WO2005017331A2 - Thermoelectric power generator for a gas turbine engine - Google Patents
Thermoelectric power generator for a gas turbine engine Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2005017331A2 WO2005017331A2 PCT/US2004/018585 US2004018585W WO2005017331A2 WO 2005017331 A2 WO2005017331 A2 WO 2005017331A2 US 2004018585 W US2004018585 W US 2004018585W WO 2005017331 A2 WO2005017331 A2 WO 2005017331A2
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- type material
- engine
- type
- alternating portions
- engine component
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Ceased
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02C—GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- F02C6/00—Plural gas-turbine plants; Combinations of gas-turbine plants with other apparatus; Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for special use
- F02C6/18—Plural gas-turbine plants; Combinations of gas-turbine plants with other apparatus; Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for special use using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02K—JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- F02K1/00—Plants characterised by the form or arrangement of the jet pipe or nozzle; Jet pipes or nozzles peculiar thereto
- F02K1/78—Other construction of jet pipes
- F02K1/82—Jet pipe walls, e.g. liners
- F02K1/822—Heat insulating structures or liners, cooling arrangements, e.g. post combustion liners; Infrared radiation suppressors
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N10/00—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N10/00—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects
- H10N10/10—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects operating with only the Peltier or Seebeck effects
- H10N10/13—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects operating with only the Peltier or Seebeck effects characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
- F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- F05D2220/00—Application
- F05D2220/70—Application in combination with
- F05D2220/76—Application in combination with an electrical generator
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E20/00—Combustion technologies with mitigation potential
- Y02E20/16—Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T50/00—Aeronautics or air transport
- Y02T50/60—Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a method of generating electricity from the thermal energy produced in a gas turbine engine .
- FIG. 1 is a diagram of the configuration of the P-type
- FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the preferred placement of the
- thermoelectric semiconductor material to the components of a gas turbine engine in order to produce electrical power.
- present invention further enables one to provide electrical current to an operating gas turbine engine so as to quickly remove the heat produced therein.
- the fundamental physical principles which form the basis for the present invention are described as follows.
- the Carnot cycle is associated with the efficiency of a thermoelectric device.
- the efficiency of the Carnot cycle is reduced by a factor which is dependent upon the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of the materials used in fabrication of the thermoelectric device.
- the basic thermoelectric effects at issue in the present invention are the Seebeck and the Peltier effects.
- the Seebeck effect is the phenomena associated with the conversion of heat energy into electrical power where an induced voltage occurs in the presence of a temperature gradient. As such, the Seebeck effect may be used to generate electricity in the presence of a temperature differential.
- the Peltier effect is a phenomena whereby cooling/heating occurs in the presence of an electrical current through the junction of two dissimilar materials.
- the Peltier effect allows one to engage in cooling/thermal management of a material through the addition of electrical current at the junction of dissimilar materials, particularly P-type and N-type materials.
- FIG. 1 there is illustrated the arrangement of P-type materials 11 and N-type materials 13 used to generate electric current from a gas turbine engine.
- the P-type material 11 and N-type materials 13 are formed into cylindrical rings and are connected in series in alternating fashion by a conductive material such as electric conductor 15.
- both the N-type material 13 and the P-type material 11 are illustrated as generally cylindrical rings of material connected in series surrounding a heated interior 17.
- rings of material the actual configuration of N-type material 13 and P-type material 11 is not so limited.
- N-type material 13 and P-type material 11 may be of any configuration such that the materials 13, 11 are arranged in alternating fashion.
- N-type material 13 and P-type material 11 form continuous bands, or rings, which may be disposed around a heated interior 17 as illustrated.
- each N-type material 13 or P-type material 11 is isolated from neighboring materials 13, 11 and is connected only through electric conductor 15.
- each N-type material 13 and P-type material 11 has both a hot side and a cold side. The hot side corresponds to the side closer to the heated interior 17 and, conversely, the cold side corresponds to a side of either N-type material 13 or P-type material 11 located furthest from heated interior 17.
- the electric conductor 15 connects the cold side of each N-type material 13 to the cold side of a P-type material 11 while another electric conductor 15 connects the hot side of each P-type material 11 to the hot side of an N-type material 13.
- electrons gain energy from their surroundings as they move over the barrier at the NP junction. Heat is absorbed on the "hot" side of the N-type and P-type materials and is released on the cold side of the N-type and P-type materials. This gain in electron energy comprises the electrical current which then flows through exemplary circuit 19.
- N-type material 13 and P-type material 11 may alternatively be fabricated into the individual components.
- the N-type materials 13 and P-type materials 11 serve to provide both electricity and structural support for the components of the engine.
- Examples of N-type material 13 and P-type material 11 include, but are not limited to Si ⁇ _ x Ge x alloys, Skutterudites, and Co-based oxides .
- the heat energy of the engine may be used to generate electrical energy without the incorporation of moving parts.
- the present invention provides an environmental green methodology for generating electricity from engine heat which involves no compressed gases or chemicals.
