KR20130107389A - Thermoelectric power generater - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermoelectric generator for a vehicle, and more particularly, a vehicle including a thermoelectric module having a first tube having a cooling water flowing on one side thereof and a second tube having a high temperature exhaust gas flowing on the other side thereof. In the thermoelectric generator, the third tube for storing the heat storage material is provided between the thermoelectric module and the second tube, so that the waste heat of the exhaust gas accumulated in the heat storage material under sufficient running conditions even if the temperature of the exhaust gas is rapidly lowered. Through a thermoelectric generator for a vehicle that can facilitate the thermoelectric power through.

Description

Automotive thermoelectric generator {Thermoelectric Power Generater}

The present invention relates to a thermoelectric generator for a vehicle, and more particularly, a vehicle including a thermoelectric module having a first tube having a cooling water flowing on one side thereof and a second tube having a high temperature exhaust gas flowing on the other side thereof. In the thermoelectric generator, the third tube for storing the heat storage material is provided between the thermoelectric module and the second tube, so that the waste heat of the exhaust gas accumulated in the heat storage material under sufficient running conditions even if the temperature of the exhaust gas is sharply lowered. Through a thermoelectric generator for a vehicle that can facilitate the thermoelectric power through.

Thermoelectric Element is a generic term for elements that use various effects caused by the interaction of heat and electricity.Thermistor, temperature, which is a device with the characteristics of negative resistance temperature coefficient that decreases as the temperature increases, the electrical resistance decreases. There is a device using the Seebeck effect, a phenomenon in which electromotive force is generated by a difference, and a device using the Peltier effect, a phenomenon in which heat absorption (or generation) is caused by current.

The Seebeck effect is a thermoelectric phenomenon in which a current is caused to flow in a closed circuit connecting two metals or semiconductors when a temperature difference is generated between two metals or semiconductors. In 1821, T.J. Zebec discovered using copper and bismuth.

Specifically, it is as follows. If a temperature difference is applied to both ends A and B of one metal rod, an electromotive force due to the heat flow appears between A and B. Since the electromotive force varies depending on the type of metal, a difference occurs in the electromotive force between A and B appearing in each metal when two types of metal ends A and B are joined, so that a current flows in the circuit. When the middle of one metal is cut off, the difference in electromotive force between the two metals appears at the cut ends. This is called heat power. Thermocouples used for temperature measurements use this thermoelectric power.

The thermoelectric power generation using the thermoelectric power is a Seebeck effect that a potential difference occurs between the heat source and the cooling unit when a temperature difference is applied across the Seebeck element, which is a metal or a semiconductor, and directly heats heat without a mechanical driving unit. Can be converted to.

Since the energy generation efficiency of the thermoelectric power generation is proportional to the temperature difference between the heat source and the cooling part, energy generation efficiency is not high when the temperature difference between the both ends is not large, and there is a problem that extra energy may be required to form a condition with a large temperature difference .

On the other hand, in general, when looking at the energy flow of a vehicle, the chemical energy of gasoline is converted into mechanical energy by combustion in the engine, and the thermal efficiency at this time is only about 30%. The remaining energy is released in the form of heat, in particular, the heat generated by the engine is transferred by the cooling water, discharged through the radiator, and discharged in the form of exhausted heat.

Among them, the exhaust gas is the portion having the highest heat source, and in general, it is discharged to the outside through the exhaust pipe.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-083725 (published on Mar. 03, 2006, entitled " exhaust heat power generation device ") discloses a technique for generating a sheave effect between high temperature exhaust gas and low temperature cooling water or refrigerant. A thermoelectric power generating device that generates electric power by disposing a thermoelectric element using a thermoelectric element is disclosed.

However, since thermoelectric power generation technology using exhaust heat generates a temperature difference using high temperature exhaust gas using low temperature cooling water or the like, the exhaust gas temperature may rapidly decrease in driving conditions with low exhaust flow rate, thereby degrading power generation performance.

In addition, as the exhaust gas passes through the exhaust line, the temperature gradually decreases, and thus the power generation module located at the downstream side of the exhaust gas is less likely to cause durability problems, but there is a section in which the power generation performance is deteriorated. There is a problem.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-083725 (published on March 30, 2006, entitled " Korean Patent Publication No. 2011-0073101 (Registered Date: June 29, 2011, Name: Thermoelectric generator for vehicle and cooling module including the same)

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is provided with a first tube through which the coolant flows on one side, the second tube with a high temperature exhaust gas flows on the other side In the thermoelectric generator for a vehicle including a thermoelectric module, a third tube for storing the heat storage material is provided between the thermoelectric module and the second tube, so that even if the exhaust gas temperature is drastically lowered, the waste heat of the exhaust gas is sufficient in running conditions. It is to provide a thermoelectric generator for a vehicle that can facilitate the thermoelectric power generation through the exhaust heat accumulated in the heat storage material.

