Patent ID: 11930707
Assignee: YANMAR HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  F  Y | IPC F  H

Claim 0:
1. A thermoelectric power generation device comprising:
a thermoelectric element having a first side provided on an external surface of a body of a heating unit and a second side provided on a cooling unit; and
a heat transfer pipe arranged in a passage in which a high temperature fluid flows; and
a reservoir coupled to a lower portion of the heating unit and connected in fluid flow communication to an outlet of the heating unit and to an inlet of the heat transfer pipe,
wherein
the heating unit and the heat transfer pipe respectively have internal spaces, configured to communicate with each other, the body of the heating unit enclosing the internal space of the heating unit,
the internal space of the heating unit and the internal space of the heat transfer pipe form a circulation path in which a heat medium is circulated,
an outlet of the heat transfer pipe from which the heat medium is discharged is provided in a position higher than the inlet of the heat transfer pipe into which the heat medium flows, wherein a portion of the heat transfer pipe is surrounded by the high temperature fluid, the portion extending from the inlet of the heat transfer pipe to the outlet of the heat transfer pipe, and wherein the inlet and the outlet of the heat transfer pipe are each connected to the heating unit,
the inlet of the heat transfer pipe is provided in a position lower than a lowermost end portion of the thermoelectric element,
the heat transfer pipe is configured to vaporize the heat medium flowing in the circulation path by using heat of the high temperature fluid,
the heating unit is configured to condense the heat medium vaporized,
the reservoir is configured to store the heat medium condensed by the heating unit and received from the outlet of the heating unit into the reservoir, and
a bottom surface of the reservoir includes a slope configured to cause the condensed heat medium stored in the reservoir to flow towards the inlet of the heat transfer pipe.