ENERGY CONVERTER FOR CONVERTING SOLAR ENERGY INTO ELECTRIC POWER

• US 20100162701A1
• Filed: 12/02/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: CHANG, JEN-TSORNG
• Granted Patent: US 8,375,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/641.150
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/00 Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy solar boilers F24
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/46 Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines

Abstract

An energy converter, includes a base, a first and a second converging lenses, an electric coil and a movable module. The base includes a substrate, a transparent chamber and two supporters formed on the substrate. The transparent chamber includes a first and a second vents formed therein. The first and second converging lenses are supported by the respective supporters. The electric coil is fixed on the substrate, and the electric coil defines a receiving space therein. The movable module includes a piston, a connector connected to the piston, a magnet connected to the connector, and a shading plate disposed on the connector and having an opening defined therein. The piston is moved in the transparent chamber due to thermal expansion of air in the transparent chamber, thereby moving the magnet in or out of the receiving space of the electric coil, and thus the electric power is generated.

Claims

1. An energy converter, comprising:

a base comprising a substrate, a transparent chamber formed on the substrate, and two supporters formed on the substrate, each of the supporters comprising a beam suspended above the substrate, the transparent chamber comprising an inner space, a first vent and a second vent in communication with the inner space, the substrate comprising a third vent and a fourth vent defined therein and in communication with the inner space;

a first converging lens and a second converging lens supported by the respective beams of the supporters;

a first electric coil and a second electric coil fixed on the substrate, each of the first electric coil and the second electric coil defining a receiving space therein; and

a movable module comprising a piston movably received in the transparent chamber, a first connector comprising a first end connected to the piston and a second end, a second connector comprising a third end connected to the piston and a fourth end, a first magnet connected to the second end of the first connector, a second magnet connected to the fourth end of the second connector, a first shading plate disposed on the first connector, and a second shading plate disposed on the second connector, a space being maintained between the first shading plate and the second shading plate, the piston partitioning the inner space of the transparent chamber into a first part and a second part;

wherein the movable module is movable between a first position where the piston obstructs the first vent and the third vent to allow the first part of the inner space to be closed, the first converging lens converges sunlight incident thereon to the first part of the inner space through the space between the first shading plate and the second shading plate, the second part of the inner space is in communication with outside through the second vent and the fourth vent, the second shading plate shades at least part of the second part of the transparent chamber, the first magnet is inserted in the receiving space of the first electric coil and the second magnet is pulled out of the receiving space of the second electric coil, and a second position where the piston obstructs the second vent and the fourth vent to allow the second part of the inner space to be closed, the second converging lens converges sunlight incident thereon to the second part of the inner space through the space between the first shading plate and the second shading plate, the first part of the inner space is in communication with outside through the first vent and the third vent, the first shading plate shades at least part of the first part of the transparent chamber, the second magnet is inserted in the receiving space of the second electric coil and the first magnet is pulled out of the receiving space of the first electric coil, wherein the piston is driven to be moveable by thermal expansion of air in the first part or the second part of the inner space caused by the converged sunlight, thereby moving the first magnet and the second magnet into or out of the respective receiving spaces of the first and second electric coils, thus generating an electric power in the first and second electric coils.

2. The energy converter as described in claim 1, wherein each of the first connector and the second connector comprises a vertical beam abutting the substrate and a horizontal beam extending from a middle portion of the vertical beam, the first and second shading plates are disposed on the vertical beams, the first and second magnets are connected to the vertical beams, the piston is connected to the horizontal beams, the horizontal beams are aligned with each other.

3. The energy converter as described in claim 2, wherein a first and a second lubricating coatings are applied on two parts of the substrate where the vertical beams are moved, a third lubricating coating is applied on the substrate within the transparent chamber where the piston is moved, and two through holes are formed in the third lubricating coating and aligned with the third vent and fourth vent, respectively.

4. The energy converter as described in claim 1, wherein two heat absorption coatings are applied in the first part and the second part of the inner space of the transparent chamber.

5. The energy converter as described in claim 1, wherein the piston is made of a thermal insulation material.

6. The energy converter as described in claim 1, further comprising a storage battery electrically connected to the first and second electric coils.

7. The energy converter as described in claim 6, further comprising a switch electrically connected to the first and second electric coils and the storage battery, and a monitor electrically connected to the switch and configured for detecting movement of at least one of the first and second magnets.

8. An energy converter, comprising:

a base comprising a substrate, a transparent chamber formed on the substrate, and two supporters formed on the substrate, each of the supporters comprising a beam suspended above the substrate, the transparent chamber comprising an inner space, a first vent and a second vent in communication with the inner space, the substrate comprising a third vent and a fourth vent in communication with the inner space;

a first converging lens and a second converging lens supported by the respective beams of the supporters;

an electric coil fixed on the substrate, the electric coil defining a receiving space therein; and

a movable module comprising a piston movably received in the transparent chamber, a connector comprising a first end connected to the piston and a second end, a magnet connected to the second end of the connector, and a shading plate disposed on the connector and having an opening defined therein, the piston partitioning the inner space of the transparent chamber into a first part and a second part;

wherein the movable module is movable between a first position where the piston obstructs the first vent and the third vent to allow the first part of the inner space to be closed, the first converging lens converges sunlight incident thereon to the first part of the inner space through the opening of the shading plate, the second part of the inner space is in communication with outside through the second vent and the fourth vent, the shading plate shades at least part of the second part of the transparent chamber, and the magnet is inserted in the receiving space of the electric coil, and a second position where the piston obstructs the second vent and the fourth vent to allow the second part of the inner space to be closed, the second converging lens converges sunlight incident thereon to the second part of the inner space through the opening of the shading plate, the first part of the inner space is in communication with outside through the first vent and the third vent, the shading plate shades at least part of the first part of the transparent chamber, and the magnet is pulled out of the receiving space of the electric coil, wherein the piston is driven to be movable by thermal expansion of air in the first part or the second part of the inner space, thereby moving the magnet into or out of the receiving space of the electric coil, thus generating an electric power.

9. The energy converter as described in claim 8, wherein the connector comprises a vertical beam abutting the substrate and a horizontal beam extending from a middle portion of the vertical beam, the shading plate is disposed on the vertical beam, the magnet is connected to the vertical beam, and the piston is connected to the horizontal beam.

10. The energy converter as described in claim 9, wherein a first lubricating coating is applied on a part of the substrate where the vertical beam is moved, a second lubricating coating is applied on the substrate within the transparent chamber where the piston is moved, and two through holes are formed in the second lubricating coating and aligned with the third vent and fourth vent, respectively.

11. The energy converter as described in claim 8, wherein two heat absorption coatings are applied in the first part and the second part of the inner space of the transparent chamber.

12. The energy converter as described in claim 8, wherein the piston is made of a thermal insulation material.

13. The energy converter as described in claim 8, further comprising a storage battery electrically connected to the electric coil.

14. The energy converter as described in claim 13, further comprising a switch electrically connected to the electric coil and the storage battery, and a monitor electrically connected to the switch and configured for detecting movement of the magnet.