In addition, an object of the present invention is installed so that the third tube in which the heat storage material is stored in contact with one side of the thermoelectric module, it is possible to maintain a uniformly high temperature throughout the high temperature portion of the thermoelectric module to ensure a constant power generation performance for a vehicle It is to provide a thermoelectric generator.

In addition, the object of the present invention is that the first tube, the thermoelectric module, the third tube and the second tube is sequentially stacked, a plurality of times is configured to be recovered more waste heat, thereby increasing the amount of thermoelectric power generation for a vehicle It is to provide a thermoelectric generator.

The vehicle thermoelectric generator of the present invention is a thermoelectric module 100; A first tube 200 provided on one side of the thermoelectric module 100 and having a first inlet 210 through which coolant is introduced and a first discharge unit 220 with which the coolant is discharged; A second tube 300 provided on the other side of the thermoelectric module 100 and through which exhaust gas flows; A third tube 400 provided between the thermoelectric module 100 and the second tube 300 and having a heat storage material stored therein; A pair of first header tanks 510 and second header tanks 520 in which both ends of the second tube 300 are fixed to communicate exhaust gas; A second inlet 610 formed in the first header tank 510 and into which exhaust gas is introduced; And a second discharge part 620 formed in the second header tank 520 and through which exhaust gas is discharged. And is formed to include a plurality of protrusions.

In addition, the first tube 200 is characterized in that it is provided with a baffle 230 for adjusting the flow path of the cooling water therein.

In addition, the third tube 400 is formed in the longitudinal direction therein partition 410 is characterized in that the tube of the channel form in which the space is separated.

In addition, the second tube 300 is characterized in that the inner pin 330 is provided therein.

In addition, in the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1, the first tube 200, the thermoelectric module 100, the third tube 400, and the second tube 300 are sequentially stacked to form one thermoelectric module unit 10. ) And the thermoelectric module unit 10 is stacked a plurality of times.

In addition, the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 includes a pair of brackets 700 in the height direction of the first tube 200, the thermoelectric module 100, the third tube 400, and the second tube 300. It is characterized in that it is fixed by the fixing means 710 is in close contact with the outer surface of the stacked area.

In the thermoelectric generator for a vehicle of the present invention includes a thermoelectric module having a first tube is provided with a cooling water flow on one side, the second tube is provided with a high temperature exhaust gas flows on the other side, Since the third tube for storing the heat storage material is provided between the thermoelectric module and the second tube, even if the temperature of the exhaust gas is sharply lowered, the thermoelectric power is smoothly generated through the exhaust heat accumulated in the heat storage material under the sufficient driving conditions. The advantage is that it can be done.

In addition, the vehicle thermoelectric generator of the present invention is installed so that the third tube in which the heat storage material is stored in contact with one side of the thermoelectric module, it is possible to maintain a uniform high temperature throughout the high temperature portion of the thermoelectric module to ensure a constant power generation performance The advantage is that you can.

In the vehicle thermoelectric generator of the present invention, the first tube, the thermoelectric module, the third tube, and the second tube are sequentially stacked, and are stacked multiple times to recover more waste heat, thereby effectively increasing the amount of thermoelectric power generation. Can be.

1 is a working principle of the thermoelectric module.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle thermoelectric generator according to the present invention.
3 is a cross-sectional view showing a vehicle thermoelectric generator according to the present invention.
4 is a cross-sectional view showing another vehicle thermoelectric generator according to the present invention.
5 is a view showing the exhaust gas flow (a) and the coolant flow (b) inside the vehicle thermoelectric generator of FIG.
6 is a perspective view showing another vehicle thermoelectric generator according to the present invention.
Figure 7 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a first tube of a vehicle thermoelectric generator according to the present invention.
Figure 8 is a graph showing a comparison of the operating state of the vehicle thermoelectric generator according to the present invention and the conventional vehicle thermoelectric generator.

