 2 - 60° 34 collector 4 53 3-phase transformer 72 ! collector +

! 15 ! coil stator 3 - 120° 35 ! collector 5 54 pump 73 : collector -

! 16 ! coil stator 4 - 180° 36 collector 6 55 cold pipe 74 ! shunt resistor

17 ! coil stator 5 - 240° 37 collector 7 56 six phase wire top 75 ! clock generator

18 ! coil stator 6 - 300° ! 38 insulator top 57 wire coils common

! 19 ! coils common 39 top cover 58 wire electron emitters

Description of Invention

In the following will be described at least two different practical workable embodiments of this invention.

A preferred arrangement of electromagnetic transducers for generating helical moving force is shown in FIG. 1, comprised by six concentric solenoids (helix-coils) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, axially rotated 60° from each other.

An alternative arrangement of transducers for generating helical moving force is shown in FIG. 2, comprised by six conventional stators 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, fed with electrical currents 60° out-of- phase with each other, wherein each stator is comprised by six conventional poles(windings) 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, also 60° out-of-phase with each other.

An electromagnetic transducer is any device that converts electric power (P=V*I) into alternating electromagnetic fields and vice versa; hence other alternative arrangements of transducers are possible, for example, it can be comprised by conventional electrodes (fed with voltages axially and radially out- of-phase with each other), or even capacitive plates, for primarily generating moving electric fields, secondarily resulting magnetic fields, for still producing helically moving electromagnetic fields.

A preferred embodiment for generating opposing twisting forces is shown in FIG. 3, comprised by the set of six concentric helix-coils already described in FIG. 1, more a mirrored (oppositely coiled) set of six concentric helix-coils 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26, wherein each pair of opposing coils, e.g. 1 and 21, have a common terminal 19, and each downstream coil 21 are fed preferably with a voltage lower than its upstream pair 1, making the top side(upstream) a little stronger than the bottom side(downstream), unbalancing intake and exhaust pressures within its bore in order to make optional external devices for inwardly impelling hot gases, or other conductive fluids.

A continuation of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. 4, further illustrating an electron emitter 29, there are six electron emitters radially disposed around the embodiment midpoint for injecting preferably in-between the coils, and two optional magnets 27 and 28 with same magnetic polarity (NS-SN) enclosing the coils for increasing the magnetic containment and also for forming magnetic cusp at the middle for injecting electrons. Internally, the embodiment inner walls (chamber), including the coils, can optionally be coated with refractory and/or reflective material in order to minimize radioactively coupled heat transfer. The electron emitters can optionally be comprised of nichrome instead of tungsten due to its relatively high electrical resistivity and resistance to oxidation at high temperatures. The electron emitters can also be replaced by several types of negative ion sources such as electrospray, duoplasmatron, and so on. Also it can be replaced by positive ion sources; in this case, all polarities of power suppliers must conform to positively charged gases. More alternatively, electron emitters can be optional in case of already pre-ionized gases, or in case of coils fed by frequencies commonly used in plasma source/process, e.g. 13.56MHz. However, in this disclosure, it will be explained a setup only using electron emitters, producing negatively charged gas, just to simplify further explanations.

A continuation of the embodiment of FIG. 4 is shown in FIG. 5 further illustrating a set of conventional multistage ion beam collectors 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and 37, a common wire 30, an electrical insulator 38 and a cover 39. The common wire 30 is at negative electric potential, or ground, and the common terminals 19 of the coils are at positive electric potential, forming a penning trap which helps to confine negatively charged gases.

A continuation of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 5 is shown in FIG. 6, further illustrating a casing 40 for adiabatically and hermetically sealing the apparatus.

A cross-section taken of FIG. 6 is shown in FIG. 7, showing its chamber interior wherein ionized gas is compressed by moving EM fields from the coils; and also clarifying the assembly of the set of ion beam collectors 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and 37, and their respective electrical insulators 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46, evenly spaced and coaxially disposed along the outward axis. The electrical insulators can be preferably made of boron nitride due to its excellent thermal properties and a dielectric

strength (6MV/m).

