ENERGY HARVESTING BY MEANS OF THERMO-MECHANICAL DEVICE UTILIZING BISTABLE FERROMAGNETS
First Claim
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1. An energy harvesting device, comprising:
- a ferromagnetic component suitable to be arranged between a heat source and a heat sink;
a mechanical assembly structured to support said ferromagnetic component in a first configuration such that said ferromagnetic component is in thermal contact with said heat source and in a second configuration such that said ferromagnetic component is in thermal contact with said heat sink, said mechanical assembly structured to have a transient state of motion due to said ferromagnetic component satisfying first and second conditions, namely a first condition when a temperature of a ferromagnetic material of said ferromagnetic component T is less than Tc, and a second condition when the temperature of the ferromagnetic material of said ferromagnetic component T is more than Tc,wherein said mechanical assembly comprises a electromechanical transducer constructed and arranged to produce electrical power while said mechanical assembly is in said transient state of motion between said first and second configurations.
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Abstract
An inventive energy harvesting apparatus may include a ferromagnetic material and/or a shape memory alloys to convert thermal energy to mechanical energy to electrical energy. The apparatus is subjected to a thermal gradient to cause beams to bend thus creating stress/strain in a piezoelectric material, or creating magnetic flux in a magnetic path. The charges created in this process can be transferred to electrical batteries.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An energy harvesting device, comprising:
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a ferromagnetic component suitable to be arranged between a heat source and a heat sink; a mechanical assembly structured to support said ferromagnetic component in a first configuration such that said ferromagnetic component is in thermal contact with said heat source and in a second configuration such that said ferromagnetic component is in thermal contact with said heat sink, said mechanical assembly structured to have a transient state of motion due to said ferromagnetic component satisfying first and second conditions, namely a first condition when a temperature of a ferromagnetic material of said ferromagnetic component T is less than Tc, and a second condition when the temperature of the ferromagnetic material of said ferromagnetic component T is more than Tc, wherein said mechanical assembly comprises a electromechanical transducer constructed and arranged to produce electrical power while said mechanical assembly is in said transient state of motion between said first and second configurations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An electrical device, comprising:
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an energy harvester; and an electrically operable system electrically connected to said energy harvester to receive electrical energy from said energy harvester, wherein said energy harvester comprises; a ferromagnetic component suitable to be arranged between a heat source and a heat sink; a mechanical assembly structured to support said ferromagnetic component in a first configuration such that said ferromagnetic component is in thermal contact with said heat source and structured to support said ferromagnetic component in a second configuration such that said ferromagnetic component is in thermal contact with said heat sink, said mechanical assembly structured to have a transient state of motion between said first and second configurations, wherein said mechanical assembly comprises a electromechanical transducer constructed and arranged to produce electrical power while said mechanical assembly is in said transient state of motion between said first and second configurations. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of harvesting energy, comprising:
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arranging an energy harvester having a ferromagnetic component between a heat source and a heat sink; and receiving electrical energy output from said energy harvester, wherein said ferromagnetic component is connected to a mechanical assembly having a first configuration such that said ferromagnetic component is in thermal contact with said heat source, a second configuration such that said ferromagnetic component is in thermal contact with said heat sink, and a transient state of motion between said first and second configurations, and wherein said mechanical assembly comprises a electromechanical transducer constructed and arranged to produce electrical power while said mechanical assembly is in said transient state of motion between said first and second configurations.
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Specification