Hereinafter, the thermoelectric generator for a vehicle of the present invention as described above will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a perspective view showing a vehicle thermoelectric generator according to the present invention, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a vehicle thermoelectric generator according to the present invention, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing another vehicle thermoelectric generator according to the present invention, 5 is a view showing the exhaust gas flow (a) and the coolant flow (b) inside the vehicle thermoelectric generator of Figure 2, Figure 6 is a perspective view showing another vehicle thermoelectric generator according to the present invention, Figure 7 8 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a first tube of a vehicle thermoelectric generator according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating a comparison of operating states of a vehicle thermoelectric generator according to the present invention and a conventional vehicle thermoelectric generator.

The vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 of the present invention is a thermoelectric module 100, the first tube 200, the second tube 300, the third tube 400, the first header tank 510, the second header tank 520 is formed.

The first tube 200 is provided on one side of the thermoelectric module 100, and a first inlet 210 through which coolant is introduced and a first discharge part 220 discharged are formed therein, and cooling water is formed therein. Flow to form the cold portion.

As shown in FIG. 7, the first tube 200 may be provided with a baffle 230 for adjusting a flow path of cooling water therein.

Exhaust gas flows inside the second tube 300 and is provided on the other side of the thermoelectric module 100 to form a high temperature part.

As shown in FIG. 4, the second tube 300 may be further provided with an inner pin 330 therein to maximize the heat transfer area with the exhaust gas.

In particular, the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 of the present invention is further provided with a third tube 400 for storing the heat storage material between the thermoelectric module 100 and the second tube 300 to the second tube 300. It is formed to store the exhaust heat of the exhaust gas passing through.

The thermoelectric module 100 is disposed in close contact between the first tube 200 and the third tube 400, and includes an N-type semiconductor and a P-type semiconductor therein to generate power by the Seebeck effect. do. The thermoelectric module 100 is arranged in an array form a plurality of one layer.

Both ends of the second tube 300 are fixed to the first header tank 510 and the second header tank 520, and a second inlet 610 into which the exhaust gas flows into the first header tank 510. Is formed, and the second header tank 520 is provided with a second discharge part 620 through which exhaust gas is discharged, such that the exhaust gas introduced from the second inlet part 610 is the second tube 300. Pass through the path is discharged to the second discharge unit 620.

Accordingly, the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 according to the present invention flows into the first tube 200 through the first inlet 210 through the low temperature cooling water, and at this time, the exhaust gas between the second tube 300 Gas is passed through, and waste heat of the exhaust gas passing through is stored in the third tube 400.

In this process, the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 of the present invention will generate power due to the temperature difference between both sides generated between the first tube 200 and the third tube 400.

The cooling water introduced into the first tube 200 may be supplied from a radiator or a low temperature radiator as low temperature cooling water, and may be circulated through the first tube 200 and then returned to the radiator or low temperature radiator.

As shown in FIG. 4, the third tube 400 is resistant to pressure changes, and thus, partition walls 410 are formed in the longitudinal direction in order to firmly assemble the module so that spaces are separated. It is preferable that it is a tube of.

At this time, the third tube 400 may be a tube of the type shown in Figure 4, it may be changed any number within the scope without departing from the technical details of the present invention.

3 to 5, the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 of the present invention in the order of the first tube 200, the thermoelectric module 100, the third tube 400, the second tube (300). It is formed by stacking, and may be brazed and bonded to each other.

In addition, in the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 of the present invention, a pair of brackets 700 having a “c” shape in the height direction as shown in FIG. 2 is formed in the first tube 200, the thermoelectric module 100, and the third tube 400. ) And the second tube 300 are in close contact with the outer surface of the region formed by stacking, and both ends of the bracket 700 may extend in the width direction to be fastened by the fixing means 710.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 6, in the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 of the present invention, the first tube 200, the thermoelectric module 100, the third tube 400, and the second tube 300 are sequentially formed. The thermoelectric module unit 10 may be stacked to form one thermoelectric module unit 10, and the thermoelectric module unit 10 may be stacked a plurality of times.

In this case, the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 of the present invention is configured to recover more waste heat through the thermoelectric module unit 10 stacked a plurality of times, the amount of thermoelectric power generation can be effectively increased.

Referring to the thermoelectric generator 1 for a vehicle and the conventional thermoelectric generator of the present invention with reference to the graph of Figure 8,

Conventional thermoelectric generators generate power from the temperature difference using heat of the exhaust gas and cooling water, and the exhaust gas of high temperature may cause problems in durability of the thermoelectric generator. In addition, the conventional thermoelectric generator has a problem that as the temperature of the exhaust gas is lowered in the region located downstream of the exhaust gas, the temperature difference is reduced to reduce the power generation performance.