An embodiment for a heat engine system, using the preferred embodiment of FIG. 6, is shown in FIG. 8, further illustrating a heat source 48, a heat pipe 47, a pump 54, a heat sink 50, a valve 49, a cold pipe 55, a positive wire 57 for the common terminals 19 of the coils, six-phase wires 56 to feed the upstream coils, six-phase wires 60 to feed the downstream coils, a three-phase electrical transformer 53, a battery bank 51, a main power supply 52, secondary power suppliers 59, there are seven connected in series forming a pile, each having its respective negative terminal connected to its respective ion beam collector at left; the eighth power supply (from the bottom up) is for supplying the electron emitters via wire 58; the third power supply is connected via optical fiber to the eighth to control electron emissions, which will be further explained.

An embodiment for a combustion system, using the preferred embodiment of FIG. 6, is shown in FIG. 9, further illustrating a conventional air filter 61, a fuel intake 62, a conventional catalytic converter 63, and an exhaust pipe 64.

A schematic diagram of an electric circuit for a main control system is shown in FIG. 10, further illustrating a three-phase rectifier bridge comprised by six diodes Dl, D2, D3, D4, D5, and D6, a three- phase inverter comprised by six IGBTs Ql, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5, and Q6, three-phase pulse circuits PI, P2, and P3, phased 120° from each other, driving respectively gate circuit pairs G1/G2, G3/G4, GD5/GD6 for synchronously switching the IGBTs; the battery bank 51, a three-phase primary winding 69, a clock generator 75, and a main optical emitter 65 that will be further explained.

Alternatively, other switched-mode topologies, other semiconductor devices such as MOSFET, GTO, SCR, can be used instead of IGBT.

A schematic diagram of a control for electron emitter is shown in FIG. 11, further illustrating a three- phase center-tapped winding 71 for splitting three-phase into six-phase for feeding the coils, a three- phase rectifier bridge comprised by six diodes D13, D14, D15, D16, D17, and D18, a filament for the electron emitter 29, a current sense resistor Rl, and an optical receiver 68 that will be further explained. The coils are fed by six-phase wires instead of three-phase, hence the secondary windings 71 (FIG. 11) are center-tapped to split three-phase into six phases, also the extra winding terminals are preferably to provide two voltages, higher voltage for the top coils (upstream) and lower voltage for the bottom coils (downstream) to force an outflowing direction for the downstream.

A schematic diagram of one of the secondary power suppliers is shown in FIG. 12, further illustrating a three-phase rectifier bridge comprised by six diodes D7, D8, D9, D10, Dll, and D12, a three-phase inverter comprised by six IGBTs Q7, Q8, Q9, Q10, Qll, and Q12, three-phase pulse circuits P4, P5, and P6, phased 120° from each other, driving respectively gate circuit pairs G7/G8, G9/G10, GD11/GD12 for synchronously switching the IGBTs; a capacitor CI, a voltage divider comprised by 3 and R2, a positive terminal 72, a negative terminal 73 that is connected to ion beam collector, a three-phase secondary winding 70, a shunt resistor 74, an optical emitter 67 and an optical receiver 66 that will be further explained. Note: only one of the secondary power suppliers (the third) which is connected to collector 35 is that have the shunt resistor 74 and the optical emitter 67.

Operation of Invention

A basic operation for generating helical moving force can be better understood from the FIG. 1 wherein each coil 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, are fed with phase angles 60° apart, respectively 0°, 60°, 120°, 180°, 240°, and 300°, wherein the sequenced pattern of phase-shifted oscillations radially produce rotating magnetic fields similarly to a conventional rotating AC motor, and also longitudinally (or axially) produce moving magnetic fields similarly to a conventional linear AC motor, resulting in spiraling electromagnetic force with an electrodynamic vortex around and along its longitudinal axis creating an unidirectional drag force.

Another way of generating helical moving force can be better understood from the FIG. 2 wherein each conventional stator are 60° out-of-phase with each other and also each pole are 60° out-of-phase with each other, radially producing rotating magnetic fields and longitudinally producing moving magnetic fields, also resulting in helicoidal moving force forming electrodynamic vortex.

A basic operation for generating opposing twisting forces can be better understood from the FIG. 3 wherein each coil pair 1/21, 2/22, 3/23, 4/24, 5/25, and 6/26, are fed with phase angles 60° apart, respectively 0°, 60°, 120°, 180°, 240°, and 300°, thereby longitudinally producing opposing helicoidally moving electromagnetic fields, forming two electrodynamic vortices with their drag forces converging toward the common center. Note: they are oppositely coiled and fed with same phase sequence;

alternatively, they can be coiled in the same direction and one side fed with opposite phase sequence for still generating two contra-aligned electrodynamic vortices.

