SYSTEM FOR GENERATING ELECTRICAL ENERGY FROM WASTE ENERGY

• US 20140123695A1
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Berg, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 10,208,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/331
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 12/00 Use of energy recovery systems in air conditioning, ventilation or screening with both heat and humidity transfer between supplied and exhausted air F24F3/147
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 13/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle defrosting cycles F25B47/02
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/00 Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy F25B30/06 takes precedence

Abstract

A power-generating system comprising an energy-converting module that converts non-electrical waste energy generated by one or more components of an HVAC system into electrical energy, and, a control module that directs the electrical energy to one or more electricity-consuming components of the HVAC system.

Claims

1. A power-generating system, comprising:

an energy-converting module that converts non-electrical waste energy, generated by one or more components of an HVAC system, into electrical energy; and

a control module that directs the electrical energy to one or more electricity-consuming components of the HVAC system.

2. The system of claim 1, further including an inverter configured to convert the electrical energy into an alternating current.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the control module is configured to regulate amounts of the alternating current directed to the electricity-consuming components by the inverter.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the control module is further configured to direct excess amounts of the electrical energy from the inverter to an electric utility grid.

5. The system of claim 1, further including a battery configured to store the electrical energy, wherein the control module is configured to regulate amounts of the electrical energy stored in the battery.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy-converting module includes a piezoelectric module configured to convert the non-electrical waste energy in the form of mechanical vibrations generated by the one or more components.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy-converting module includes a thermoelectric module configured to convert the non-electrical waste energy in the form of heat generated by the one or more components.

8. The system of claim 7, further including a heat sink mounted to the thermoelectric module.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy-converting module includes a piezoelectric module configured to convert the non-electrical waste energy configured as mechanical vibrations generated by one of the components of the HVAC system, and, a thermoelectric module configured to convert the non-electrical waste energy configured as heat generated by a different one of the components of the HVAC system.

10. An HVAC system, comprising

an outdoor heat exchanger equipped with an outdoor air-mover;

an indoor heat exchanger equipped with an indoor air-mover;

a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant and configured to transfer the refrigerant to a discharge line and to receive the refrigerant from a suction line; and

a power generating system, including;

an energy-converting module that converts non-electrical waste energy generated by one or more of the indoor air-mover, the outdoor air-mover, the compressor, or the discharge line, into electrical energy, and

a control module that directs the electrical energy to one or more electricity-consuming components of the HVAC system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the energy-converting module includes a piezoelectric module and the piezoelectric module is coupled to an outer surface of the compressor.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the energy-converting module includes a piezoelectric module and the piezoelectric module is coupled to the indoor air mover.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the energy-converting module includes a piezoelectric module and the piezoelectric module is coupled to the outdoor air mover.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the energy-converting module includes a thermoelectric module and the thermoelectric module is coupled to the discharge line.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein a heat-absorbing side of the thermoelectric module is mounted to an outer surface of the discharge line.

16. The system of claim 14, further including a heat sink mounted to a heat-rejecting side of the thermoelectric module.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein a heat-rejecting side of the thermoelectric module is mounted to an outer surface the suction line.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the control module directs the electrical energy to one or more of a crank-case heater of the HVAC system, a control circuit of the HVAC system, or a user interface of the HVAC system.

19. A method of assembling a power generating system, comprising:

providing an energy-converting module that converts non-electrical waste energy generated by one or more components of an HVAC system into electrical energy; and

providing a control module that directs the electrical energy to one or more electricity-consuming components of the HVAC system.

20. The method of claim 19, further including:

providing an inverter configured to convert the electrical energy into an alternating current; and

providing a battery configured to store the electrical energy, wherein

the control module is programmed to regulate amounts of the electrical energy directed to the electricity-consuming components by the inverter, and

the control module is programmed to regulate amounts of the electrical energy stored in the battery.