In other words, in the conventional thermoelectric generator, which forms only a high temperature part depending only on the exhaust gas, when the exhaust gas temperature is high, there may be a problem in the durability of the module. On the contrary, when the temperature is low, the power generation performance may be reduced by decreasing the temperature difference.

On the contrary, in the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 of the present invention, the exhaust heat accumulated in the third tube 400 is reduced even if the driving conditions with a low exhaust flow rate or the temperature difference between the high and low temperatures are reduced in the region located downstream of the exhaust gas. By using it can maintain a constant temperature of the high temperature portion can secure the power generation performance.

In addition, the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 of the present invention buffers the heat storage material, which is a phase change material stored in the third tube 400, so that the temperature of the region located on the upstream side of the exhaust gas is not excessively raised, and thus durability is achieved. The fall can be prevented.

The heat storage material stored in the third tube 400 is preferably a phase change material having a temperature range in which the phase changes at a high temperature of about 120 ° C. or more.

Looking at the operation of the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 of the present invention with reference to Figures 2 and 5, the exhaust gas passes through the high temperature portion formed by the second tube 300, at this time, the third tube 400 stores excess exhaust gas waste heat through the heat storage material. At the same time, coolant flows through the first tube 200 to form a low temperature portion.

Through the above-described process, the vehicle thermoelectric generator 1 of the present invention is due to the temperature difference between the high temperature portion composed of the third tube 400 and the second tube 300, and the low temperature portion composed of the first tube 200. EMF is generated.

Accordingly, the vehicle thermoelectric generator of the present invention is provided with a third tube for storing the heat storage material between the thermoelectric module and the second tube, so that even if the temperature of the exhaust gas is sharply lowered, the heat storage in the waste heat of the exhaust gas is sufficient heat running conditions There is an advantage that the thermoelectric power can be facilitated through the exhaust heat accumulated in the ash.

In addition, the vehicle thermoelectric generator of the present invention is installed so that the third tube in which the heat storage material is stored in contact with one side of the thermoelectric module, it is possible to maintain a uniform high temperature throughout the high temperature portion of the thermoelectric module to ensure a constant power generation performance The advantage is that you can.

In addition, the thermoelectric generator for a vehicle of the present invention is configured to sequentially stack the first tube, the thermoelectric module, the third tube and the second tube, and to stack more times to recover more waste heat, thereby effectively increasing the amount of thermoelectric power generation. Can be.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. It goes without saying that various modifications can be made.

1: vehicle thermoelectric generator
100: thermoelectric module
200: first tube
210: first inlet 220: second inlet
300: second tube
400: third tube
510: first header tank 520: second header tank
600: bulkhead
710: second inlet 720: second inlet

Claims (6)

Thermoelectric module 100;
A first tube 200 provided on one side of the thermoelectric module 100 and having a first inlet 210 through which coolant is introduced and a first discharge unit 220 with which the coolant is discharged;
A second tube 300 provided on the other side of the thermoelectric module 100 and through which exhaust gas flows;
A third tube 400 provided between the thermoelectric module 100 and the second tube 300 and having a heat storage material stored therein;
A pair of first header tanks 510 and second header tanks 520 in which both ends of the second tube 300 are fixed to communicate exhaust gas;
A second inlet 610 formed in the first header tank 510 and into which exhaust gas is introduced; And
A second discharge part 620 formed in the second header tank 520 and through which exhaust gas is discharged; Vehicle thermoelectric generator characterized in that it is formed, including.
The method of claim 1,
The first tube 200 is
The thermoelectric generator for a vehicle, characterized in that the baffle 230 for adjusting the flow path of the coolant therein.
The method of claim 1,
The third tube 400
A thermoelectric generator for a vehicle, characterized in that the tube is formed in a channel form in which the partition wall 410 is formed in the longitudinal direction to separate the space.
The method of claim 1,
The second tube 300 is
The thermoelectric generator for a vehicle, characterized in that the inner pin 330 is provided therein.
The method of claim 1,
The vehicle thermoelectric generator 1
The first tube 200, the thermoelectric module 100, the third tube 400 and the second tube 300 are sequentially stacked to form one thermoelectric module unit 10,
The thermoelectric module unit 10, characterized in that the vehicle is configured by stacking a plurality of times.
The method of claim 1,
The vehicle thermoelectric generator 1
A pair of brackets 700 in the height direction are in close contact with the outer surface of the region formed by stacking the first tube 200, the thermoelectric module 100, the third tube 400, and the second tube 300. The thermoelectric generator for a vehicle, which is fixed by the fixing means (710).

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