Longitudinal and radial velocity of the moving force, for example:

f=20kHz

: Longitudinal i Radial

v =Lf i v =2nrf

i L=60 cm I r=20 cm

\ v_L=12 *10³ m/s \ v_r=25.13 *10³ m/s \ F=mv²/r F=m4n²rf² \ P=F/A (N/rrTor J/rrf ) P=nRT/V \ where L is the axial length of one turn, r is the radius, m is mass, v is velocity, V is volume, F is force, P is pressure, T is temperature, and f is frequency.

It is preferable to use one pole per phase p=l [0° 60° 120° 180° 240° 300°]. Another option is to use two pole per phase p=2 [0° 120° 240° 0° 120° 240°] which decreases radial and longitudinal velocities (v_r=2nrf/p) (v_L=Lf/p) and increases radial aperture/opening of the vortex which can be useful for very ionized gases facilitating escaping while electrodynamically transferring its energy to the system.

Before going on, succinctly here are some physics and technology foundations:

- It is widely known that:

- electric field changing in time generates a magnetic field and vice versa;

- electromagnetic fields interact with the matter;

- time-varying electromagnetic fields are produced by alternating currents and voltages;

- moving charges cause magnetic fields;

- magnetic fields exert forces on moving charges F=q(v ^χ B); - alternating or moving magnetic fields causes electrical currents on a wire F=i(L ^χ B);

- flow rate of electric energy (P=E/t), or electric power P, is also is given by the product of applied voltage and electric current (P=V*I);

- electromotive force (EMF) refers to voltage generated by the force (ε=Β£ν sin9) (measured in Volts and not Newtons) of time-varying magnetic fields, which can be used to induce an electric current to flow through a circuit in order to supply an electric power (P=V*I, P=V²/R, or P=I²*R) to a resistive load;

- electromagnetic transducers convert electric power into alternating electromagnetic fields and vice versa, e.g. antennas, electrodes, straight wires, coil wires, and so on.

- The fundamental concept behind Magnetohydrodynamics is that magnetic fields can induce currents in a moving conductive fluid (plasmas, liquid metals, and salt water or electrolytes), which in turn creates forces on the fluid and also changes the magnetic field itself.

- Magnetic refrigeration is a cooling technology based on the magnetocaloric effect, where magnetic fields induce the magnetic dipoles of the atoms and molecules of magnetocaloric materials to align, decreasing heat capacity by reducing radial vibrations, which forces an increasing on longitudinal vibrations, thereby cooling as they emit electromagnetic waves (thermal radiation), which represents a form of conversion of thermal energy into electromagnetic energy; however, this effect is insignificant on nonmagnetic materials, but on hot ionized plasmas, it can be meaningful enhancing even more the conversion efficiency, mainly if an internal coating is provided adiabatically in order to minimize the radioactively coupled heat transfer as aforesaid.

- It is interesting to cite the Vortex Tube (US patent: 1952281) that is a mechanical device, with no moving parts, that can produce simultaneously hot (outer vortex) and cold (inner vortex) air streams from an input stream at room temperature. It can optionally further help the reader to get an alternative envisage for understanding by comparisons of how an electrodynamic vortex enclosing an ionized gas vortex is able to receive energy.

- It is known from TWT's technology that an energetic electron beam inside a helical coil push the alternating electromagnetic fields forwardly thereby boosting/amplifying the amplitude of single- phase electromagnetic waves while losing kinetic energy at each bunching cyclically/periodically induced by the alternating EM fields.

- Also it is known that for increasing potential stored energy in a charged capacitor is by doing work (x=qU) of extracting electrons from its positive terminal and pushing them towards its negative terminal, increasing its voltage and consequently, increasing its stored energy (E=½CV²).