- thermal differentials exist in areas between the inside and the outside of the augmentor liner and in the area around the outside of a combustor as noted above.
- the generation of thermal electric power as described above is well suited to operate in the hostile environments found in and around a gas turbine engine . It is apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the present invention a method of generating electricity from the thermal energy produced in a gas turbine engine which fully satisfies the objects, means, and advantages set forth previously herein. While the present invention has been described in the context of specific embodiments thereof, other alternatives, modifications, and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art having read the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace those alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the broad scope of the appended claims .
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Engine Equipment That Uses Special Cycles (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2006521827A JP2007500307A (en) | 2003-07-30 | 2004-06-10 | Thermoelectric generator for gas turbine engine |
| EP04754991A EP1661189B1 (en) | 2003-07-30 | 2004-06-10 | Thermoelectric power generator for a gas turbine engine |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US10/631,440 US20050022855A1 (en) | 2003-07-30 | 2003-07-30 | Thermoelectric power generator for a gas turbine engine |
| US10/631,440 | 2003-07-30 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2005017331A2 true WO2005017331A2 (en) | 2005-02-24 |
| WO2005017331A3 WO2005017331A3 (en) | 2005-10-06 |
Family
ID=34104109
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2004/018585 Ceased WO2005017331A2 (en) | 2003-07-30 | 2004-06-10 | Thermoelectric power generator for a gas turbine engine |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US20050022855A1 (en) |
| EP (1) | EP1661189B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP2007500307A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2005017331A2 (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP2010502893A (en) * | 2006-09-06 | 2010-01-28 | シーメンス エナジー インコーポレイテッド | Electrical assembly for monitoring conditions in the operating environment of a combustion turbine |
| WO2010089505A1 (en) | 2009-02-06 | 2010-08-12 | Turbomeca | Thermoelectric generation for a gas turbine |
| US8039726B2 (en) | 2005-05-26 | 2011-10-18 | General Electric Company | Thermal transfer and power generation devices and methods of making the same |
Families Citing this family (29)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2849540B1 (en) * | 2002-12-27 | 2005-03-04 | Makaya Zacharie Fouti | ASYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR WITH GALVANOMAGNETOTHERMIC EFFECT |
| US6987329B1 (en) * | 2004-08-03 | 2006-01-17 | Harris Corporation | Fuel flexible thermoelectric micro-generator with micro-turbine |
| US8313056B2 (en) * | 2005-07-19 | 2012-11-20 | United Technologies Corporation | Engine heat exchanger with thermoelectric generation |
| US8127555B2 (en) * | 2007-12-13 | 2012-03-06 | Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc. | Flowpath heat exchanger for thermal management and power generation within a hypersonic vehicle |
| US9018512B2 (en) * | 2007-12-21 | 2015-04-28 | The Boeing Company | Thermoelectric generation system |
| JP2009293390A (en) * | 2008-06-02 | 2009-12-17 | Honda Motor Co Ltd | Gas turbine engine |
| US8522560B2 (en) * | 2009-03-25 | 2013-09-03 | United Technologies Corporation | Fuel-cooled heat exchanger with thermoelectric device compression |
| US8453456B2 (en) * | 2009-03-25 | 2013-06-04 | United Technologies Corporation | Fuel-cooled flexible heat exchanger with thermoelectric device compression |
| FR2945268B1 (en) * | 2009-05-05 | 2013-05-17 | Airbus France | ELECTRIC GENERATOR ON A ROTATING PART OF A TURBOPROPULSEUR |
| US8484983B2 (en) * | 2009-12-07 | 2013-07-16 | The Boeing Company | Thermoelectric generator on an aircraft bleed system |
| US8578696B2 (en) * | 2010-08-03 | 2013-11-12 | General Electric Company | Turbulated arrangement of thermoelectric elements for utilizing waste heat generated from turbine engine |
| DE102010035152A1 (en) | 2010-08-23 | 2012-02-23 | Emitec Gesellschaft Für Emissionstechnologie Mbh | Semiconductor element and insulating material in ring form for a thermoelectric module |
| EP2439799B1 (en) * | 2010-10-05 | 2015-04-15 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Thermoelectric converter and heat exchanger tubes |
| DE102011081565A1 (en) * | 2011-08-25 | 2013-02-28 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Gas turbine arrangement, power plant and method for its operation |
| GB2496839A (en) * | 2011-10-24 | 2013-05-29 | Ge Aviat Systems Ltd | Thermal electrical power generation for aircraft |
| WO2013141938A1 (en) | 2011-12-30 | 2013-09-26 | Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc. | Gas turbine engine tip clearance control |
