Apparatus and method for harnessing heat energy

• US 20060054209A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tara Investments, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tara Investments, LLC
• Inventors: Hulen, Michael S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,718,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/205
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/00 Electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/00 Power lines or rails specially adapted for electrically-propelled vehicles of special types, e.g. suspension tramway, ropeway, underground railway
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/043 the engine being operated by expansion and contraction of a mass of working gas which is heated and cooled in one of a plurality of constantly communicating expansible chambers, e.g. Stirling cycle type engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/46 Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/29 Testing, calibrating, treating, e.g. aging

Abstract

Apparatus and method for harnessing heat energy uses at least one thermally conductive material in communication with a heat collecting material in order to conduct heat from a first region of the heat collecting material to a second region of the heat collecting material. The thermally conductive material can be interspersed within the heat collecting material and/or applied externally to the heat collecting material. Heat drawn from the second portion can be stored and/or converted into another form of energy for providing power to a structure or vehicle. Conversion can use the differential between the temperature of the second region and the temperature of a cold sink. Additional heat can be added to the heat collecting material.

Claims

1. Apparatus for harnessing heat energy, the apparatus comprising:

a heat collecting material; and

at least one thermally conductive material in communication with the heat collecting material for conducting heat from a first region of the heat collecting material to a second region of the heat collecting material.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one thermally conductive material includes at least one of:

thermally conductive rods;

thermally conductive wires;

thermally conductive shavings;

thermally conductive particles;

thermally conductive pipes;

thermally conductive film or tape;

thermally conductive wire mesh or screen;

pipes carrying thermally conductive liquid; and

pipes carrying thermally conductive gas.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive material is interspersed within the heat collecting material.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the thermally conductive material is interspersed substantially throughout the heat collecting material.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the thermally conductive material is interspersed through a portion of the heat collecting material.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the thermally conductive material forms a layer within the heat collecting material.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat collecting material forms a first layer and wherein the thermally conductive material forms a second layer adjacent to the heat collecting material layer.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the thermally conductive layer sits atop the heat collecting material layer.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the thermally conductive layer transmits visible light but substantially prevents heat from escaping through the thermally conductive layer.

10. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the thermally conductive layer sits below the heat collecting material layer.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for increasing thermal flow near the second region.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the density and combination of thermally conductive materials is increased near the second region in order to increase thermal flow near the second region.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat collecting material forms a first layer and a second layer and wherein the thermally conductive material forms a third layer between the first and second layers.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the heat collecting material layers further includes at least one thermally conductive material.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a thermal insulating material for reducing heat loss from the heat collecting material.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first region is an insulated region of the heat collecting material and the second region is an uninsulated region of the heat collecting material.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a converter for receiving heat from the second region and converting the heat to another form of energy for providing power to a structure or vehicle.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the structure includes a power supply to feed into a main power grid.

19. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the converter derives power from a temperature differential.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the converter is one of a Stirling cycle engine and a Brayton cycle engine.

21. Apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a cold sink to aid in establishing the temperature differential.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the cold sink includes relatively constant temperature subterranean earth.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the cold sink includes at least one of:

subterranean pipes that circulate a fluid;

wires;

rods; and

pipes.

24. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for adding heat to the heat collecting material.

25. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing heat obtained from the second region.

26. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat collecting material is a paving material for forming a pavement.

27. Apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the pavement is a parking lot.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the second region is an uninsulated window region of the parking lot.

29. Apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the pavement is a roadway.

30. Apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the second region is an uninsulated window strip on the roadway.

31. Apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the second region is near the side of the roadway.

32. Apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the paving material comprises asphalt.

33. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat collecting material is a roofing material.

34. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat collecting material is a siding material.

35. A method for harnessing heat energy, the method comprising:

applying a heat collecting material to a surface; and

placing at least one thermally conductive material in communication with the heat collecting material for conducting heat from a first region of the heat collecting material to a second region of the heat collecting material.

36. A method according to claim 35, wherein the at least one thermally conductive material includes at least one of:

thermally conductive rods;

thermally conductive wires;

thermally conductive shavings;

thermally conductive particles;

thermally conductive pipes;

thermally conductive film or tape;

thermally conductive wire mesh or screen;

pipes carrying thermally conductive liquid; and

pipes carrying thermally conductive gas.

37. A method according to claim 35, wherein at least one thermally conductive material is interspersed within the heat collecting material.

38. A method according to claim 37, wherein the thermally conductive material is interspersed substantially throughout the heat collecting material.

39. A method according to claim 37, wherein the thermally conductive material is interspersed through a portion of the heat collecting material.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein the thermally conductive material forms a layer within the heat collecting material.

41. A method according to claim 35, wherein the heat collecting material forms a first layer and wherein the thermally conductive material forms a second layer adjacent to the heat collecting material layer.

42. A method according to claim 41, wherein the thermally conductive layer sits atop the heat collecting material layer.

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein the thermally conductive layer transmits visible light but substantially prevents heat from escaping through the thermally conductive layer.

44. A method according to claim 41, wherein the thermally conductive layer sits below the heat collecting material layer.

45. A method according to claim 35, wherein the at least one thermally conductive material is arranged to increase thermal flow near the second region.

46. A method according to claim 45, wherein at least one of the density and combination of thermally conductive materials is increased near the second region in order to increase thermal flow near the second region.

47. A method according to claim 35, wherein the heat collecting material forms a first layer and a second layer and wherein the thermally conductive material forms a third layer between the first and second layers.

48. A method according to claim 47, wherein at least one of the heat collecting material layers further includes at least one thermally conductive material.

49. A method according to claim 35, further comprising:

applying a thermal insulating material for reducing heat loss from the heat collecting material.

50. A method according to claim 35, wherein the first region is an insulated region of the heat collecting material and the second region is an uninsulated region of the heat collecting material.

51. A method according to claim 35, further comprising:

receiving heat from the second region; and

converting the heat to another form of energy for providing power to a structure or vehicle.

52. A method according to claim 51, wherein the structure includes a power supply to feed into a main power grid.

53. A method according to claim 51, wherein converting the heat to another form of energy comprises:

using a converter that derives power from a temperature differential.

54. A method according to claim 53, wherein the converter is one of a Stirling cycle engine and a Brayton cycle engine.

55. A method according to claim 53, further comprising:

using a cold sink to aid in establishing the temperature differential.

56. A method according to claim 55, wherein the cold sink includes relatively constant temperature subterranean earth.

57. A method according to claim 56, wherein the cold sink includes at least one of:

subterranean pipes that circulate a fluid;

wires;

rods; and

pipes.

58. A method according to claim 35, further comprising:

adding heat to the heat collecting material.

59. A method according to claim 35, further comprising:

storing heat obtained from the second region.

60. A method according to claim 35, wherein the heat collecting material is a paving material for forming a pavement.

61. A method according to claim 60, wherein the pavement is a parking lot.

62. A method according to claim 61, wherein the second region is an uninsulated window region of the parking lot.

63. A method according to claim 60, wherein the pavement is a roadway.

64. A method according to claim 63, wherein the second region is an uninsulated window strip on the roadway.

65. A method according to claim 63, wherein the second region is near the side of the roadway.

66. A method according to claim 60, wherein the paving material comprises asphalt.

67. A method according to claim 35, wherein the heat collecting material is a roofing material.

68. A method according to claim 35, wherein the heat collecting material is a siding material.