Continuing, a basic operation of extracting thermal energy from a hot gas converting

electrodynamically into electrical energy can be better understood from the FIG. 5 and FIG. 8 wherein inside the chamber interior, the incoming hot gas is (optionally as aforesaid) ionized by electron emitters 29, the opposing twisting forces produced by the coils (forming electrodynamic vortices) compress axially and radially the ionized gas F=q(v ^χ B), and the ionized gas produces longitudinally an expansive outflowing force against the multiphase alternating fields electromotively boosting an opposing electrical current on the coil wires F=i(L ^χ B), also voltage (ε=Β£ν sin9), which is transferred back to the three-phase electrical transformer 53 (FIG. 8) producing an overvoltage on the primary windings

69 (FIG. 10) charging the battery bank 51 (FIG. 10) via the three-phase diode bridge rectifier. Wherein, the diode bridges effectively harvest energy, and the IGBTs synchronously dispatch energy.

Comparatively, at first glance, it works similarly to a Traveling Wave Amplifier (TWT), where amplitude of alternating electromagnetic fields is boosted while electrically charged particles pass through its interior, forcing the alternating fields outwardly thereby electromotively amplifying the amplitude of voltage and current (causing an opposing overflow of energy) on the coils while charged particles is losing kinetic energy; however, it amplifies multiphase standing waves instead of a single- phase traveling wave, and also it uses not only energy from electrons but also energy from electrically charged ions. Furthermore, the multiphase electromagnetic fields are amplified, and energy

electromotively bounces back to the rectifier bridge which forms a diode clipping circuit for trimming off the overflow (boosts/peaks/spikes/surges) of energy that is transferred to be absorbed by the battery bank. By the way, even having some stationary wave on each coil, the coils are out-of-phase with each other, hence the overall effect due to sequential phase variation is still of generating axially and radially moving electromagnetic fields as previously described.

It is known that the ionization rate increases with an increase of the plasma temperature.

Increasing velocity of moving fields or its magnetic flux, increases force F=q(v ^χ B) increasing pressure and temperature improving thermal efficiency η= l-(Tc/T_H). Opening possibility for ever higher conversion efficiency, e.g. T_C=300K, (T_H *> η_¾) (600K ~> 50%) (3000K ~> 90%) (30000K ~> 99%)

Higher temperatures are possible because the rotating magnetic fields prevent high-temperature plasma from touching the chamber wall. The phase rotation keeps hot plasma centered inside the coils.

After escaping from the contra-aligned vortices produced by the coils, transferring most of its energy electrodynamically to the multiphase system, the outflowing negatively ionized plasma is

electrostatically decelerated for gradually exchanging its remaining kinetic energy into potential energy landing smoothly on the multistage collectors (FIG. 7) losing its excess of electrons becoming neutral again. The electrons going from the collector towards negative terminal 73 (FIG. 12) causes overvoltage on capacitor CI, which is detected by the comparator, via the voltage divider 3 and R2, activating AND gates, enabling phased pulses to IGBTs which is switched transferring the potential energy stored in the capacitor to the three-phase secondary windings 70 (FIG. 12) causing overvoltage on the three-phase primary windings 69 (FIG. 10) charging the battery bank 51 (FIG. 10) via the three-phase diode bridge rectifier. In order to work properly, the electrons are emitted from the positive potential 58 so that useful work(i=qU) be done by the ionized gas pushing the extracted electrons from the positive potential towards the negative potential, or ground, increasing potential energy stored in the capacitor (E=½CV²) as aforesaid.

Only one secondary power supply, connected to collector 35 (FIG. 7), sends its electrical current value, sensed by the resistor shunt 74, via the optical emitter 67 (FIG. 12) to the optical receiver

68 (FIG. 11) to be compared with half of current sensed by Rl to control the amount of electrons flowing from electron emitters 29 in order to control the amount of ionization. A general rule is that should be emitted at least a minimum current of electrons, e.g. 10 μΑ, and the current sensed by the shunt should be the half of overall current of electrons emitted in order to most of the negative ions to land far from the first collector 31 (FIG. 7) and a little closer to the last collector 37 that is the collector 35.

Due to the very high electrical potential differences, a control bus should be comprised preferably by optical fibers due to its high electrical insulation and immunity to electromagnetic interference.

The optical emitter 65 (FIG. 10) sends the timing signal, produced by the clock generator 75, to all secondary power suppliers via optical fibers to be received by their respective optical receivers 66, keeping the three-phase system perfectly synchronized for multidirectional flow of energy.