| US9388740B2 (en) * | 2012-02-15 | 2016-07-12 | The Boeing Company | Thermoelectric generator in turbine engine nozzles |
| US20150303364A1 (en) * | 2012-10-10 | 2015-10-22 | Laurier Lievre | Thermoelectrical Generator |
| WO2015073101A2 (en) | 2013-09-16 | 2015-05-21 | United Technologies Corporation | Systems for generating auxillary electrical power for jet aircraft propulsion systems |
| US20180090660A1 (en) | 2013-12-06 | 2018-03-29 | Sridhar Kasichainula | Flexible thin-film based thermoelectric device with sputter deposited layer of n-type and p-type thermoelectric legs |
| US10566515B2 (en) | 2013-12-06 | 2020-02-18 | Sridhar Kasichainula | Extended area of sputter deposited N-type and P-type thermoelectric legs in a flexible thin-film based thermoelectric device |
| US10141492B2 (en) | 2015-05-14 | 2018-11-27 | Nimbus Materials Inc. | Energy harvesting for wearable technology through a thin flexible thermoelectric device |
| US10290794B2 (en) | 2016-12-05 | 2019-05-14 | Sridhar Kasichainula | Pin coupling based thermoelectric device |
| US11024789B2 (en) | 2013-12-06 | 2021-06-01 | Sridhar Kasichainula | Flexible encapsulation of a flexible thin-film based thermoelectric device with sputter deposited layer of N-type and P-type thermoelectric legs |
| US10367131B2 (en) | 2013-12-06 | 2019-07-30 | Sridhar Kasichainula | Extended area of sputter deposited n-type and p-type thermoelectric legs in a flexible thin-film based thermoelectric device |
| EP2942508B1 (en) * | 2014-05-08 | 2022-08-24 | Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc. | Enhanced heat sink availability on gas turbine engines through the use of solid state heat pumps |
| US11283000B2 (en) | 2015-05-14 | 2022-03-22 | Nimbus Materials Inc. | Method of producing a flexible thermoelectric device to harvest energy for wearable applications |
| US11276810B2 (en) | 2015-05-14 | 2022-03-15 | Nimbus Materials Inc. | Method of producing a flexible thermoelectric device to harvest energy for wearable applications |
| US12571325B2 (en) | 2022-11-01 | 2026-03-10 | General Electric Company | Thermoelectric generator for a turbine engine |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3054840A (en) | 1958-05-06 | 1962-09-18 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Thermopile |
| WO2001061768A1 (en) | 2000-02-18 | 2001-08-23 | Motorola Inc. | Thermoelectric power generator for an aircraft |
Family Cites Families (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4148192A (en) * | 1977-11-23 | 1979-04-10 | Cummings Troy A | Internal combustion electric power hybrid power plant |
| US4312185A (en) * | 1980-02-19 | 1982-01-26 | General Electric Company | Low profile fuel injection system |
| JPH0240075A (en) * | 1988-07-29 | 1990-02-08 | Mazda Motor Corp | Fuel injection system for engine |
| US5918458A (en) * | 1997-02-14 | 1999-07-06 | General Electric Company | System and method of providing clean filtered cooling air to a hot portion of a gas turbine engine |
| US5968456A (en) * | 1997-05-09 | 1999-10-19 | Parise; Ronald J. | Thermoelectric catalytic power generator with preheat |
| US5996336A (en) * | 1997-10-28 | 1999-12-07 | Hamedani; Mohammad F. | Jet engine having radial turbine blades and flow-directing turbine manifolds |
| JP2001263088A (en) * | 2000-03-15 | 2001-09-26 | Toru Nishikazu | Jet engine using generating element by temperature difference |
| US20040045594A1 (en) * | 2002-09-10 | 2004-03-11 | Enhanced Energy Systems, Inc. | Turbine engine with thermoelectric waste heat recovery system |
-
2003
- 2003-07-30 US US10/631,440 patent/US20050022855A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2004
- 2004-06-10 JP JP2006521827A patent/JP2007500307A/en active Pending
- 2004-06-10 WO PCT/US2004/018585 patent/WO2005017331A2/en not_active Ceased
- 2004-06-10 EP EP04754991A patent/EP1661189B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3054840A (en) | 1958-05-06 | 1962-09-18 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Thermopile |
| WO2001061768A1 (en) | 2000-02-18 | 2001-08-23 | Motorola Inc. | Thermoelectric power generator for an aircraft |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
| Title |
|---|
| See also references of EP1661189A4 |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8039726B2 (en) | 2005-05-26 | 2011-10-18 | General Electric Company | Thermal transfer and power generation devices and methods of making the same |
| JP2010502893A (en) * | 2006-09-06 | 2010-01-28 | シーメンス エナジー インコーポレイテッド | Electrical assembly for monitoring conditions in the operating environment of a combustion turbine |
| WO2010089505A1 (en) | 2009-02-06 | 2010-08-12 | Turbomeca | Thermoelectric generation for a gas turbine |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO2005017331A3 (en) | 2005-10-06 |
| EP1661189A4 (en) | 2009-06-10 |
| US20050022855A1 (en) | 2005-02-03 |
| EP1661189A2 (en) | 2006-05-31 |
| JP2007500307A (en) | 2007-01-11 |
| EP1661189B1 (en) | 2013-03-27 |
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