Energy harvesting using a thermoelectric material
View Patent ↗A novel energy harvesting system and method utilizing a thermoelectric having a material exhibiting a large thermally induced strain (TIS) due to a phase transformation and a material exhibiting a stress induced electric field is introduced. A material that exhibits such a phase transformation exhibits a large increase in the coefficient of thermal expansion over an incremental temperature range (typically several degrees Kelvin). When such a material is arranged in a geometric configuration, such as, for a example, a laminate with a material that exhibits a stress induced electric field (e.g. a piezoelectric material) the thermally induced strain is converted to an electric field.
1. An energy harvesting system, comprising:
a cooling source capable of producing a predetermined temperature gradient;
a heating source capable of producing a predetermined temperature gradient;
a thermoelectric material, further comprising:
one or more thermostrictive materials capable of producing a predetermined induced strain when subjected to a cycled contact with said cooling source and said heating source over a predetermined temperature range;
one or more piezoelectric materials capable of producing an induced voltage resulting from said predetermined induced strain produced by said one or more thermostrictive materials; and
wherein a predetermined power output is capable of being produced by said system at a frequency determined by said cycled predetermined temperature range.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said one or more thermostrictive materials comprises at least one of: Gd 5 Ge 2 Si 2 ; La(Fe 0.88 Si 0.12 ) 13 ; La 0.7 Ba 0.3 MnO 3 ; FeRh; [(Fe 1-x ,Ni x ) 49 Rh 51 ], with x in the range between about 0.000 and about 0.050; and Sm 0.55 Sr 0.45 MnO 3 ; [MnFeP 1-x As x ], with x in the range between about 0.250 and about 0.065; NiTi; NiTiCu; NiTiPd; AuCd; CuZnAl; and Ni 2 MnGaLa.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said one or more piezoelectric materials comprises at least one lead zirconate titanate (PZT) material selected from: PZT-5H, PZT-5A, PZT-4, and PZT-8.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein said one or more piezoelectric materials comprises at least one material selected from: a piezoelectric polymer and a piezoelectric single crystal.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein said piezoelectric material comprises a Seeback coefficient of up to about 1800 volts/°K.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined temperature range comprises at least 20° C.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein said strain can be up to about 10%.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein said predetermined temperature range comprises computer generated heat.
9. The system of claim 6 , wherein said predetermined temperature range comprises heat produced from hot asphalt.
10. The system of claim 6 , wherein said predetermined temperature range comprises solar energy.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein said thermoelectric material comprises a laminate of said one or more thermostrictive materials and said one or more piezoelectric materials.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein said one or more thermostrictive materials comprises at least one of: single crystals, polycrystalline, and composites.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein said cycled contact comprises a frequency of up to about 1 kHz.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein said cycled contact comprises a frequency of greater than about 1 kHz.
15. An energy harvesting method, comprising:
providing a cooling source capable of producing a predetermined temperature gradient;
providing a heating source capable of producing a predetermined temperature gradient;
providing a thermoelectric material, wherein said thermoelectric material further comprises:
one or more thermostrictive materials capable of producing a predetermined induced strain when subjected to a cycled contact with said cooling source and said heating source over a predetermined temperature range;
one or more piezoelectric materials capable of producing an induced voltage resulting from said predetermined induced strain produced by said one or more thermostrictive materials; and
wherein a predetermined power output is capable of being produced at a frequency determined by said cycled predetermined temperature range.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said one or more thermostrictive materials comprises at least one of: Gd 5 Ge 2 Si 2 ; La(Fe 0.88 Si 0.12 ) 13 ; La 0.7 Ba 0.3 MnO 3 ; FeRh; [(Fe 1-x Ni x ) 49 Rh 51 ], with x in the range between about 0.000 and about 0.050; and Sm 0.55 Sr 0.45 MnO 3 ; [MnFeP 1-x As x ], with x in the range between about 0.250 and about 0.065; NiTi; NiTiCu; NiTiPd; AuCd; CuZnAl; and Ni 2 MnGaLa.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein said one or more piezoelectric materials comprises at least one lead zirconate titanate (PZT) material selected from: PZT-5H, PZT-5A, PZT-4, and PZT-8.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said one or more piezoelectric materials comprises at least one material selected from: a piezoelectric polymer and a piezoelectric single crystal.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said piezoelectric material comprises a Seeback coefficient of up to about 1800 volts/°K.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein said predetermined temperature range comprises at least 20° C.
21. The method of claim 15 , wherein said strain can be up to about 10%.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein said predetermined temperature range comprises computer generated heat.
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein said predetermined temperature range comprises heat produced from hot asphalt.
24. The method of claim 20 , wherein said predetermined temperature range comprises solar energy.
25. The method of claim 15 , wherein said thermoelectric material comprises a laminate of said one or more thermostrictive materials and said one or more piezoelectric materials.
26. The method of claim 15 , wherein said one or more thermostrictive materials comprises single crystals.
27. The method of claim 15 , wherein said cycled contact comprises a frequency of up to about 1 kHz.
28. The method of claim 15 , wherein said cycled contact comprises a frequency of greater than about 1 kHz.