The apparatus for converting thermal energy directly into electricity without mechanical steam turbines can be better understood from the FIG. 8 wherein a heated gas from the heat source 48 flows to the already described preferred embodiment (FIG. 6) via the pipe 47. The preferred embodiment extracts maximum of energy possible from the heated gas transferring it to the battery bank 51. The remaining thermal energy that cannot be employed for conversion is dissipated to outside via the heat sink 50 by compressing the gas via the pump 54. The valve 49 controls flux of cold gas toward the heat source via the pipe 55 completing the thermal cycle.

The apparatus for extracting energy directly from fuel combustion can be better understood from the FIG. 9 wherein fuel is injected via the intake 62 to be mixed with air coming from the filter 61, towards to the already described preferred embodiment (FIG. 6), wherein inside the chamber, the twisting forces pressurize, and the six electron emitters 29 helps to ignite the air/fuel mixture, the multiphase coils and the multistage collectors convert thermal energy into electricity as previously explained. The unbalanced voltage between top and bottom coils impels byproducts of combustion downward to the exhaust pipe 64 passing through the catalytic converter 63 to reduce its toxicity. Currently, in the worldwide, approximately more than two-thirds of all the energy produced by burning fuels or generated in thermal power plants is lost in the form of waste heat; and with this invention, it is possible to recover most of that wasted energy, reducing worldwide pollution. Also with this invention, the waste heat from electromagnetic losses (bremsstrahlung) in the aneutronic fusion reactor core can be turned efficiently into electricity, assuring the overall efficiency stay well above the breakeven point assuring a net gain for the aneutronic fusion reactor(MAGNETIC AND ELECTROSTATIC NUCLEAR FUSION REACTOR); perfect combination, virtually, no thermal and radioactive waste, a dense energy source with an extremely high degree of cleanness and efficiency to supply the world's future energy needs.

In this way, the electrodynamic thermoelectric converter in this disclosure can improve conversion efficiency from any sources of thermal energy such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydrogen, geothermal, biomass, biofuel, solar, and nuclear, directly into usable electricity, useful for increasing the efficiency of existing thermal power plants. And also can be an important breakthrough for electric vehicles to recharge battery packs and to power electric motors, reducing automotive waste heat, fuel consumption and carbon emission, providing a huge improvement in fuel efficiency, making it more environmentally friendly.

Conclusion, Ramifications, and Scope of Invention

Accordingly, the reader will see that the thermal-to-electrical converter of this invention evolves an improved concept, that can be used to convert almost any form of thermal energy directly into electrical energy at very high efficiency levels, which can exceed conventional means by twice or even thrice; and also it is relatively inexpensive; relatively easy to integrate to existent thermal power plants; system performance is competitive; having a scalability of size and power, easier engineering and

maintainability.

While my above description contains a lot of specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example, it can be comprised by three, four, six, twelve or more phases, varying form and size of the parts; it can use other electrically conductive fluids instead of only ionized gas; it can be fitted to work with positive ions instead of negative ions. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes can be made in the parts and steps of the apparatus and method without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method of converting electrodynamically thermal energy into electrical energy, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a multiphase electrical system having multidirectional flow of energy,

(b) providing a first means comprised by a plurality of coaxially disposed electromagnetic transducers wherein each transducer converts electric power into alternating electromagnetic fields and vice versa and the transducers are out-of-phase with each other in order to generate axially and radially moving electromagnetic fields resulting in helically moving forces,

(c) providing a second means similarly comprised by a plurality of electromagnetic transducers but oppositely aligned facing the first means in order to produce opposing twisting forces,

(d) thereby forming two collinearly convergent electrodynamic vortices preferably having one vortex slightly stronger than the other vortex for respectively defining inflow and outflow directions inside its chamber, wherein an inflowing electrically charged gas is radially compressed forcing it to expand longitudinally outflowing while forcing and boosting the alternating electromagnetic fields electromotively causing an opposing energy overflow on the transducers that is effectively harvested by electric circuit of said multiphase electrical system,

whereby most of the thermal energy is converted electrodynamically into electrical energy.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in steps (b) and (c) said first and second means comprised by a plurality of electromagnetic transducers,

wherein said electromagnetic transducers are selected from a group consisting of concentric helix-coils axially rotated and out-of-phase with each other, conventional stators coaxially disposed and axially and radially out-of-phase with each other, and electrodes also coaxially disposed and axially and radially out-of- phase with each other,

whereby sequential phase variation on said transducers produces moving electromagnetic fields in both radial and axial directions resulting in the helically moving forces hereby forming an electrodynamic vortex.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of ionizing a neutral gas turning it into said electrically charged gas, comprising the step of:

emitting electrically charged particles toward said neutral gas,

wherein said electrically charged particles are selected from a group consisting of electrons, negative ions, and positive ions.

