Pipeline thermoelectric generator assembly

• US 20080083446A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Chakraborty, Swapan, Karschnia, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,184,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/205
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/00 Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/13 characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction

Abstract

A thermoelectric generator assembly. The thermoelectric generator assembly comprises a thermoelectric generator. The thermoelectric generator has a hot junction flange, a cold junction flange and a thermoelectric power output. The thermoelectric generator assembly generates electrical power from heat differentials for use in powering field devices in industrial process monitoring and control systems.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric generator assembly for field devices in an industrial process environment, comprising:

a thermoelectric generator having a hot junction flange and a cold junction flange, and providing a thermoelectric power output;

a heat sink thermally coupled to the cold junction flange, and couplable to the industrial process environment;

a process heat source adapter thermally coupled to the hot junction flange and having a process heat pickup couplable to a process heat source; and

the process heat pickup extracting heat from the process heat source such that the thermoelectric power output is sufficient to energize at least one field device.

2. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 1 and further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the hot junction flange.

3. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 2 wherein the temperature sensor comprises an resistance temperature detector (RTD).

4. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 1 wherein the heat sink has protrusions thermally coupled to the cold junction flange and has air flow spaces between the protrusions.

5. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 1 wherein the heat sink comprises an inlet, an outlet and a passageway connecting the inlet and outlet.

6. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 1 wherein the process heat source adapter has a concave arc surface with a shape and size that is mateable with a corresponding convex arc surface of the industrial process heat source.

7. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 6 wherein the concave arc surface extends over an arc of no more than 180 degrees.

8. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 6 wherein the concave arc surface is mateable with the convex arc surface without sliding over an open end of the heat source.

9. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 1 wherein the process heat pickup comprises a combustion heat pickup.

10. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 6, comprising:

a clamp that mechanically couples to the process heat pickup and that urges the concave arc surface toward the convex arc surface.

11. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 10 wherein the clamp is removable such that the thermoelectric generator assembly does not have to be slid over an open end of the heat source.

12. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 10 wherein the concave arc surface has a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the convex arc surface, and tightening the clamp compresses the concave arc surface to fit the convex arc surface.

13. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 10 wherein the concave arc surface has a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the industrial process pipeline, and tightening the clamp expands the concave arc surface to fit the industrial process pipeline.

14. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 10 and further comprising a spring that is energized when the clamp is tightened.

15. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 1, comprising:

a layer of thermal insulation material disposed between peripheral rims of the hot junction flange and the cold junction flange and extending outwardly from thermoelectric generator.

16. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 1 wherein the process heat pickup is completely external to the process heat source.

17. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 1 wherein the process heat pickup is mounting to the process heat source without cutting a hole in the process heat source.

18. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 1 and further comprising a thermally conductive coating that is deformable to fill gaps between the process heat pickup and the process heat source.

19. A thermoelectric generator assembly for field devices in an industrial process environment, comprising:

a thermoelectric source that has a hot junction coupled to a process heat pickup that is couplable to a process heat source, and that has a cold junction couplable to the industrial process environment, and that provides a power output;

a regulator circuit that receives the power output and that provides a regulated output for a field device;

field device utilization circuitry that receives the regulated output, the utilization circuitry having a use requirement for power; and

an energy storage circuit that receives the power output, that senses when the power output exceeds the use requirement and couples excess power output to a capacitance; and

that senses when the power output does not meet the user requirement and couples makeup power from the capacitance to the regulator circuit.

20. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 19 wherein the energy storage circuit couples power to the capacitance only when the capacitance drops below a full charge level.

21. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 19 wherein the utilization circuitry comprises:

a field instrument interface that is connectable to a field instrument to energizes and communicate data; and

a wireless communication system that communicates the data between the field instrument interface and a remote location via a wireless link.

22. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 19 wherein the utilization circuitry can be put in a shutdown mode by a command from the wireless link, leaving the energy storage circuit functioning to provide power to the capacitance, such that stored energy is available to the utilization circuitry during a cold startup mode following the shutdown mode.

23. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 19 wherein the utilization circuitry operates in a low power mode during the cold startup mode.

24. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 19 and further comprising a heat sink coupling between the cold junction flange and the industrial process environment.

25. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 19 wherein the heat sink comprises fins.

26. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 19 wherein the field device utilization circuitry comprises a process device loop couplable to a field device.

27. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 26 wherein the process device loop comprises a 4-20 mA loop.

28. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 27 wherein the field device utilization circuitry includes a control function that controls the 4-20 mA loop.

29. The thermoelectric generator assembly of claim 27 wherein the 4-20 mA loop receives a 4-20 mA output controlled by a field device.

30. A field-mountable electronics assembly for industrial processes, comprising:

a regulator circuit configured to provide a regulated output derived from a power input couplable to a thermoelectric power generator;

a field instrument interface configured to be energized by the regulated output and provide power to a two wire process control loop that communicates field device data, and

an energy storage circuit that couples to the power input configured to store power from the thermoelectric power generator and provide stored power to the interface.

31. The electronics assembly of claim 30 wherein the two wire process control loop is selected from the group consisting of a 4-20 mA loop and a multidrop current loop.

32. The electronics assembly of claim 30, and comprising:

a wireless communication system that communicates the field device data between the field instrument interface and a remote location via a wireless link.

33. The electronics assembly of claim 30 wherein the electronics assembly is free of wired connections to the remote location.

34. The electronics assembly of claim 30 wherein the two wire process control loop couples to a field device.

35. The electronics assembly of claim 30 wherein the field instrument interface includes a control function that controls the two wire process control loop.

36. The electronics assembly of claim 30 wherein the two wire process control loop receives a field device data output controlled by a field device.

37. The electronics assembly of claim 30 wherein the field device transmits data back to the remote location.

38. The electronics assembly of claim 30 wherein the remote location transmits data to the field device.

39. The electronics assembly of claim 30 wherein the power input receives at least 50 mW of power from the thermoelectric power generator.

40. The electronics assembly of claim 30 wherein the field instrument interface energizes multiple loops.

41. The electronics assembly of claim 30 wherein the field instrument interface provides communication between the loops.