4. The method of claim 1, further including the step of recovering most of remaining thermal energy of said electrically charged gas into electrical energy, comprising the step of:

establishing an electrical potential with opposite polarity of said electrically charged gas from which said gas becomes electrically charged,

disposing a plurality of multistage ion beam collectors having same electrical polarity of said electrically charged gas and spaced-apart around the outward axis,

wherein said electrically charged gas is gradually forced to exchange its kinetic energy into potential energy landing smoothly on said ion collectors to exchange electrons to become neutralized causing an overvoltage that is transferred to the said multiphase electrical system,

whereby most of the remaining thermal energy is converted electrostatically into electrical energy.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in step (a) providing a multiphase electrical system having multidirectional flow of energy,

wherein said multiphase electrical system further comprises a multiphase electrical transformer with a plurality of windings connected to a plurality of multiphase power supply means, an optical means for controlling and synchronizing each of said power supply means,

whereby one of the said power supply means can be synchronously switched for dispatching electric energy to the said electrical transformer and another power supply means through its diode bridge can effectively harvest said electric energy from said electrical transformer and vice-versa,

whereby the said multiphase electrical system is perfectly synchronized via said optical means to perform suitably the multidirectional flow of energy virtually protected from electromagnetic interference.

6. An apparatus for converting heat energy directly into electricity comprising:

a multiphase electrical system with multidirectional energy flow,

a first arrangement of electromagnetic transducers coaxially disposed and axially and radially out-of-phase with each other for producing helical moving forces from multiphase electromagnetic fields, a second similar arrangement of electromagnetic transducers contrarily aligned to the first arrangement in order to generate opposing twisting electromagnetic forces,

thereby originating two contra-aligned electrodynamic vortices preferably unbalanced to cause intake and exhaust pressures within its chamber interior,

wherein an incoming ionized gas is radially compressed expanding longitudinally outwardly pushing and amplifying the multiphase electromagnetic fields electromotively inducing an opposing electrical current and voltage on said electromagnetic transducers hereby transferring energy to the said multiphase electrical system to be indeed collected by electric circuit,

whereby most of the energy conversion is done electrodynamically.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said electromagnetic transducers can be selected from a group consisting of concentric helix-coils axially rotated and out-of-phase with each other, conventional stator windings disposed inline and fed with electrical currents axially and radially out-of-phase with each other, and electrodes coaxially disposed and fed with electrical voltages axially and radially out-of-phase with each other,

whereby sequential phase variation on said transducers produces both rotating and moving electromagnetic fields resulting in helical moving forces hereby originating an electrodynamic vortex.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

an ionization means for inducing a neutral gas to become said ionized gas that can be selected from a group consisting of electron gun, negative ion source, positive ion source, and plasma source.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a power supply means having opposite polarity of said ionized gas from which said gas is ionized, a plurality of multistage ion beam collectors evenly spaced along the outflow axis and having same electrical polarity of said ionized gas,

wherein said ionized gas is progressively forced along its outflowing path to exchange its kinetic energy into potential energy landing softly on said collectors becoming neutralized by exchanging electrons hereby transferring its energy to the said multiphase electrical system,

whereby most of the remaining energy conversion is done electrostatically.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said multiphase electrical system, further comprising: a multiphase electrical transformer with a plurality of windings,

a plurality of multiphase power supply means,

a means having optical fiber for controlling and synchronizing each of said power supply means, wherein each of said power supply means is connected to each winding of said multiphase electrical transformer,

whereby one of the said power supply means can be synchronously switched for dispatching electric energy to the said electrical transformer and another power supply means through its rectifiers can indeed harvest said electric energy from said electrical transformer and vice-versa,

whereby the said multiphase electrical system is perfectly synchronized via optical fiber to provide adequately the multidirectional energy flow with high immunity to electromagnetic interference.